Description
These Lemon Gooey Butter Cookies are irresistibly soft, tangy, and buttery with a luscious lemon flavor enhanced by cream cheese and a lemon cake mix base. Easily rolled in powdered sugar for a sweet finish, they are perfect for a quick and delightful dessert.
Ingredients
Scale
Main Ingredients
- 1 box lemon cake mix (15.25 oz)
- 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Coating
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (for rolling)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Cream the Base: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and unsalted butter until the mixture is smooth and creamy, ensuring no lumps remain.
- Add Flavors and Egg: Incorporate the egg, lemon zest, and vanilla extract into the cream cheese mixture. Mix well until fully combined for balanced flavor and texture.
- Combine with Cake Mix: Gradually add the lemon cake mix to the wet mixture, stirring continuously until a thick dough forms that holds together well.
- Chill the Dough: Place the dough in the refrigerator and chill for 20–30 minutes. This will firm it up, making it easier to shape into balls.
- Shape Cookies: Scoop tablespoon-sized portions of the chilled dough and roll each into a smooth ball. Then, roll each ball thoroughly in powdered sugar until fully coated.
- Arrange and Bake: Place the coated dough balls on the lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. Bake in the preheated oven for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers remain soft.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes to firm up before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Enhance the lemon flavor by adding a few drops of lemon extract or increasing the lemon zest slightly.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.
- For firmer cookies, bake an additional 1-2 minutes, but avoid overbaking to keep them gooey.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 9g
- Sodium: 105mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 13g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
