These easy Lemon Gooey Butter Cookies are seven-ingredient cookies that melt in your mouth. With the ease of a lemon cake mix, they come together quickly and easily. So, if you and yours are lemon lovers, then this is a must-try.
Have you tried my gooey butter cake? This is the cookie version with a lemon twist. It is so difficult to stop eating these! These Lemon Gooey Butter Cookies are easy, delicious, and consistently excellent. They are absolutely delicious, warm with a hot cup of tea. They are the perfect cookie for that holiday party! Your company will love them.
How do you make Lemon Gooey Butter Cookies?
First, you will cream the butter and cream cheese until smooth and creamy without lumps. Turn your mixer to low and add the egg, lemon juice, and lemon zest, mixing just until combined. Now add the cake mix in three parts, mixing just until combined after each part.
Roll the dough into balls about one inch in diameter and roll through the powdered sugar. Place on parchment-covered baking sheets or silicone mats. Bake for about ten minutes or until lightly browned. Cool on the baking sheet for two minutes, then remove to cookie cooling racks. When cool enough to handle, roll through the powdered sugar one more time.
These cookies freeze well. Let them fully cool before freezing, then double-wrap them in freezer bags and place them in a sturdy freezer container. When defrosting, remove them from all the wrapping and let them defrost uncovered in a single stack on a platter or cutting board. Once defrosted, store in covered, airtight containers.
Helpful tips for making Lemon Gooey Butter Cookies
- Use fresh lemon juice and lemon zest. It does make a difference in the taste of the cookies.
- Soften your butter so it is easier to blend.
- Blend your butter and cream cheese until it is smooth, creamy, and free of lumps.
- For optimum results, refrigerate the dough for 2 hours.
- Always preheat your oven and load the cookies on the middle rack in the center of the oven.
- For best results, bake on parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Do not over-bake these cookies. They are done when they are lightly browned.
- If you have time, do a test run with one or two cookies. This will help establish the baking time.
Other cookie recipes you will love!
Lemon Gooey Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened 1 stick
- 8 ounces cream cheese softened
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 box lemon cake mix I use Duncan Hines lemon supreme
- 1 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Cream butter and cream cheese with a mixer until smooth and creamy. Add egg, lemon juice, and lemon zest; mix until combined on low. Add the lemon cake mix in three parts mixing just until combined after each part.
- Refrigerate dough for 2 hours.
- Roll into 1-inch balls and roll through the powdered sugar. Place on cookie sheets covered with parchment paper.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes at 350 degrees. Cool for 2 minutes, then remove the cookies to cookie cooling racks. When fully cool, dust with more powdered sugar.
Notes
- Use fresh lemon juice and lemon zest. It really does make a difference in the taste of the cookies.
- Soften your butter, so it is easier to blend.
- Blend your butter and cream cheese until it is smooth, creamy, and free of lumps.
- For optimum results, refrigerate the dough for 2 hours.
- Always preheat your oven and load the cookies on the middle rack in the center of the oven.
- For best results, bake on parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Do not over-bake these cookies. They are done when they are lightly browned.
- If you have time, do a test run with one or two cookies. It really helps to establish baking time.
Nutrition
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Grace
The cookies didn’t bake even ! Don’t know why? But they’re very good!!!!
bpierce
Not sure what happened. Did you refrigerate the dough and roll them into balls?
Mandy
Do you think this mix would be enough to fill a bar pan for bar cookies instead of individual cookies?
bpierce
I don’t think that there is enough dough to make these into bar cookies and I really don’t think they would turn out well. I always hate disappointing my readers but I want to be honest! 🙂
Vivian
My daughter has been making these for a few years. Her teenagers and their friends love them.
bpierce
They are delicious! 🙂 Your daughter has fine taste!
Kris
Made these but added powdered lemon to the powdered sugar for an extra punch of lemon. Yummy!!
bpierce
I did not know there was such a thing as powdered lemon? Where do you find that? 🙂
Kris
It’s crystallized lemon called True Lemon. I find it it baking items at my grocery store. By the Stevia. It comes in packets like sweetener but it does not contain sweetener. Only lemon.
bpierce
Thanks for the info. Appreciate it!
Tisa
Thank you. So glad to know about “true lemon”. Hope we have it here.
bpierce
I hope so too!! 🙂
Stef
I’m going to try these. They look divine! Love anything lemon!
bpierce
Me too! 🙂
Amber
Okay, this may sound stupid but do I add the cake mix in, in powder form? Or mix it like I’m making a cake?
bpierce
Powdered form. 🙂
Stacia
How many did you get out of this recipes? I need a few dozen and wanted to make sure I bought enough cake mix and butter.
Thank you
bpierce
This recipe makes between 24-30 cookies depending on depending on how large you roll your balls.Try to keep them to one inch and you will get closer to 30. I have also had several readers suggest a little more lemon juice and maybe a little lemon zest.
Mathilda
How much cake mix do you use?
I’m from Germany and the weight of cake mix differs from brand to brand – and I guess from country to country.
Greetings from Heidelberg. 🙂
bpierce
Greetings from St. Charles Missouri! I use 16.5 ounces of cake mix! Happy baking!
Mathilda
Thanks so much! 🙂
bpierce
You are most welcome!
Sarah
Can they be refrigerated overnight instead of for just 2 hours?
bpierce
Yes, just cover real well so the dough does not dry out. Happy cooking!!
Kathy
I made these cookies yesterday mostly for my husband. I don’t really care for lemon anything. WELL, this cookie has changed my mind! I love them! They are so fresh and light and oh so delicious. Thank you so very much. A real family favorite ♡
bpierce
So glad that you love them! Love the compliments…they keep me cooking. 🙂