These Grinch Cookies are soft, chewy, and perfectly festive-with their bright green color and a sweet red candy heart right in the center! Inspired by everyone's favorite Christmas character, these cookies are a fun and easy holiday bake that both kids and adults will love.
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Why This Recipe Works
Super Simple: Starts with a boxed cake mix-no complicated steps required.
Festive Flavor: A touch of peppermint extract gives that fresh holiday vibe.
Vibrant Color: A few drops of green food coloring make them instantly festive.
On Theme: The green color is for the Grinch's fur, the heart candy is for the Heart that was small but grew three sizes, and the powdered sugar is snow!
Previous cake mix cookies include lemon cookies with cake mix, red velvet cookies with cake mix, red velvet crinkle cookies, gingerbread crinkle cookies, and carrot cake cookies. All simple and all delicious!
Grinch Cookies are fun to make with the family for a Grinch movie night or perfect to pair with some Christmas Wreath Cookies, my Easy Christmas Crack Recipe, Easy Holiday Cake, Gingerbread Man Cookies, and Christmas Tree Cupcakes for a dessert exchange!
What This Recipe Needs
- White Cake Mix: The base that keeps these cookies soft, fluffy, and easy to make.
- Butter: Adds richness and helps the cookies bake up soft with slightly crisp edges.
- Eggs: Bind the dough and add moisture for that chewy bite.
- Peppermint Extract: Optional but I love how it gives the cookies a refreshing, cool holiday flavor.
- Green Gel Food Coloring: Creates the perfect Grinch-green hue without thinning the dough.
- Powdered Sugar: For rolling the dough to create a sweet, crackly coating.
- Red Heart Sprinkles: The whimsical finishing touch that completes the Grinch look!
Substitutions
- White Cake Mix: Yellow cake mix works too - just might be a slightly different green color after adding the food coloring.
- Butter: Use vegetable oil in a 1:1 swap for the butter if you need to, just be aware the cookies will be slightly flatter.
- Green Food Coloring: I recommend using food gel, but if all you have is the water-based kind, you can use that; add enough until you get a good green color.
- Powdered Sugar: Try rolling in granulated sugar for a subtle sparkle.
- Red Hearts: Small Red M&Ms or Red Hot Candies will look similar enough, even though they aren't heart-shaped.
How to Make Grinch Cookies?
- Step 1: Melt butter. In a mixing bowl, combine the eggs, melted butter, food coloring, extract, and white cake mix.
- Step 2: Scoop the cookie dough, roll it in powdered sugar,
- Step 3: Place powdered sugar-covered cookie dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Step 4: Bake for 10 minutes.
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- Step 5: Soon after removing from the oven, while the cookies are still warm, carefully and gently press a heart sprinkle into each one.
Expert Tips
- Use Gel Coloring: It gives you a vibrant green without thinning the dough.
- Dough: The cookie dough will be a bit sticky, but that's normal!
- Color: The color of the cookie will lighten as it bakes, so feel free to add more green coloring after your first batch if you want them to be darker.
- Size: I like to use a cookie scoop for these cookies just so all of them are uniform, but if you don't have one, just scoop a heaping tablespoon, roll, and bake.
- Don't Overbake: The cookies should stay soft and slightly chewy in the center.
- Add Hearts Gently: Press the hearts in right after baking while the cookies are still warm.
- Storage: Keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days or freeze for longer.
Variations
- Candy Cookies: After mixing the dough, fold in 1 ½ cups red and green M&Ms, then scoop and bake (skip the powdered sugar). These make an equally fun and festive cookie that is full of Grinchyness!
- Extra Festive: Sprinkle crushed candy canes on top before baking.
- Frosted Grinch Cookies: Add a swirl of vanilla frosting on top.
- Mini Grinches: Make bite-sized versions for cookie platters or parties!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Vanilla or even funfetti cake mix works great too.
Nope-this dough bakes perfectly right after mixing.
Yes! Store the baked cookies or dough balls in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Store leftover cookies in an airtight container for 4-6 days.
If you want perfectly round cookies, use a circle cookie cutter while the cookies are still warm, place it over the cookie, and gently move the cookie around inside the cutter to help reshape it.
More Related Recipes
If you like this recipe, make sure to check out all my easy Christmas Recipes, like my Easy Christmas Drink, Christmas Holiday Popcorn, Gingerbread Christmas Tree, Gingerbread Bundt Cake, Candy Cane Beignets, Little Debbie Christmas Tree Cakes Dip, and Christmas Hot Chocolate Bombs!
Video
Grinch Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 box white cake mix
- 2 eggs
- ⅓ cup butter melted
- ½ teaspoon Peppermint Extract optional
- ½ teaspoon Green Food Coloring Gel
- 1-2 cups powdered sugar
- Red Heart Candies or Red M&Ms
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl combine the white cake mix, eggs, melted butter, peppermint extract, and green food coloring gel.1 box white cake mix, 2 eggs, ⅓ cup butter, ½ teaspoon Peppermint Extract, ½ teaspoon Green Food Coloring Gel
- Scoop out dough into balls and roll in powdered sugar. Place on prepared baking sheet.1-2 cups powdered sugar
- Bake for 10 minutes. Remove from oven. When you first remove the cookies from the oven, carefully and gently press a heart shaped candy in to the cookie.Red Heart Candies or Red M&Ms
- After a 1 minute on the baking sheet, transfer cookies to a wire cooling rack and allow to cool completely.
Notes
- Storage: Store leftover cookies in an airtight container for 4-6 days.
- Hearts: Use leftover Valentine Day sprinkles for the hearts, cinnamon heart candies, or pipe on a little heart using red frosting.
Lisa says
These are so adorable and everyone always loves them when I take them to parties!