These Christmas Ooey Gooey Butter Cookies are a delightful treat, perfect for your holiday celebrations. They’re soft, rich, and bursting with festive flavors, thanks to the addition of sprinkles and a hint of almond extract.
Ingredients:
For the Ooey Gooey Butter Cookies:
- 1 (8 oz) package cream cheese, softened
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon almond extract (optional, for a subtle almond flavor)
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup powdered sugar, for rolling
- ¼ cup Christmas sprinkles, plus extra for garnish
Instructions:
Making the Cookie Dough:
In a large bowl, beat together the softened cream cheese and butter until smooth and creamy.
Gradually add the granulated sugar, mixing until well combined.
Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using) until fully incorporated.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Do not overmix.
Gently fold in ¼ cup of the Christmas sprinkles.
Chilling the Dough:
Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour, or until firm. Chilling helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much during baking.
Baking the Cookies:
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Once the dough is chilled, scoop out tablespoon-sized portions and roll them into balls.
Roll each dough ball in powdered sugar to coat.
Place the powdered sugar-coated dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between them to allow for spreading during baking.
Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden but the centers are still soft.
Remove from the oven and immediately sprinkle with additional Christmas sprinkles while the cookies are still warm. This allows the sprinkles to adhere better.
Cooling:
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Prep Time: 15 minutes (plus 1 hour chilling time) | Cook Time: 10-12 minutes per batch | Total Time: 1 hour 25 minutes
Servings: About 24 cookies
Calorie Count per serving: Approximately 120-140 Kcal per cookie
These Christmas Ooey Gooey Butter Cookies are a delightful treat that’s perfect for the holiday season. The combination of the soft, buttery cookie, the festive sprinkles, and the hint of almond extract (if using) creates a truly irresistible flavor. Enjoy!