Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies

Oh Paula Dean.  How do I love thee?  This is a FABULOUS cookie recipe.  I made them exactly how the recipe states.  They are SUPER moist and super good.    I made them on a Friday night and they were still wonderful for the fourth Of July that following Monday.  Well...the ones that made it to the cabin that is.

Make sure that you store them in a covered, airtight container!!  Best way to keep them moist and keep out sneaky fingers.

Next time I think I might try red velvet, or vanilla, or strawberry...

WARNING! These will be dangerous to your waist line. We are talking about Paula Dean here. Also, this batter is SUPER thick. I used my Kitchen-aid stand mixer and it was even struggling. I would NOT try this with a hand-held mixer. I read reviews that said it burned them out!

See how thick!  It baffles Aidan!!

Yields 24 cookies

Ingredients

1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Confectioner’s sugar, for dusting
1   (18 ounce) box moist chocolate cake mix
1   (8-ounce) brick cream cheese, room temperature
1   egg
1   stick of butter, room temperature

Directions

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.

Cool completely and sprinkle with more confectioners’ sugar, if desired.  (I did not.  When I rolled them in the sugar it was pretty thick. I think that might be over kill.)