Description
These Gooey Butter Cookies are delightfully soft and rich, featuring a creamy butter and cream cheese base sweetened with almond extract. Rolled in powdered sugar and baked to perfection, they have a tender, buttery crumb with a gooey center that melts in your mouth. Perfect for cookie lovers looking for a luscious twist on the classic treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter (113g, room temperature, European style recommended)
- 8 oz. cream cheese (227g, room temperature)
- 1 large egg (50g, room temperature)
- 1 tsp almond extract (4g)
- 1½ cups granulated sugar (300g)
Dry Ingredients
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour (270g)
- 1 tbsp baking powder (12g)
- ½ cup powdered sugar (57g), divided
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it reaches the right temperature for baking the cookies evenly.
- Cream Butter, Cream Cheese and Sugar: In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the softened butter, cream cheese, and granulated sugar together until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
- Add Egg and Almond Extract: With the mixer running, add the egg, followed by the almond extract, incorporating them fully into the creamy mixture.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and ¼ cup of the powdered sugar to evenly distribute the leavening and sweetness.
- Mix Dry into Wet: With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet cream cheese mixture, mixing just until smooth and combined.
- Chill the Dough: Remove the bowl from the mixer, cover it, and refrigerate for 30 minutes to firm up the dough, which helps with rolling and baking consistency.
- Prepare Baking Sheet and Powdered Sugar: Line a large sheet pan with nonstick parchment paper. Place the remaining ¼ cup powdered sugar in a shallow bowl for rolling the dough balls.
- Form and Roll Dough Balls: Once chilled, use a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the dough. Immediately roll each dough ball in powdered sugar to coat thoroughly.
- Bake Cookies: Arrange the powdered sugar-coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing six per batch, and bake for 10 to 11 minutes until the tops are no longer wet and the edges are set while maintaining a gooey center.
- Cool Cookies: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This prevents breakage and ensures the centers set perfectly.
Notes
- For best results, use European-style butter because of its higher fat content, which makes the cookies richer and softer.
- Make sure all ingredients are at room temperature to ensure smooth mixing and proper texture.
- Do not overbake; cookies should be slightly soft and gooey in the center for optimal texture.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for longer storage.
- The almond extract gives a subtle nutty flavor but can be substituted with vanilla extract if preferred.
