Chocolate Gooey Butter Cookies

Recipe courtesy Paula Deen

Yields 2 dozen cookies.

1 (8 ounce) brick cream cheese, room temperature
1 stick butter, at room temperature
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 (18.25 ounce) box moist chocolate cake mix
Confectioners' sugar, for dusting

Heat 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 size balls and then roll them in confectioners' 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.