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The Lowdown on These Raspberry Cookies
These Raspberry Gooey Butter Cookies are my twist on a Gooey Butter Cake which I’ve known about for decades! To my family, it is just called gooey gooey cake. The original recipe for it came from my Aunt Bev who is famous for the caramel in my most popular recipe: Real Deal Caramel Cake.
Anyways, back to the gooey butter raspberry cookies! This recipe combines cake mix with gelatin, butter, and cream cheese to create a colorful cookie that’s soft and gooey! They’re so good and so easy to make.
Ingredients you’ll need to make Raspberry Cookies
- Cream Cheese & Butter Combo: A block of cream cheese joins forces with unsalted butter, both softened to perfection. They’re the dynamic duo bringing creamy goodness to our cookies.
- Egg: One large egg steps in as the binder giving our cookie dough just right in texture.
- Cake Mix Magic: White cake mix is the secret shortcut adding sweetness and a perfect base.
- Powdered Sugar: A dusting of powdered sugar for that final touch of sweetness and a hint of elegance.
- Raspberry Gelatin Twist: Raspberry gelatin brings a burst of berry flavor and a fun, vibrant hue. It’s the star that makes these cookies pop! You can also replace it with another flavor if you want.
- Color Me Fun (Optional): A drop or two of red or pink food coloring to amp up the visual appeal, if you’re feeling extra artsy.
How to make Raspberry Gooey Butter Cookies
What to serve with gooey butter cookies
- Add Them to a Cookie Tray. These colorful chewy cookies work great added to any cookie tray. Enjoy them along with other favorite cookies with color like these Neapolitan Cookies or Orange Chocolate Cookies.
- Valentine’s Day Dessert Box. Gift your boos with a decadent homemade box of sweets! Along with these cookies, you can add some Turtle Candy, Raspberry Brownies, and Strawberry Cupcakes.
- Sip or Dip. Enjoy with your favorite drink whether you’re just sippin’ or doing a little dippin’ too! Milk and coffee are classics while a White Chocolate Hot Cocoa or Sugar Cookie Martini if you’re looking to take things up a notch.
- Garnish. These cookies make a colorful garnish for a Strawberry Float or a bowl of Raspberry Ice Cream.
Recipe Substitutions
- Powdered Sugar: Use colored sprinkles instead to make ultra-festive cookies.
- Butter: I stick to unsalted for this recipe, but use salted butter if that’s all you’ve got.
- Cream Cheese: You can swap in whipped cream cheese or even low-fat cream cheese.
- Raspberry Gelatin: Strawberry or cherry gelatin will switch up the flavor but still keep that fruity goodness.
Recipe Variations and Additions
- Change the Gelatin: These cookies work easily with any gelatin flavor! Make batches in a variety of colors for a colorful cookie platter that feeds a crowd.
- Baby Shower: Use blue raspberry or red raspberry gelatin and the appropriate food coloring to make pink and/or blue cookies.
- Use Different Flavored Cake Mixes: Try chocolate cake mix for a chocolate & raspberry flavor combination! Or even better mix and match the cake mix and gelatin to create a whole range of different flavors.
- Chocolate Swirl: Add mini chocolate chips to the dough for a chocolate-raspberry twist.
Tips for making the best raspberry butter cookies
- Round Cookies: Shaping the cookie dough into round balls helps them bake up in a more circular shape.
- Vibrant Cookie Color: You will get a more vibrant color by adding some red or pink food coloring.
- Use a Cookie Scoop: This ensures your cookies are similar in size which aids in more even baking.
- Don’t Skip Refrigerating the Dough: Resting the dough improves the flavor but also keeps the cookies from overspreading.
- Don’t Over Bake: To keep them gooey you want to avoid cooking them too much as they can dry out.
How to store Raspberry Gooey Butter Cookies
To keep your raspberry gooey butter cookies fresh and delicious, let them cool completely after baking. Then, store them in an airtight container at room temperature.
Pop them in the microwave for a few seconds for that freshly baked cookie flavor and texture!
How long will Raspberry Gooey Butter Cookies last in the fridge?
When packaged up properly, they’ll stay perfectly gooey and irresistible for up to a week, ready to delight your taste buds whenever you crave a sweet treat!
Can I freeze raspberry cookies?
Yes! You can store the baked cookies in a freezer-safe container for up to three months so you can enjoy them whenever you want!
You can also freeze the unbaked cookie dough. I recommend rolling it out into balls and freezing it on a parchment-lined baking tray. Once frozen, transfer them to a storage container and freeze for up to one month. Remove the desired amount and let them thaw out on a baking tray, add the powdered sugar, and then bake as directed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Colored cookies are always a bit tricky. Use the timing in the recipe as a guideline but your cookies are done when the edges are dry and they may be lightly brown on the bottom. The centers may still look a bit soft but this is the secret to soft and gooey cookies. As they cool they will set up but still be soft in the center.
These cook up pretty round if you take the time to roll the cookie dough into balls. But if you prefer them more round, you can use a round cookie cutter that’s larger than the cookies and spin it around the cookie in a circular motion. This creates smooth and round cookie edges.
Placing them in a container helps to keep them moist. Avoid placing them in a container with other types of cookies which may draw out and absorb some of their moisture. If the cookies start to feel too firm you can add a slice of white bread to the container. The cookies will absorb the moisture from the bread and soften a bit.
Y’all I just know these beautiful pink Raspberry Ooey Butter Cookies are going to be your new favorites! From their vibrant color, ease of the recipe, or amazing texture and flavor, what’s not to love?!? They’re the perfect indulgence any day of the week but these make the perfect cookies for Valentine’s Day, Spring events, baby showers, and so much more!
More Chewy Cookie Recipes
- Key Lime Cookies
- Chewy Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Lemon Crinkle Cookies
- Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Mrs. Fields Chocolate Chip Cookies
Raspberry Gooey Butter Cookies
Want to Save This Recipe, Boo?
I’ll email this recipe to you, so you can come back to it later!
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened 1 block
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 large egg
- 1 box white cake mix
- ¼ cup powdered sugar
- 3 ounces raspberry gelatin 1 box- JUST THE POWDER MIX
- OPTIONAL 1-2 drops red or pink food coloring
Instructions
- Add cream cheese and butter to the bowl of your mixer and cream until smooth.
- Next turn mixer to medium and add in one egg until batter is smooth.
- Then turn your mixer to a low speed and add in gelatin, cake mix and food coloring until everything is well combined and thick.
- Remove finished cookie dough from the mixer and wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 20-30 minutes.
- While dough chills, preheat your oven to 350 degrees.
- Remove chilled dough from refrigerator and roll into small balls and place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
- Sprinkle the tops of the cookies with powdered sugar and bake for 10-12 minutes. Remove and cool for 10 minutes.
Notes
- Round Cookies: Shaping the cookie dough into round balls helps them bake up in a more circular shape.
- Vibrant Cookie Color: You will get a more vibrant color by adding some red or pink food coloring.
- Use a Cookie Scoop: This ensures your cookies are similar in size which aids in more even baking.
- Don’t Skip Refrigerating the Dough: Resting the dough improves the flavor but also keeps the cookies from overspreading.
- Don’t Over Bake: To keep them gooey you want to avoid cooking them too much as they can dry out.
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I feel silly for asking this, but maybe I won’t be the only one haha. When you add the gelatin, is it prepared or just the gelatin powder? I’m super excited to make them!!!
Hey boo, no silly questions. The powder is what you want to add.
I have been making these Gooey Butter cookies for years now since I found the recipe online. My question is can you use other gelatin besides raspberry? I am a peach kind of girl.
Hi Christi, you can DEFINITELY try a different gelatin. In fact, I am totally intrigued and want to know how the peach turns out!!
Jocelyn, I totally get what you mean about who owns a recipe. 😉 I have several recipes on my blog that “belonged” to my grandmother and great grandmother…we’re talking the early 1900’s here. Paula Deen has the same recipes! However, since my Granny was born over 30 years before Paula, I totally give credit to Granny for the recipes. Actually…I’m relatively sure that the recipes are merely regional recipes. I knew many low country South Carolina cooks who made food from similar recipes and I’m certain that those recipes traveled with people as they migrated down into Georgia (Paula’s neck of the woods.) It’s like Macaroni Pie. I grew up eating it, loved it! But it wasn’t until I was researching it’s origins that I discovered that it came from Barbados.
(Geez. I talk a lot.) Anyway, I am making your cookies today. I have been on a “how many things can I make with a cake mix” frenzy lately and I absolutely HAVE to add your Aunt Bev’s cookies to my baking frenzy!
Hooray! Thanks so much Terri and I love your story about who really own recipes. Maybe none of us do haha.
Hi Jessica. I just wanted to drop back by here and let you know that I did try the recipe for these cookies. They turned out great. My oldest grandson (age 7) loved them–and he has rarely met a cookie that he DID like. So, my hat is off to you for an excellent, kid pleasing recipe. They are a tad bit addicting.
Hey Jocelyn, I included your cookies in my Valentine’s Day Recipe Roundup! Which I know you already saw 🙂
Girl I totally missed it! You are such a sweetheart! Thank you!