St. Louis Style Gooey Butter Cake Cookies Recipe (2024)

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Recipe Discuss

Gooey Butter Cake Cookies are sweet, buttery and super moist. These cake cookies are perfect for the Christmas cookie season, require only 5 ingredients and ready in under 30 minutes!

St. Louis Style Gooey Butter Cake Cookies Recipe (1)

The Holiday season finally among us! The time of year where we gather with friends and family to catch-up, make memories, laugh and of course eat. These Gooey Butter Cake Cookies are a St. Louis classic that are so simple to make and only require 5 ingredients.

The cake cookies are ready fast in under 30 minutes and require no chilling. Need to prep ahead of time? No problem, the cookie dough can be frozen or made ahead of time and stored in the fridge.

Ingredient Notes

  • A Boxed Yellow Cake Mix: My favorite is the Betty Crocker Super Moist Yellow Cake Mix, but any brand of boxed yellow cake mix will work.
  • Vanilla Extract: This ingredient is optional, but I like to little extra something it gives to these cookies. You could swap this out for some lemon juice for a lemony butter cookie.

Why You'll LOVE Them
Super Simple: Only 5 Ingredients Required
Lighting Fast: Ready in Under 30 Minutes
Versatile: Great for all Holidays, Bake Sales and Sunday Baking with Kids

St. Louis Style Gooey Butter Cake Cookies Recipe (2)

Instructions

Dough Prep

Combine the Ingredients
In a large prep bowl combine the softened cream cheese and butter, egg and vanilla extract if using. Use a hand or stand mixer to combine the ingredients on medium speed until well combined. You do not want any large chunks or butter or cream cheese.

Add in the Cake Mix
Add your yellow boxed cake mix to your dough. STIR the cake mix in until well combined. I find that if I stir and mash the dough comes together easier and faster. The dough will be thick and slightly sticky when finished.

Pro Tip!
Let the dough chill in the fridge for 30 minutes to make rolling the cookies easier and the dough less sticky. This is optional, but will help your hands stay cleaner.

St. Louis Style Gooey Butter Cake Cookies Recipe (3)

Baking the Cookies

Roll the Cookies
Take a small piece of dough and roll it into a 1 ½ inch ball using the palms of your hands. Then place the ball into a small bowl of powdered sugar and coat the entire thing. Next, place the finished ball onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Repeat this process until all the dough is rolled into balls.

Bake the Cookies
Bake on the center rack if using one pan and rotate halfway through. If you are using two pans switch and rotate the pans so that the cookies bake evenly. I bake these cookie for 10-12 minutes until the tops are cracked and there is no more "doughiness" in the middle. These cake cookies should not brown or get dark so make sure you do not over-bake them.

Finishing Touches
Once baked, remove from the cookie sheet and place on a cooling rack. Sprinkle with additional powdered sugar if desired and serve warm or store leftovers. Enjoy!

Storing Leftover Cookies
Store leftover gooey butter cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for best results. When stored properly, these cookies will stay fresh for 1-2 weeks.

St. Louis Style Gooey Butter Cake Cookies Recipe (4)

FAQS

Can cookie dough be frozen?

Yes, cookie dough can be frozen for up to 3 months. Follow the recipe instructions for the cookie dough prep and rolling the cookies. Instead of placing them on a cookie sheet, place the rolled dough in a freezer bag and store. You can pop out as many as you want and bake at your convince. When baking the frozen cake cookie dough you may need to add a couple minutes to the bake time to get them just right.

How do you make cookie dough ahead of time?

You can make the cookie dough up to 24 hours ahead of time and store it in the fridge. You can store the dough rolled in balls or still in the prep bowl mixed, then roll the dough out. Follow the recipe instructions for all dough prep then store covered in the fridge.

What are gooey butter cookies?

First, I would like to explain where Gooey Butter Cake came from. It was invented in the 1930's by a German baker in St. Louis. The legend goes that the baker was trying to make a regular cake, but reversed the proportions of flour and butter resulting in a moist pudding-like texture.

People still love and make this version all over St. Louis and the Midwest today. The model for the gooey butter cake cookie comes from this cake. The gooey butter cake is a dense cake made from butter, eggs, flour, and dusted with powdered sugar. Gooey butter cookies are similar to this formula. They are super moist, chewy and impossible to resist.

St. Louis Style Gooey Butter Cake Cookies Recipe (5)

Customizations

Add Some Color: If you want to theme these cookies to a holiday like Christmas or Valentine's Day you can stir in some festive sprinkles. Just add them in at the last step after you stir in the cake mix.

Add Some Flavor: I like the traditional butter taste, but you can add in some lemon juice for more of a lemon butter flavor or a smidge of cinnamon for a snickerdoodle effect.

Different Cake Mix: Virtually any boxed cake mix can be used to make cake cookies. Check out My Chocolate Peppermint Cake Cookies for a different flavor profile, but still super quick and easy.

Shop This Recipe
These Large Baking Sheets are perfect for holiday baking!
These Prep Bowls come with lids making them great for storing dough in the fridge ahead of time.

St. Louis Style Gooey Butter Cake Cookies Recipe (6)

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St. Louis Style Gooey Butter Cake Cookies Recipe (11)

Thank you so much for stopping by, if you made this recipe I would love to hear from you below in the comments. If you want to keep up with what The Erhardts are Eating (and exploring) be sure to follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, Twitter & Youtube.

St. Louis Style Gooey Butter Cake Cookies Recipe (12)

Happy Eating!

St. Louis Style Gooey Butter Cake Cookies Recipe (13)

Gooey Butter Cake Cookies

Caitlyn Erhardt

The BEST Holiday cookie recipe! Super simple, minimal ingredients and (most importantly) delicious!

5 from 13 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe Rate this Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 22 minutes mins

Course Dessert, Snack

Cuisine American

Servings 24 Cookies

Calories 128 kcal

Ingredients

  • 8 Oz Cream Cheese Softened
  • ½ Cup Unsalted Butter Softened
  • 1 Egg
  • 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract Optional
  • 1 Box Yellow Cake Mix
  • ½-3/4 Cup Powdered Suger

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Combine cream cheese, butter, vanilla extract, and egg in a medium sized bowl. Using a hand or stand mixer, whisk the dough until well combined.

  • Stir in the yellow cake mix until well combined. The dough will be slightly sticky. Set Aside. In a different small bowl measure out your powdered sugar. Set Aside.

  • Take a small piece of dough and roll it (using your palms) until a ball about 1 inch in diameter forms. Drop the ball into the powdered sugar bowl and coat it completely then set on a prepared cookie sheet. Repeat until all dough is used.

    *See Recipe Note For Optional Chill Time

  • Bake for 10-12 minutes on the middle rack of the oven. The cookies will be light in color and shouldn't brown on top. Serve warm or store in an airtight container for up to two weeks.

Notes

  • Chilling Tip: It is recommended (but not required) that you let the dough chill for 30 minutes before rolling the dough. The dough is sticky and it is easier to work with after the dough has chilled some. If you are in a hurry (or do not mind messy fingers) then of course you can skip the chill time.
  • Leftover Storage: Store leftover gooey butter cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 1-2 weeks.
  • Freezer Option: Store rolled cookie dough balls in the freezer for up to 3 months. Bake according to recipe instructions and add 1-2 minutes to the cook time.

Tried this recipe?Mention @erhardtseat!

Nutrition

Serving: 1CookieCalories: 128kcalCarbohydrates: 16.2gProtein: 2.2gFat: 6.5gSaturated Fat: 3.7gCholesterol: 21mgSodium: 154mgPotassium: 3mgFiber: 0gSugar: 10.2gCalcium: 40mgIron: 0.4mg

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St. Louis Style Gooey Butter Cake Cookies Recipe (19)

St. Louis Style Gooey Butter Cake Cookies Recipe (20)

I'm Caitlyn, I love creating simple and delicious recipes for my entire family to enjoy! I hope you find some new go-to recipes and favorites for your own family and friends to enjoy! Find Out More!

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Tell Me What You Think!

  1. D

    Wanting to use this as a crust for a cheese cake. Should a partial bake before adding cheese cake batter or just bake cookies with cheese cake batter all at once??

    Reply

    • Caitlyn Erhardt

      I've never tried this (fun idea though) but I would partial bake it a bit then add the cheesecake batter in. Good luck!

      Reply

  2. Ashley

    St. Louis Style Gooey Butter Cake Cookies Recipe (21)
    These were great! We’re trying to make some like our favorite ice cream and cookie shop and the flavor is excellent! They were a big hit with our whole family.

    Reply

    • Caitlyn Erhardt

      Happy to hear that you and your family enjoyed them!

      Reply

  3. Jessica

    St. Louis Style Gooey Butter Cake Cookies Recipe (22)
    These are freaking AH-amzing! Adding to my "go to" dessert list for parties and Christmas cookies!

    Reply

    • Caitlyn Erhardt

      Thank you! These are a fave in our house and everyone always adores them at Christmas and all year round!

      Reply

  4. Anita

    St. Louis Style Gooey Butter Cake Cookies Recipe (23)
    Love these! So simple and liked reading about the history.

    Reply

    • caitlyn

      Thanks!

      Reply

  5. Dannii

    St. Louis Style Gooey Butter Cake Cookies Recipe (24)
    Oh my! These cookies look amazing. I can’t wait to start all the Christmas baking.

    Reply

    • Caitlyn Erhardt

      I love the holidays for all the desserts!

      Reply

  6. Jacqueline Debono

    St. Louis Style Gooey Butter Cake Cookies Recipe (25)
    Love recipes that kids can help with! These cookies look and sound so tasty! Going to try this recipe!

    Reply

    • Caitlyn Erhardt

      I love being able to incorporate kids especially with desserts! I hope you love them!

      Reply

  7. Adrianne

    St. Louis Style Gooey Butter Cake Cookies Recipe (26)
    These look so tasty Caitlyn!!! I love how they are for big kids and small ones and that kids can help make them too. I haven't made a heap of cookies in my day, but I want to give these a go, CHEERS!!!

    Reply

    • Caitlyn Erhardt

      Thanks! They are so simple so perfect for kids to help! Hope you love them 🙂

      Reply

  8. Colleen

    St. Louis Style Gooey Butter Cake Cookies Recipe (27)
    I've never heard of these cookies but they look amazing! Adding to my holiday cookie recipe must dos!

    Reply

    • Caitlyn Erhardt

      They are so yummy and easy! Hope you love them!

      Reply

  9. Jill

    St. Louis Style Gooey Butter Cake Cookies Recipe (28)
    So interesting to learn where the cake recipe came from! I'm in Ohio but still love a gooey butter cake. So I'll have to try this cookie recipe!

    Reply

    • Caitlyn Erhardt

      Gooey Butter Cake is so good and I love the simplicity of making a cookie version!

      Reply

St. Louis Style Gooey Butter Cake Cookies Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is gooey butter cake St Louis? ›

Gooey butter cake is a type of cake traditionally made in St. Louis, Missouri. It is a flat and dense cake made with wheat cake flour, butter, sugar, and eggs, typically near an inch tall, and dusted with powdered sugar.

Does gooey butter cake need to be refrigerated? ›

The cake can be stored at room temperature for 2- 3 days. Be sure to store it in an airtight container or use aluminum foil or plastic wrap to help keep them from drying out. You can also store it in the refrigerator for 4-5 days and serve it chilled but it won't be as gooey.

Does schnucks sell gooey butter cake? ›

From taste to texture, you're going to love our baked fresh in store gooey butter cake. Check your Bakery often for seasonal favorites, like pumpkin and lemon blueberry!

What is gooey butter cake from White Castle? ›

Well, we took this classic sweet yellow cake, rich cream cheese, butter and a dash of vanilla flavor and put it On-A-Stick! Now this perfect-sized delight is only gooey in your mouth, and sticky fingers are a thing of the past.

Why is gooey butter cake so good? ›

Made of little else but flour, sugar, butter, eggs, and corn syrup, it's immediately satisfying and luxurious to eat. The result is chewy, rich, and creamy, almost like a vanilla pudding that's been nestled into a blondie. In St. Louis gooey butter cake is everywhere.

Why is it called gooey butter cake? ›

With way more butter than flour in the recipe, the resulting cake was a buttery blob that spread out all over the pan. Unwilling to it toss out and lose the revenue, Hoffman instead named it "gooey butter cake." People loved it, so Hoffman continued to recreate this "mistake," and soon bakeries all over St.

Where did gooey butter cake originated? ›

The consensus is that the first gooey butter cake was made accidentally by a south St. Louis German-American baker in the 1930s. That's according to an online article by the Missouri Historical Society.

Is it OK to eat gooey cake? ›

Your cake might be the most tempting dessert in the room. But if it's undercooked, it's better to stay away from it. You can get a bad case of food poisoning if you attempt to eat an undercooked cake. Raw eggs in the cake can contain salmonella which could result in food poisoning.

Can you freeze gooey butter cake? ›

I like to cut gooey butter cake into smaller bars and place them in a gallon freezer ziplock bag. This way, I can thaw just one piece at a time. You can also freeze the whole cake by covering the pan (as long as it's aluminum and not glass) in plastic wrap or tinfoil and store it in the freezer for up to 3 months.

How many calories are in a piece of Ooey Gooey butter cake? ›

Prairie City Bakery Ooey Gooey Butter Cake (1 serving) contains 33g total carbs, 32g net carbs, 9g fat, 2g protein, and 220 calories.

Does Dierbergs have gooey butter cake? ›

Dierbergs' version of the Gooey Butter Cake, a long-standing St. Louis tradition, has been popular with customers at all our stores.

What is a pooch cake? ›

Product details

Our moist and fluffy Birthday Cake Mix for Dogs is an all-natural and delicious treat that your pup is sure to enjoy. These simple-to-make puppy cakes come together in just minutes in the microwave and are made of high-quality ingredients.

What is a Tom Cruise bundt cake? ›

The famous Tom Cruise cake is a one-layer Bundt cake made with coconut cake with white chocolate chunks. The round cake is slathered in white cream cheese frosting and coated with heaps of coconut flakes. The White Chocolate Coconut Bundt Cake is made by the family-owned Doan's Bakery in Woodland Hills, California.

What is Kentucky butter cake made of? ›

A Kentucky Butter cake is the simplest cake you can find. The ingredients are truly pantry staples: eggs, butter, flour, sugar, baking soda, and buttermilk. Don't skip the buttermilk. Butternilk is essential for the rise of the cake and its tender texture.

What country are White Castle butter cookies from? ›

Country of Origin: Malaysia. Halal.

What is the meaning of gooey cake? ›

adjective. If you describe a food or other substance as gooey, you mean that it is very soft and sticky. [informal] These cakes are fudgy, gooey, and delicious.

What is ooey gooey cake made of? ›

Mix cake mix and 2 eggs together in a bowl. Add butter and vanilla extract; mix until batter is smooth and thick. Spread batter into the prepared baking dish. Beat confectioners' sugar, cream cheese, and 2 eggs together in a bowl until smooth; spread over batter.

What is another name for a butter cake? ›

There are two main types of cakes: butter cakes (also known as shortened cakes) and foam cakes. The distinction between these two broad categories of cake is in the fat content.

What are Tom Cruise cakes? ›

The famous Tom Cruise cake is a one-layer Bundt cake made with coconut cake with white chocolate chunks. The round cake is slathered in white cream cheese frosting and coated with heaps of coconut flakes. The White Chocolate Coconut Bundt Cake is made by the family-owned Doan's Bakery in Woodland Hills, California.

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