Grinch Sugar Cookies Recipe
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My Grinch Sugar Cookies are soft and chewy cookie. They are a fun green color that make them a holiday favorite. They bring a touch of whimsy to your dessert table. Made with cake mix, they’re quick, easy, and guaranteed to spread cheer. Whether you’re baking for a cookie swap, a classroom party, or just to enjoy with a mug of cocoa.
I love to make cookie platters for my family and friends, some favorites are my Chocolate Cool Whip Cookies and my Chocolate Stuffed Cookies. They are homemade but also quick.
Why this Grinch Sugar Cookie Recipe Works
My family loves the grinch movie. It is one of our favorite christmas movies. So making a cookie in the form of a popular easy sugar cookie is perfect. Every holiday baker needs a go-to recipe that’s festive yet fuss-free. Grinch cookies check all the boxes:
- Minimal Ingredients: Just cake mix, oil, eggs, and a few fun add-ins.
- Kid-Friendly: Little hands love helping with the sprinkles and heart candies make the best sugar cookies.
- Crowd Pleasing: The soft, chewy texture with a nostalgic cake mix flavor.
- Festive Flair: The bright green color and red heart make these easy sugar cookie recipe instantly recognizable.
Does this Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe Spread a Lot?
Slightly, but there are some things you can do to control spread. One of the most important things you can do is chill your cookie dough before baking. When you remove these cookies from the oven, they will be higher. As they cool, charming little wrinkles and cracks appear. This is your sign that the centers will stay perfectly chewy while the edges turn irresistibly crisp and just a lightly golden brown.
What Reader’s Are Saying…
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“Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!”
~ Allyssa
Ingredient Notes for Grinch Cookies
These sugar cookies dyed green take only 5 simple ingredients they are so simple. Grinch cookies are the perfect treat to make with your kids.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Cake Mix: You will need any brand of white cake mix for the for these easy sugar cookies. Yellow cake mix will work too. This is the base for your cookie dough and has all the dry ingredients you will need.
- Eggs: Two large eggs for the soft sugar cookie.
- Green Gel Food Coloring: The perfect shade of green really pops with this type of green food coloring making adorable Grinch cookies. Just 3-5 drops of the gel food dye for the color green seen in the photos.
Variations and Substitutions for this Grinch Cookie Recipe
These Grinch Cookies are stealing hearts this holiday season! Made with cake mix, they’re chewy, festive, and oh-so easy.
- Cake Mix Flavor: Use a green, or even lemon cake mix for a twist.
- Sugar: We use powdered sugar but you can use granulated sugar or fun colored sugars for these chewy cookies.
- Oil Options: Swap vegetable oil for melted butter or coconut oil for richer flavor.
- Egg-Free: Replace eggs with ¼ cup unsweetened applesauce per egg.
- Decorations: Red heart sprinkles are classic, but red M&Ms or candy melts work too.
Special Equipment Needed for this Popular Recipe
You will need the standard equipment such as baking sheets with parchment paper and mixing bowls along with:
- Cookie Scoop: You can make these easy grinch cookies with a cookie scoop or you can make a drop sugar cookie if you don’t have one.
- Cooling Rack: It is important to allow these green sugar cookies to cool completely on the cooling rack.
How to Make Grinch Christmas Sugar Cookies for Christmas
I make these cookies every holiday. My soft baked sugar cookies are dyed green with a heart sprinkle to remind you of the classic movie.
Get the full printable recipe with specific measurements and directions in the recipe card below.
- Prepare the Dough: First, preheat the oven and prepare your cookie sheet. Then, in a large bowl mix together the white cake mix, eggs, and olive oil. You’re then going to want to add in the green food coloring and fold it in.
- Bake the Cookies: Scoop one tablespoon of dough and then roll in the powder sugar. Repeat with remaining dough. Bake for seven to eight minutes until golden brown and then allow to cool completely on a wire rack.
Prep Ahead Suggestions the Cookie Dough
Holiday baking is all about planning ahead. These small cookies for christmas are fun and festive and are so easy to make ahead of time.
- Dough: Make the dough up to 2 days in advance and refrigerate.
- Freeze Cookie Dough Balls: Freeze unbaked dough balls for up to 2 months—just bake straight from frozen, adding 1–2 minutes to the bake time.
Alternate Cooking Methods for My Christmas Cookies
Not everyone wants to turn on the oven. So you can make these soft and chewy sugar cookies several different ways.
- Air Fryer: Bake at 325°F for 6–8 minutes in small batches.
- Toaster Oven: Perfect for small holiday gatherings, reduce bake time slightly and press a red heart into the sugar cookie coating.
Store, Reheat and Use Leftover Holiday Cookies
- Storing: Keep cookies fresh and soft. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days. For longer storage, freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months.
- Reheating: Warm cookies in the microwave for 10–15 seconds for that fresh-from-the-oven feel.
- Using Leftovers: Crumble over ice cream for a festive sundae. Layer into a holiday trifle with whipped cream and berries. Add to lunchboxes for a cheerful surprise.
Common Questions About These Adorable Grinch Cookies
i love to use these cute green edible pearls and some adorable candy hearts. You can also roll them in sugar if you like.
Of course, but you may have to add a little flour to the dough as it is soft. Wrap and refrigerate for at least 1–2 hours. Chilled dough holds its shape better when rolled and cut. Roll out on a lightly floured surface to about ¼ inch thick. Dip round cookie cutters in flour to prevent sticking.
Expert Tips for Making Fun Grinch Cake Mix Cookies
- Chill: Chill the dough for 30 minutes before baking for thicker cookies.
- Food Coloring: Use gel food coloring instead of liquid for vibrant green without thinning the dough.
- Sprinkles: Press the heart sprinkle on while cookies are still warm so it sticks perfectly.
- Chewy Sugar Cookies: Don’t overbake, the edges should be set, but centers soft for that chewy texture.
- Flavor: Add a little peppermint extract or vanilla extract to the cookies to make a mint Grinch cookie.
- Add Icing: Make a green icing to spread over the top of your grinch stole christmas cookies.
- Serve this recipe with: I love to make a fun and festive cookie tray. These are a few of my favorites to add to the tray: Red Velvet Cookies, Peppermint Cookies, and my Grinch Fudge.
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Grinch Sugar Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 15.25 ounces White Cake Mix, 1 Box
- 2 Eggs
- ½ cup Olive oil
- 1 cup Powdered sugar
- Green gel food coloring
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Mix together the white cake mix, eggs, and olive oil. You’re then going to want to add in the green food coloring and fold it in.
- Take 1 Tablespoon of the cake mix and roll it into a ball. Then roll that ball in powder sugar.
- Put on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and add on more cookies with 2 inches in between.
- Put in the oven and bake for 7-8 minutes. Take off the baking sheet and let cool on a wire rack.
Christina’s Notes
- Add Icing: Make a green icing to spread over the top of your cookies.
- Hearts: Place little small heart sprinkles on the top of your cookies to signify the Grinch’s small heart.
- Variation tip: Feel free to use cookie cutters and cut the ball of dough into shapes.
- Alternate ingredient: Add a little peppermint extract to the cookies to make a mint Grinch cookie.
For more helpful information about this recipe, such as variations, substitutions and other pro-tips, scroll up on the page.
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!