Gooey Butter Cookies with Cream Cheese Centers

There’s a reason I keep a tub of yellow cake mix in my pantry. These gooey butter cookies are why.

They offer the tender, sugary chew of a classic butter cookie, but what sets them apart is the center. Each bite reveals a smooth, tangy cream cheese core that melts into the soft vanilla crumb. That contrast? It’s the kind of payoff that makes you press the cookie gently between your fingers just to feel it.

This recipe comes from years of adapting the famous St. Louis gooey butter cake into something bite-sized and weeknight-ready. You’ll learn how to shape a cookie that bakes up with structure, holds a creamy center, and crinkles beautifully under powdered sugar. These are not flat sugar bombs. They’re soft butter cookies that carry just enough sweetness.

Why This Cookie Works Every Time

The combination of yellow cake mix and cream cheese delivers consistency. The dough holds its shape. The filling stays creamy. And if you chill both before shaping, they’re a dream to handle.

I’ve tested variations some with extra flour, others with granulated sugar added in but nothing balances flavor and texture like the original formula. The outside bakes up lightly crisp, then gives way to the soft center without falling apart.

You’ll get that same gooey finish you love in ooey gooey bars, but wrapped inside a crinkle cookie format.

A Quick Word on the Ingredients

The yellow cake mix forms your base. I prefer Duncan Hines or Betty Crocker because they stay consistent in texture, and the vanilla notes work well with the filling. The softened butter must be room temp—not melted, not cold—or the dough becomes greasy or hard to mix.

The cream cheese? Go full fat. I’ve tried reduced-fat versions, and the center collapses or lacks that rich flavor. In my notes, I’ve found that generic cream cheese brands can turn grainy after freezing. I stick to Philadelphia for this recipe.

Dough vs. Filling: What’s Worth the Chill

Both dough and filling benefit from chill time.

I used to skip this step and ended up with dough too sticky to handle or filling that oozed out the sides. Just 30 minutes in the fridge makes a difference. The filling firms up enough to hold its shape inside the dough, and the dough becomes easier to roll.

If you’ve made ooey gooey butter cookies before and found them messy or flat, chilling is your fix.

Stuffing and Rolling Tips That Save You Time

Flatten the dough slightly in your palm, place a frozen filling ball in the center, and wrap the dough around it. Press the edges together and roll gently between your hands to seal. Then roll the entire ball in powdered sugar.

I keep a small bowl of sugar next to me while I shape. That dusting creates the crackled look after baking. If your hands get sticky, wash them midway through. Clean hands make neater cookies.

I bake them on parchment, spaced apart. They spread just enough to form a thick round cookie, with edges that barely crisp.

How to Know When They’re Done

You’ll want to pull these out while the centers still look slightly soft. Don’t wait for golden edges—that leads to overbaking.

At 11 to 13 minutes, the outer ring will look matte, and the center will jiggle just slightly when the pan is tapped. That’s your cue. Let them rest on the tray, then move to a wire rack. They finish setting up as they cool.

If you like recipes like these, you’ll probably also enjoy my Gooey Chocolate Chip Cookies or the Brown Butter Cookies—both use similar techniques for soft, satisfying texture.

Make-Ahead and Storage Notes

These cookies store well for three days in an airtight container.

I don’t recommend freezing baked cookies, but you can freeze the unbaked stuffed dough balls. Just wrap the tray and pop them into a freezer bag once firm. Bake directly from frozen, adding 1 extra minute.

If you’re baking ahead for holidays, keep a stash of frozen cookie dough ready to go. That trick alone has saved me more times than I can count.

Serving Suggestions That Elevate the Moment

These cookies don’t need dressing up.

Serve them slightly warm, dusted with powdered sugar. They go well with hot coffee or milk. I’ve even stacked them into a dessert board alongside Easy Peanut Butter Cookies and Cream Cheese Cookies for a mix of textures.

They also travel well. Pack them into tins with parchment between layers. Great for gifting or mailing.

Comparison: Cake Mix vs. Scratch Base

I’ve tested this recipe both with cake mix and a scratch-made vanilla base.

The scratch version adds more prep and doesn’t hold the gooey center as cleanly. It also varies in structure depending on your flour and butter. The cake mix, on the other hand, gives a uniform crumb and subtle vanilla flavor every time. If your goal is simplicity with reliable results, cake mix wins this round.

Final Thoughts: Gooey Cookies That Don’t Disappoint

You don’t need bakery-level skills to make these. Just a chilled filling, steady hands, and the patience to let the dough rest. You’ll get soft cookies with creamy centers, a sugar-dusted finish, and just enough structure to impress anyone who tries them.

Pin this Recipe and Join the Conversation

Save this recipe to your cookie board so you always have a soft, gooey option on hand.

And if you try it, let me know in the comments how they turned out. Have a tip? Have a question? I’d love to hear how you made them your own.