Grinch Cookies are sure to steal the hearts of everyone this Christmas season! They have a soft, chewy texture, are colored the perfect shade of Grinch green, then dusted with powdered sugar and a shiny red heart!
Made super easy by using a cake mix and they're always a hit! These Christmas Cookies are sure to become a tradition each and every year!
Table of Contents
Why We Love This Recipe!
- An Easy Cookie Recipe: One of the easiest cookie recipes you can make. The basic recipe is 4 ingredients and we add the coloring, extract, and candy hearts to make them extra special.
- Kid-Friendly: The little ones can help make (and eat) these delicious and easy cookies!
- Soft Cookies: These are soft and chewy cookies, and the texture just melts in your mouth!
This year my granddaughter is all about Christmas and she has fallen in love with "How the Grinch Stole Christmas". Experiencing the holiday season through the eyes of a 2-year-old is absolutely magical.
I have to admit my husband and I love all the Grinch fun and food we have been having around here. From the Grinch Pretzel Bites to our Easy Grinch Punch Recipe and now these fun Grinch Cake Mix Cookies! If you love pistachio you could also make our pistachio wedding cookies and add a red heart!
Watching the joy fill our little bit (Willa's) face, I do believe our hearts have grown 3 sizes! Just try these tasty treats and I bet yours will too!
Key Ingredient Notes:
Variations and Substitutions
How To Make Grinch Cookies With Cake Mix
✱ Be sure to see the recipe card below for exact ingredients and instructions!
- Mix All the Ingredients: This one is so easy all the wet ingredients and dry ingredients all go in a large mixing bowl. Don't overmix!
- Chill Dough (optional): This dough is quite sticky so chilling makes it much easier to handle. (When I make my Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies I do not chill. The dough is really sticky when handling but I love the texture and no waiting. I just dust my fingers in powdered sugar to help.)
- Prep Oven and Cookie Sheet: Preheat the oven and place parchment paper on the baking sheet.
- Scoop Cookie Dough: Using a small cookie scoop or a measuring spoon scoop into a ball shape and roll in powdered sugar.
- Add Heart: If you are using a heart that can withstand baking in the oven, lightly press it into the chilled dough. If you aren't sure (or you want the heart in a specific spot) you can wait until they come out of the oven and gently press them into each baked cookie.
- Bake: The key to these is to not overbake them. Usually, 8-10 minutes works perfectly.
- Cool and Enjoy: Let cookies cool on a baking sheet for 3-4 minutes. Then with a spatula (I love this one) move them to a wire rack to completely cool. That is if you can wait that long!
Tips
- Don't overmix the dough. This will whip more air into the batter and change the texture of the cookie. You can easily mix this by hand if you prefer to help with this. However, a stand mixer or hand mixer is convenient.
- Food Coloring: The amount you will use will depend on what kind of food coloring you use. If using a gel color- I use 1 teaspoon. Adjust to achieve the color desired. Remember the cookies will lighten slightly while baking.
- Underbake Cookies: You want to watch that the bottoms don't start to turn a golden color or that the outside color doesn't either. Once the center has set they are ready. They will be soft and chewy in texture.
- Ovens Vary: You may need more (or less) time depending on the size of your cookie and how hot your oven bakes.
Recipe FAQ's
Red heart sprinkles come in large and small sizes and can be found in many grocery stores, Walmart, Target, or Craft stores. I found mine at Michael's but you can also order them online.
You see them more often around Valentine's Day but I have found that you can also find them at Christmastime as well.
Using cold dough will result in a thicker cookie. The longer you chill the cookies the less they will spread when baking. If you prefer a thinner cookie you can skip the chill time or let them set at room temperature for a few minutes before baking.
Serving
These adorable Grinch Cookies are the perfect sweet treat for watching your favorite Christmas movies, classroom or holiday parties, or even a cookie exchange or just to share with family or friends.
Other cute and easy Christmas Cookies to try are my Polar Bear Paw Cookies, Santa's Favorite Chocolate Chip Cookies, Chocolate Candy Cane Kiss Cookies, or Classic Snickerdoodles from my friend Erin at The Speckled Palate.
Storage Information
Storage: Cover with foil or plastic wrap or place in an airtight container and store at room temperature for 4-5 days.
Freeze: These cookies also freeze well and will stay fresh for up to 3 months. Once completely cooled, I prefer to flash freeze on a flat surface and then move them to a freezer bag to store. This keeps them from sticking together.
Let thaw on counter 1-2 hours before serving.
YOU can help fight Kids’ Cancer!
The National Cancer Institute’s budget for childhood cancer is less than 4%. It’s such a small number and that’s why I got involved.
I’m proud to join fellow food bloggers in the Sweetest Season Cookies for Kids’ Cancer event, a joint effort to raise money and awareness about pediatric cancer, by sharing today’s cookie recipe.
We are doing this because we want to make a difference in the fight against pediatric cancer.
Cookies for Kids’ Cancer is in a matching window with their friends at OXO, who will be matching every dollar raised through the end of the year, up to $100,000. So whatever money we raise will automatically double!
Will you help us with a donation today? Every little bit helps! Donate here.
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Grinch Cake Mix Cookies
Equipment
- Large Heart Candies - sweet tooth fairy (You can also use cinnamon heart or other heart shaped candies)
Ingredients
- 1 box vanilla cake mix, 15.25 ounce
- 8 ounce cool whip or frozen whipped topping, thawed
- 1 egg, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon neon green gel food coloring
- 1 teaspoon vanilla or almond extract, (or a mixture)
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- candy shaped hearts
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together cake mix, cool whip, vanilla or almond extract, food coloring, and lightly beaten egg- until just combined. This can be done with a stand mixer, electric hand mixer, or even by hand.This cookie dough will be very sticky. To make it easier to work with I recommend chilling it for 20 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet or baking pan with parchment paper or silicone mat.
- Place powdered sugar in a small bowl. Using a small cookie scoop, place the rounded cookie dough into powdered sugar and toss to cover. Gently press the cookie with the bottom of a glass or with your palm to slightly flatten the cookie dough. (I only do this when I chill the dough)
- Place cookies on the lined cookie sheet about 2 inches apart. Add candy heart to the middle of the cookie and bake for at 350°F for 8-11 minutes.
Video
✱ Nikki's Tips
- Don't overmix the dough. This will whip more air into the batter and change the texture of the cookie. You can easily mix this by hand if you prefer to help with this. However, a stand mixer or hand mixer is convenient.
- Chill Dough: This is optional, but this dough is very sticky so chilling makes it much easier to handle.
When I make my Strawberry Cake Mix Cookies I usually do not chill them. The dough is really sticky when handling, but I love the texture it bakes up and how easy it is just to get them made right away. (I just dust my fingers in powdered sugar to help.) - Food Coloring: The amount you will use will depend on what kind of food coloring you use. If using a gel color- I use 1 teaspoon. Adjust to achieve the color desired. Remember the cookies will lighten slightly while baking.
- Underbake Cookies: You want to watch that the bottoms don't start to turn a golden color or that the outside color doesn't either. Once the center has set they are ready. They will be soft and chewy in texture.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer
Soulfully Made is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.
Susannah says
These cookies turned out so cute! Everyone loved them!
Cheryl | Pook's Pantry says
These cookies are the CUTEST. I love them & I think my nephew would love them too!
Sam says
These are always a hit at my cookie swaps! Just the cutest cookie decorations ever!
Kathryn says
These cookies are the cutest and we love The Grinch! I love how you used cake mix too! 🙂
Nicoletta De Angelis says
What a fun and delightful color these Grinch cookies have! Also love the red heart sprinkles!
Erin says
YUM! What a festive and colorful cookie to make this season! My kids are also obsessed with all things Grinch, much like your granddaughter, and I know they will have a blast baking these cookies this month. Thanks for this recipe!
Also, thank you so much for participating in this year's Sweetest Season! I am always blown away with the recipes shared and the generosity of its participants. Thank you for making this event such a success. I hope you and yours have a wonderful Christmas and a happy new year!
Nikki Lee says
It was my honor to participate in such a worthy cause and along side such an amazing community of food bloggers! You all are the best!
Kathleen says
We had our neighbor for a few hours the other day to give her parents a break, we baked these cookies and had SO MUCH fun! Thanks for a great recipe!
Nikki Lee says
What a sweet thing to do! Thanks for sharing them.
Debi says
These are adorable, and I love that they are easy and start with a box of mix. A great time saver!
Farah says
These are too cute! I can't wait to make these with my kids, thanks so much for the recipe inspiration!
Shashi says
These are absolutely adorable! LOVE the little heart!
Charles says
Your Grinch Cookies are going to be so much fun on Christmas Eve this year! Thank you for sharing!
Ryan Allen says
Made these with the kiddos today and they were so much fun to make. They are a great Christmas dessert and we will be making them every year now.
Tara says
Such cute and fun cookies! I love the hearts. Definitely the perfect treat for the season.
Tayler says
I made these cookies with my kids last night and we had a blast! And they were so easy to make too!
Katherine says
These are just the cutest! Perfect for our school christmas party!
Gaila Perez says
This is just so fun and pretty 😍 almost hard to eat them.
Megan says
Very cute and simple to make! Perfect for the kids at the Christmas party.
Liz says
These are too cute!!
Jami says
What a fun cookie idea!
Sheila says
These Grinch cookies are so fun!! And yes, experiencing the holidays through the eyes and excitement of a child is magical.