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Merry Mischief Cookies

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Updated Nov 14, 2024
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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 holiday grouch. Our secret to making these festive 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.

These cookies boast a joyfully sweet flavor profile that practically transports you to a whimsical Christmas village. The buttery and sugary undertones of Betty Crocker’s mix perfectly meld with the green coloring and heart-shaped sprinkles for a heartwarming sensation with every bite.

And since holiday gatherings are all about creating magical moments, we suggest pairing these beautifully crafted green cookies with our Easy Reindeer Cookie Bars to give your Christmas table a little extra festive spirit.

How to Make These Merry Mischief Cookies

Our easy holiday cookies can be pulled together in no time. 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 Betty Crocker Super Moist Yellow Cake Mix, oil, eggs, and green gel food coloring.

Form the Cookies

Roll the dough into balls, then roll each ball into sugar.

Bake the Cookies

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

Add a Heart

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

Holiday Cookie Toppings

While we’ve shown you an easy way to make these decorated cookies festive, here are some ideas for making them even more fun:

Try rolling the cookie dough balls in green colored sugar or green sprinkles before baking.

Substitute red M&M’s or red hots for the candy red hearts in this recipe.

Storage Options

To Freeze Cookie Dough: Form the cookie dough into balls and place them on a waxed paper-lined cookie sheet. Do not roll in sugar. Try not to let them touch, but don’t 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 cookies, let the cookie dough balls stand for 15 minutes to thaw. Roll in sugar, then bake as the recipe directs.

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

To Store Baked Cookies in Freezer: Store the baked and cooled cookies in flat-bottomed, square or rectangular plastic containers with airtight lids, 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 green holiday cookies, it’s time to add a few other Christmas cookies to your holiday cookie tray!


Homemade Chocolate Chip Cookies

Classic Snickerdoodle Cookies

Classic Peanut Butter Blossom Cookies

Classic Sugar Cookies

Gingersnaps
 

Frequently Asked Questions

How Much Food Coloring Should be Added?

To achieve the perfect holiday green color, we recommend Betty Crocker™ Neon Green Gel Food Color. The amount of food coloring to add is a matter of personal choice; the more you use, the darker the coloring gets. We found 1/2 teaspoon to be just the right amount to transform regular cookie dough into a festive green.

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 green tinted cookie recipe.

Because these cookies are a light green color, we suggest looking for the edges of the cookie dough to appear set before taking them out of the oven. This will ensure the cookies keep their soft, chewy texture and festive green color.

Merry Mischief Cookies

  • Prep Time 20 min
  • Total 2 hr 15 min
  • Servings 29
  • Ingredients 6
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Ingredients

Instructions

  • Step 
    1
    In large bowl, stir dry cake mix, oil, eggs and food color with spoon until dough forms. Cover and refrigerate 1 hour.
  • Step 
    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.
  • Step 
    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.
  • Step 
    4
    Cool completely, about 30 minutes. Place on serving plate to serve. Store covered at room temperature.

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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