Gooey butter cookies meet red velvet in these easy cookies made with cake mix. You won’t be able to stop eating these soft Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cookies!
While these are perfect year round, we also love a good seasonal cookie! If you are looking to add more cookies to your cookie plate, try these Valentine’s Day Sugar Cookies for Valentine’s Day or these Spritz Cookies for Christmas.
Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cookies
Back in 2012, I published my very first Red Velvet Week, where I posted red velvet recipes all week long. Then it happened again in 2013, and by that point I was obsessed and it became a yearly thing for me. That eventually led to me writing a cookbook all about red velvet. So to say I love my red velvet is an understatement.
One of my favorite things about red velvet is how it is perfect for holidays year round. Red for Valentine’s Day, Part of the red white and blue for the 4th of July, blood red for Halloween, and of course, anything red is perfect for Christmas.
These Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cookies are not only perfect for celebrating year round, but they are so easy, too. They are cookies made with cake mix, so the ingredient list is very short and they really don’t take a lot of hands on time. So throw these on the cookie plate, share them with the neighbors, and wait for everyone to ask you for the recipe!
Want more red velvet cookies? Try these Red Velvet Whoopie Pies!
Tips for Making Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cookies
- These cookies are super easy, but they do take a little bit of time because the dough must be completely chilled or it will be too hard to roll into balls. The dough will be quite sticky, so you need that time to let the dough chill completely.
- Even with the 2 hour chill, the dough will be sticky. I definitely find that it is easiest to use a cookie scoop. Your hands will still get sticky, but it definitely helps!
- These cookies should not be hard at all, so sometimes it’s a little hard to tell when the cookies are done. The cookie will be set up on the edges, but the middle should still look super soft. Once you remove the cookies from the oven and let them sit for several minutes, the cookies will continue to set up. DO NOT overbake these cookies. If you do, they will be more cake-like than soft and gooey. Still delicious, but not the same.
- Store the cookies in an air tight container.
More Red Velvet Recipes
Oreo Cream Cheese Stuffed Red Velvet Brownies
Red Velvet Quick Bread with Cream Cheese Filling
Red Velvet Sheet Cake Recipe with Cookies and Cream Frosting
Red Velvet Cheese Ball
Red Velvet Cupcakes
Red Velvet Muffins
Tools Used to Make these Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cookies
- While it would be possible to make these completely by hand, it would be difficult. I suggest using a stand mixer or a hand mixer to make the job much easier.
- Because the dough is so sticky, I recommend using a cookie scoop to make the job just a little bit easier.
- You can spray your baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray, but I always recommend using parchment paper or a silpat liner instead.
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Red Velvet Gooey Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 8 oz cream cheese at room temperature
- 1/2 cup butter at room temperature
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 15.25 oz red velvet cake mix
- 1/4 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, or with a hand mixer, beat the cream cheese and the butter together. Beat in the egg, then the vanilla. Beat in the cake mix until completely combined.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF.
- Roll the chilled dough into tablespoon sized balls. Roll in the powdered sugar, then place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat liner, at least 2 inches apart.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or just until set on the edges.
- Remove to a wire rack to cool.
Nadia says
Is it okay if we leave the batter in the fridge overnight? Also, you said to roll the batter balls on powdered sugar before baking – will the powdered sugar melt when it’s baking? Thanks!
Deborah says
@Nadia, I haven’t tried them with refrigerating the batter, so I’m not sure if they would work or not. And some of the powdered sugar will soak into the cookies, but as you can see from my pictures, most of it remains on the outside of the cookies.
Nadia says
@Deborah, I’ve finally made these cookies and let me tell you, they are AMAZING! I noticed that if you baked it too long, it will give you more of a cake texture, but if you don’t over-bake, it will have the perfect gooey texture. So I guess it depends on your oven as well. I baked mine for 10 minutes and they were perfect. 🙂
murray says
mine turned out basically like cake (but in cookie size).. hmm, not sure what i did wrong…
Deborah says
@murray, I’m not sure, either. They should be soft, and almost gooey. Wish I could help you!
Danielle Goewert says
I make these but drizzle melted white chocolate on them. Adds so much. Try the chocolate ones too:)
Jenn says
Just wondering how many cookies this makes? I am going to make them for my daughter’s class for Valentine’s day and want to be sure I have enough. They look delicious!
Deborah says
@Jenn, the recipe makes 2 dozen cookies. Hope they enjoy them!
Katie says
YUM! These look and sounds amazing. I’m totally picking up a box of cake mix today!
Cait says
Glad I came across your blog! These turned out awesome! Made a double batch for my Moms Group – can’t wait to bring them tomorrow!
Deborah says
@Cait, I’m so glad that you liked them!
whit says
this may seem like a silly question, but would a red velvet cupcake mix work as well?
Deborah says
@whit, I don’t think I’ve ever seen a red velvet cupcake mix before. I’m guessing they are close to the same ingredients, but I’m not positive. If you try it, let me know!
whit says
@Deborah, i just tried it with my red velvet cupcake mix and they are delicious. they seem to be a little more cakey than yours appear to be, but still super soft and yummy.
Chels R. says
My brother has an obsession with red velvet! These look really good!
vanillasugarblog says
oh deb you totally had me at ‘gooey’
Anna S says
I saw this post yesterday morning, put the ingredients on my list, and baked them yesterday afternoon. I was hoping they would be comparable to my boys’ favorite cookie at Paradise Bakery & Cafe. I had tried to replicate them with a different cake mix recipe last month and those didn’t turn out very good. These turned out fantastic. They aren’t the same as the ones at Paradise, but my boys think these are way better. They are in love with these cookies!!!
Dina says
who wouldn’t love these?
Sarah says
I’m going to add some white chocolate chips in when I make these.
charlotte says
@Sarah, I did the same thing!!!
Sally @ Spontaneous Hausfra says
These cookies are what dreams are made of – at least my dreams!!
Erika - The Teenage Taste says
Oh my gosh, those cookies are my life! I made them for Christmas and Valentine’s Day last year and it’s a good thing because I am totally addicted to them. I have a feeling I could eat an entire batch if I really wanted to. 😉
Heather says
Do you know what size box cake mix you used? Most cake mixes have been decreased from 18 (or so)oz to 15 (or so)oz. I don’t want the cookies to be too soft and goey as I’m giving these to other people and they need to stay awesome. Thanks!
Deborah says
I don’t remember what size I originally made these with, but I’m guessing it was the old size. I guess I need to re-test this! 🙂 I have seen these cookies done recently, though, just calling for a cake mix, so I’m guessing they will work with the new size as well.
Living The Sweet Life says
WOW!! Your red velvet cookies, look melt in your mouth delicious 🙂 I love them!! I’m so excited to see what else you come up with for red velvet week
Joanne says
Have I ever mentioned that red velvet week is my favorite week of the year? Cause it is. Love these! Anything with gooey AND red velvet in the title has to be amazing.