Description
Celebrate the holidays with festive and fun Grinch Cookies! These bright green, soft cookies are made from a vanilla cake mix and are conveniently easy to prepare. Coated in powdered sugar and cornstarch, and topped with a cute red heart sprinkle, these cookies are perfect for Christmas parties or any Grinch-themed celebration. The recipe yields soft, chewy cookies with a delightful crumb and a pop of colorful sweetness.
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
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
Topping
- Heart sprinkles or small red candy (such as M&M’s or Skittles) for decorating
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare pans: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats to prevent sticking and allow for easy cleanup.
- Mix dry coating: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and cornstarch thoroughly. Set this mixture aside; it will be used to coat the cookie dough balls before baking.
- Combine dough ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, add the vanilla cake mix, softened unsalted butter, vegetable oil, and eggs. Using a handheld mixer, blend these together until the dough is well combined and forms a very thick batter. Add green food coloring gradually and mix until you achieve the desired bright green shade.
- Form and coat dough balls: Using a cookie scoop or two spoons, scoop approximately 1½-inch balls of dough. Gently roll each ball in the prepared powdered sugar and cornstarch mixture, coating them evenly. The dough balls will be very soft, so handle carefully. Place the coated dough balls on the prepared cookie sheets, spaced at least 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Bake the cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Halfway through baking, rotate the cookie sheets to ensure even cooking. Cookies are done when they puff up and the edges start to feel firm to the touch.
- Add sprinkles: Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, gently press one heart sprinkle or a small round red candy onto the center of each cookie. Position the sprinkle in one of the cracks to help it stick securely as the cookie cools.
- Cool: Allow 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 slightly as they cool, which is normal. Serve them once cooled and enjoy your festive Grinch Cookies!
Notes
- Make sure the butter and eggs are at room temperature to ensure smooth mixing.
- The dough will be very thick, which is normal for this recipe.
- Rolling the dough in the powdered sugar and cornstarch mixture helps prevent sticking and adds a slightly crisp coating.
- Do not overbake; cookies should be soft in the center when removed from the oven.
- If you don’t have heart sprinkles, small red candies like M&M’s or Skittles work well as a Grinch heart decoration.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
