Memories From Home-Gooey Butter Cookies, A St Louis Original

Fall Fest on the Foodnetwork blog FN dish is having a Virtual Cookie Swap.  The blog links that will be featured at the end of this post (along with this post I hope) will give you all the cookie recipes you'll need for your holiday baking.  

I decided to post this particular recipe because it's the perfect alternative to all the chocolate cookies and candies that are found on the dessert table this time of year.  Don't get me wrong I love chocolate as much as the next person, maybe more....but these delicious little bites are amazing, simple and delicious.  Don't believe me, just try them......

And if you use twitter and would like to get in on the conversation feel free.  Just use the #pullupachair hashtag.  We'd love to hear from you.  And as always your welcome to leave a comment below too.

Happy Holidays!!!

My hometown of St. Louis Missouri is famous for lots of food items- thin crust pizza cut into squares, frozen custard, salami and toasted ravioli.  But one of my most favorite St Louis classics is Gooey Butter Cake.
Created in St Louis by a baker during the Depression.  While trying to make a yellow cake he put in too much sugar, shortening or butter (or all three) it's not known for sure.  What is known for sure is that St Louisans love Gooey Butters.  The traditional one is made with a yellow cake base but other bakeries make them with cherries or pineapple.

A few years ago a friend of mine showed me a recipe for gooey butter cookies.  I was hooked.  I can make them anytime -- they are so simple and delicious-- not to mention portion control.  Gooey butter cookies are made pretty much the same way that gooey butter cake is -- cake mix, egg, vanilla, cream cheese and butter.  Mix it all together and drop by spoonfuls into powdered sugar and bake.

Want to make gooey butter cookies?  Here's how:

Ingredients:

1 box yellow cake mix
1 stick butter
1 egg
1 (8 ounce package) cream cheese
1 teaspoon vanilla


1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
2.  In a mixing bowl combine butter and cream cheese until fluffy.
3.  Add egg and mix completely.

4.  Once the egg is incorporated then add the cake mix.
5.  Continue to mix until a dough forms.

6.  Wrap dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.

7.  Using a cookie scoop, scoop out the dough onto a cookie sheet.

Roll balls in powdered sugar before placing on the cookie sheet.

If it's a nonstick cookie sheet then it shouldn't need to be greased.  If it's not a nonstick cookie sheet then grease lightly.

Bake the cookies for about 12 minutes.

If you like you can sprinkle additional powdered sugar on top while the cookies are hot.

Serve with a big glass of milk.

Gooey butter cookies take me back to my hometown and platters of Christmas cookies.  But these cookies are easy enough to make any time of the year.  Try them and taste a bit of St Louis - my childhood home.

More recipes to add these to your recipe box.

What's Gaby Cooking: Peppermint Bark Chocolate Cookies
CIA Dropout: Walnut Wimpy Balls
And Love It Too:  Snowball Cookies (Grain-Free, Dairy-Free and Vegan)
Taste With The Eyes:  Olive Oil Oatmeal Cookies
Jones Is Hungry: A Cookie for Chocolate Lovers
The Sensitive Epicure: Speculaas Dutch Windmill Cookies
Napa Farmhouse 1885: Salted Chocolate & Dulce de Leche Fudge
Virtually Homemade: Chocolate Mint Snowballs
Sweet Life Bake:  Polvorones de Chocolate
Daily*Dishin: Cherry Topped Cream-Drop Cookies
FN Dish: Peanut Butter-Chocolate Chip-Bacon Cookies
Thursday Night Dinner: Peppermint Bark Cookies
Dishin and Dishes: Pecan Sandie Thumbprints With Cherry Frosting
Mooshu Jenne: Biscotti
Cooking With Elise:  Sweet and Salty White Chocolate Cranberry Oat Cookies