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Grinch Cookies

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  • Prep Time 20 min
  • Total 2 hr 15 min
  • Servings 29
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Looking to bring a little more holiday spirit into this Christmas season?

These vibrant, green-colored cookies are a creative tribute to everyone's favorite Christmas grouch — the Grinch. Our secret to making these Grinch sugar cookies extra special? We use an all-time favorite — Betty Crocker's Super Moist Yellow Cake Mix. This magic mix gives our cookies the perfect chewy, soft center, and a light crisp edge that makes everyone reach for seconds.

Our Grinch cookies command a joyfully sweet flavor profile that practically transports you straight to Whoville. The Betty Crocker's mix's buttery and sugary undertones perfectly meld with the green coloring and heart-shaped sprinkles for a heartwarming (or heart-growing-three-sizes) sensation with every bite.

And since Max is always by the Grinch’s side, we suggest pairing this beautifully crafted Grinch Cookie Recipe with our Easy Reindeer Cookie Bars to give your Christmas table just a little Grinchy spirit.

Updated Jun 26, 2024
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How to Make Grinch Cookies

Our easy Grinch cookies can be pulled together in no time. You should follow the recipe steps for specific directions, but here’s the scoop on how to put them together in a snap:

Mix the Cookie Dough

Stir together the cake mix, oil, eggs, and green gel food coloring.

Form the Grinch Cookies

Roll the dough into balls. Then roll each ball into sugar.

Bake the Grinch Cookies

Place each sugar-coated ball onto a baking sheet and bake until edges are set.

Give the Grinch a Heart

As soon as they come out of the oven, press one of the candy hearts into the center of each cookie.

Grinch Cookie Toppings

While we’ve shown you an easy way to make these Grinch decorated cookies festive, here are some ideas for making them extra Grinchy.

Try rolling the cookie doll balls into green colored sugar or green sprinkles before baking.

You can substitute red M&M’s or red hots for the candy red hearts in this Grinch cookie recipe.

Storage Options for Grinch Cookies

To Freeze Cookie Dough: Form the cookie dough into balls and place on a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Do not roll in sugar. Try not to let them touch, but you don’t need to worry about crowding them.

Cover and freeze for 20 to 30 minutes or until firm. Once solid, transfer frozen balls to an airtight container and return to the freezer for up to 2 months.

When you’re ready to thaw and enjoy your frozen Grinch sugar cookies, let the cookie dough balls stand for 15 minutes to thaw. Roll in sugar, then, bake as the recipe directs.

To Store Baked Grinch Cookies at Room Temperature: Place in a resealable food-storage plastic bags or air-tight food containers for up to 4 days.

To Store Baked Grinch Cookies in Freezer: Store the baked and cooled cookies in flat-bottomed, square or rectangular plastic containers with airtight lids, in between layers of waxed paper for up to 3 months.

More Christmas Cookies to Try

Now that you’ve seen how easy it is to whip up these beautiful Grinch cookies, it’s time to make Cindy-Lou Who even happier by adding a few of these other Christmas cookies to your holiday cookie tray.


Ultimate Chocolate Chip Cookies

Classic Snickerdoodle Cookies

Classic Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

Classic Sugar Cookies

Gingersnaps

Ingredients

Steps

  •  
    1
    In large bowl, stir dry cake mix, oil, eggs and food color with spoon until dough forms. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
  •  
    2
    Heat oven to 350°F (325°F for dark or nonstick cookie sheets). Shape dough into 1 1/4-inch balls; roll in sugar. Place on ungreased cookie sheets about 2 inches apart. Discard any remaining sugar.
  •  
    3
    Bake 9 to 11 minutes or until edges are set. Immediately press 1 heart decor into top of each cookie. Cool 1 minute; remove from cookie sheets to cooling racks.
  •  
    4
    Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Place on serving plate to serve. Store covered at room temperature.

Tips from the Betty Crocker Kitchens

  • tip 1
    Using a cookie scoop makes quick work of portioning cookie dough so cookies will be the same size and will bake the same length of time.
  • tip 2
    Cookies turn out best when baked one cookie sheet at a time on the middle oven rack. Allow cookie sheet to cool completely between batches. If cookie sheet is too warm, cookies may spread.
  • tip 3
    Candy heart decors can be found in the baking section of most craft stores. Be sure to press the heart decor immediately into the top of each warm cookie so it stays in place. Once Grinch Cookies have cooled completely, and you find a heart decor didn’t stick, try squeezing a small dab of Betty Crocker™ Red Cookie Icing to help it stay in place.

Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Food Coloring Should be Added?

When we created this Grinch cookie recipe, we wanted to make sure to get the Grinch’s signature green color just right. We tried several options, but our favorite was Betty Crocker™ Neon Green Gel Food Color.

While the amount of food coloring to add is a matter of personal choice, the more you use, the darker the coloring gets. We felt 1/2 teaspoon was just the right amount to transform our regular cookie dough into Grinchy green perfection.

How Do I Know When My Cookies Are Done?

While many cookie recipes will tell you to bake your cookies to a golden brown, that would not be the correct test for doneness for this Grinch cookie recipe.

Because our Grinch cookies are a light green color, we just want the edges of the cookie dough to appear set before taking them out of the oven. This will ensure the cookies remain a Grinchy green color and keep their chewy texture.

Nutrition

90 Calories, 3 1/2g Total Fat, 1g Protein, 14g Total Carbohydrate, 8g Sugars

Nutrition Facts

Serving Size: 1 Cookie
Calories
90
Calories from Fat
30
Total Fat
3 1/2g
5%
Saturated Fat
1g
4%
Trans Fat
0g
Cholesterol
15mg
4%
Sodium
110mg
5%
Potassium
0mg
0%
Total Carbohydrate
14g
5%
Dietary Fiber
0g
0%
Sugars
8g
Protein
1g
% Daily Value*:
Vitamin A
0%
0%
Vitamin C
0%
0%
Calcium
4%
4%
Iron
0%
0%
Exchanges:
1/2 Starch; 0 Fruit; 1/2 Other Carbohydrate; 0 Skim Milk; 0 Low-Fat Milk; 0 Milk; 0 Vegetable; 0 Very Lean Meat; 0 Lean Meat; 0 High-Fat Meat; 1/2 Fat;
Carbohydrate Choice
1
*Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
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