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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Sarah
Salted or unsalted butter?
Beth Pierce
Unsalted please
Dani
Do you use salted butter for this recipe?
Beth Pierce
Unsalted butter please. 😉
Holly
How come no one ever tells how many cookies this recipe makes?
Beth Pierce
It makes about 24 cookies. Happy Baking!
Lisa
I am making these for a holiday cookie exchange and I will be making almost 10 dozen. Can you double up the ingredients in this recipe?
Beth Pierce
Yes you can. Happy baking!!
Lauren
These turned out delicious! Thanks for the recipe! Satisfied my lemon craving I always have during the holidays.
Beth Pierce
Fantastic. I am glad that you like them. I hope you have a wonderful holiday!!!
Trudy
Hi read through all the comments. Mine are in the oven but I didn’t really get a dough more a gooey cake mix. Did my best but they have gone flat in the oven. What did I miss? The mixture tastes great from the bowl though!
bpierce
Sorry to hear that Trudy. Did you refrigerate them for a while and roll them in balls?
Brandi
Just made these today to bring for Thanksgiving but need to make another batch (or two!) because my husband and I ate almost all of them! Sooooo yummy! Thanks for sharing this recipe!
bpierce
Oh my goodness you are cracking me up. Thank you so much.
Rachael
Hi there!
I’m just wondering how many cookies come out from the listed ingredients you have. I’m going to attempt these for a Christmas party! Thank you!
bpierce
The recipe will make about 24 cookies. Happy Baking!!
Ruth
Thanks for the easy recipe! I just made a batch and although these are really YUMMY! I have one complaint – they didn’t last very long -LOL!!! I must double the recipe next time!!
I think the dough would freeze very well and if rolled into a log between plastic wrap, it could then be sliced nicely with a sharp knife.
I did add 2t lemon zest as well as 10 drops of YLEO Vitality Lemon Oil – Loved it!!
bpierce
Sorry to hear that they did not last!!! LOL! I think they would freeze well too!! Thanks for the recommendations. What is Vitality Lemon Oil?
Ruth
Vitality Lemon Oil is a line of highly concentrated essential oil from Young Living Essential Oils that naturally helps enhance the flavor of foods and water. Young Living offers a wide variety of oils but now with their Vitality line you can confidently use them to cook and bake with as well as flavor your water with the assurance of no added anything! I like that! I’m all for a healthier lifestyle! Email me and I can tell you more…..
Elicia
Can the dough be frozen for a later time?
bpierce
I have never frozen it. My gut instinct is yes. if you try please let us know the outcome and I will post the results. 🙂