Description
Paula Deen’s Gooey Butter Cookies offer pure indulgence straight from Southern kitchens. Rich cream cheese and butter blend into irresistible morsels that melt deliciously on taste buds, promising sweet comfort with each delectable bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients:
- 1 (18 ounces / 510 grams) box moist chocolate cake mix
- 1 (8 ounces / 226 grams) package room temperature cream cheese
- 1 stick (½ cup / 113 grams) room temperature butter
- 1 egg
Flavor Enhancers:
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Finishing Touch:
- confectioner’s sugar (for dusting)
Instructions
- Prepare the oven environment by positioning the rack in the center and heating to 350°F (175°C), ensuring an optimal baking temperature.
- In a spacious mixing bowl, utilize an electric mixer to blend cream cheese and butter until achieving a silky, uniform consistency with no visible lumps.
- Introduce the egg into the mixture, thoroughly integrating it with smooth, continuous strokes until completely incorporated.
- Carefully add vanilla extract, then gradually fold in the cake mix, mixing until the batter reaches a harmonious texture without overmixing.
- Shield the dough mixture with plastic wrap and transfer to the refrigerator, allowing it to rest and solidify for approximately 2 hours, which enhances flavor development and rolling capability.
- Once chilled, extract the dough and shape into uniform balls measuring approximately 1 tablespoon (15 milliliters) in volume, generously coating each sphere with confectioner’s sugar for a delicate, sweet exterior.
- Arrange the sugar-dusted dough balls on an ungreased cookie sheet, maintaining a 2-inch (5-centimeter) spacing to prevent merging during baking, and place in the preheated oven.
- Bake for 12 minutes, monitoring closely to preserve a tender, slightly gooey center while achieving a delicate golden edge.
- Remove from the oven and transfer cookies to a wire cooling rack, allowing them to reach room temperature naturally, which helps set their delightful texture.
- Optional final touch: Dust with an additional light layer of confectioner’s sugar for enhanced visual appeal and subtle sweetness.
Notes
- Let the cookies rest undisturbed on the baking sheet after pulling from the oven. Fresh-from-the-oven treats need time to set and stabilize without breaking.
- Keeping the baking time short ensures a soft, melt-in-your-mouth center. Twelve minutes creates the perfect texture without drying out the delicate cookie.
- Covering each dough ball generously in powdered sugar creates a delightful crackled exterior. White sugar coating adds sweetness and visual appeal to every bite.
- Refrigerating the prepared dough helps control spreading and enhances flavor development. Two hours of chilling allows ingredients to meld and creates better cookie structure.
- Softening butter and cream cheese completely prevents lumpy dough. Room temperature ingredients blend seamlessly, producing a smooth, consistent mixture that bakes beautifully.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Desserts, Snacks
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 24
- Calories: 153
- Sugar: 9 g
- Sodium: 157 mg
- Fat: 9.9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 15 g
- Fiber: 0.2 g
- Protein: 1.7 g
- Cholesterol: 28 mg