Description
Delight in these festive Grinch Cookies that are soft, chewy, and bursting with vibrant green color. Made with a simple white cake mix base, these cookies are rolled in a powdered sugar and cornstarch mixture and topped with candy heart sprinkles for a fun, holiday-inspired treat perfect for any Christmas celebration.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 15.25 ounces white cake mix
- 2 eggs (room temperature)
- 1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Green gel food coloring (as needed for desired shade)
Coating
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
Decoration
- Candy heart sprinkles
Instructions
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Add the white cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl. Mix on medium-low speed until the ingredients are fully combined and a smooth dough forms.
- Add Food Coloring: Gradually add green gel food coloring to the dough, mixing thoroughly after each addition until you achieve the desired vibrant green shade.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the dough with plastic wrap or a bowl and chill in the refrigerator for at least 20 minutes to firm up, making it easier to handle and shape.
- Preheat Oven: Once chilled, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to prepare for baking the cookies.
- Prepare Baking Sheet: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ease cleanup.
- Mix Coating: In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar and cornstarch thoroughly; set this mixture aside for rolling the dough balls.
- Shape Dough Balls: Scoop approximately 1.5 tablespoons of dough per cookie and roll each portion between your palms to create smooth spheres about 1½ inches in diameter.
- Coat Dough Balls: Roll each dough ball in the powdered sugar and cornstarch mixture until fully coated. This will give the cookies a crackly, snowy look after baking.
- Arrange on Baking Sheet: Place the coated dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Flatten and Add Decoration: Gently press down each dough ball using your hand, a glass, or the bottom of a spatula to slightly flatten it. Press a candy heart sprinkle into the center of each cookie using gentle pressure to adhere.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, or until the edges just start to turn a light golden color and the tops appear dry.
- Cool: Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies rest on the sheet for 3 minutes. Then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Notes
- For best results, ensure eggs are at room temperature before mixing to create a smooth dough.
- Chilling the dough is key to handling and shaping the cookies easily and preventing excessive spreading.
- Use gel-based food coloring for a more vibrant green without affecting dough consistency.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- These cookies can be frozen before baking; just thaw and bake as directed.