Lemon Gooey Butter Cookies

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Lemon gooey butter cookies are soft and delicious. Just like their namesake gooey butter cake, this recipe starts with a cake mix, butter and cream cheese for the perfect decadent texture.

Make soft and delicious lemon gooey butter cookies with only 7 ingredients. They are full of bright lemon flavor and the perfect buttery texture.

Ooey Gooey Cake, or gooey butter cake, is a St. Louis tradition.  Since we live only a couple of hours from there, it shows up at our gathers regularly too.  It is always a favorite.  

A dense cakey base covered in butter and cream cheese.  What is not to love?!  Well, these are that… in cookie form… and with lemon!

The best thing about cookies like this is how easy they are to make. There is basically no measuring of ingredients, just dump and go!

 I have made several varieties of cookies that start with a cake mix over the years. Zach’s birthday cookies are always a hit, they are super simple and loaded with sprinkles. In fact our friends think they are so good they nicknamed them crack cookies!

Then there are chocolate gooey butter cookies. They are every bit as good as the combination of chocolate, cream cheese and butter in cookie form sounds.

 But I have to say these lemon gooey butter cookies are the first to disappear when they show up on a dessert buffet. Especially if I bring them to work, they will go in a snap!

I made them for my coworkers within the first few months on the job. They talked about them for days afterwards.

We have a snack table in the office that rarely goes empty for long.  After the holidays I think we went on a self imposed detox and it hasn’t been quite as full an normal.

So I thought I would spruce it up with bright lemony cookies.  I didn’t hear a single complaint and the plate was empty quickly.  I suppose that’s a sign that they need more cookies!

Tips and Tricks

Make sure your butter and cream cheese are softened so they are easier to blend. Blend them together until the mixture is smooth, creamy and lump free before adding the remaining ingredients.

Give the cookie dough a nice long chill in the refrigerator before baking. This will make it easier to scoop and roll in the powdered sugar later.

It will also help to give the center the soft gooey texture that makes these cookies so good. Chilled dough keeps the cookies puffy and soft.

For the best results, bake these cookies on parchment paper or silicone mats. Do not overbake these cookies, they are done when they are puffed up and the outside is cracked.

More Great Lemon Treats

If you like these cookies, lemon chess bars are going to be right up your alley. They have all of the butter and cream cheese goodness in a soft and gooey cakey bar.

For another fun cookie recipe using lemon cake mix, check out lemon blueberry whoopie pies. Or whip up some super soft homemade lemon cookies if you don’t want to start with a mix.

A lemon Texas sheet cake is a great dessert for feeding a crowd. It is moist, delicious and oh so easy to make.

Classic lemon bars are another excellent option. Or whip up a lemon honey Bundt cake or a lemon blueberry Bundt cake for an extra special treat.

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a review in the recipe card below!

Thanks for sharing!