Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies

I love cheater cookies. Cookies that use a cake mix, that is. The list of ingredients is short, the prep time is quick, and the end result is a moist, delicious cookie. And these cookies from Paula Deen definitely don't disappoint. Make sure you allot for the refrigeration time. I left them in the fridge over night with no problem.

You can taste that there is cream cheese in there, along with the rich chocolaty flavor. I used a Chocolate Fudge cake mix, but next time I may mix things up with Devil's Food or German Chocolate Cake.

Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies
Paula Deen
Makes about 4 dozen cookies

1 (8 ounce) brick cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick butter, room temperature
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (18 ounce) moist chocolate cake mix
confectioners'/powdered sugar, for dusting

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

In a large bowl with an electric mixer, cream the cream cheese and butter until smooth. Beat in the egg.

Then beat in the vanilla extract. Beat in the cake mix.

Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours to firm up so that you can roll the batter into balls. Roll the chilled batter into tablespoon sized balls and then roll them in confectioner's sugar. Place on an ungreased cookie sheet, 2 inches apart.

Bake 12 minutes. The cookies will remain soft and "gooey." Cool completely and sprinkle with more confectioners' sugar, if desired.