Description
These festive Grinch Cookies are soft, chewy vanilla cake mix cookies tinted green to resemble the Grinch. Coated in a powdered sugar and cornstarch mixture, they’re topped with heart-shaped sprinkles or small red candies to add a cute, seasonal touch. Perfect for holiday celebrations, these quick and easy cookies bake up with a tender texture and a beautiful green hue that’s fun for all ages.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1 box vanilla cake mix
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter, softened at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- Green food coloring, as needed to reach desired green shade
Coating & Topping
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- Heart sprinkles or small red candies (such as M&M’s or Skittles)
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two cookie sheets or baking pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent sticking and allow for even baking.
- Mix the Coating: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and cornstarch. Set this mixture aside as it will be used to coat the dough balls before baking.
- Make the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, add the vanilla cake mix, softened unsalted butter, vegetable oil, and eggs. Using a handheld mixer, blend all ingredients together until the mixture is well combined. Add green food coloring gradually, mixing until you achieve your desired shade of green. Note: the dough will be very thick at this stage.
- Form and Coat Dough Balls: Using a cookie scoop or two spoons, scoop out approximately 1 ½ inch dough balls. Drop each dough ball into the powdered sugar and cornstarch mixture. Gently roll them in the mixture to coat fully, as the dough will be very soft. Place the coated dough balls on the prepared cookie sheets, ensuring there is at least 2 inches of space between each cookie for spreading.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake the cookies for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Halfway through baking, rotate the cookie sheets to ensure even baking. The cookies are done when they have puffed up and the edges feel firm to the touch.
- Add the Toppings: Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately press a heart sprinkle or small red candy into each cookie. Press gently so it sticks, ideally placing the sprinkle into one of the cracks on the cookie for better adhesion.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Note that the cookies will deflate and flatten as they cool, which is normal. Once cooled, serve and enjoy these charming Grinch cookies!
Notes
- Using room temperature ingredients helps the dough combine better and results in a more uniform texture.
- Do not overbake to keep cookies soft and chewy—watch the edges for firmness.
- The powdered sugar and cornstarch coating helps prevent spreading and adds a slight crispness to the edges.
- Feel free to substitute heart sprinkles with other small red candies like M&M’s or Skittles for decoration.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days to maintain freshness.
