There’s just something about baking during the holidays that’s especially magical: the warmth of the kitchen, the smell of cookies wafting through the air, and the pure joy of sharing those said cookies with family and friends.
Grinch Crinkle Cookies are a fun twist on the simple crinkle cookie; bright green in color, they show just how playful the Grinch can be. They have a great chew to them and sweetness, while the heart-shaped candy decoration reminds one of the change in the Grinch and holiday happiness.
The Inspiration Behind Grinch Crinkle Cookies
Growing up, my family would sit down every year and watch How the Grinch Stole Christmas. It’s tradition-a time when we all snuggle up with mugs of hot chocolate and watch the Grinch transform from a “mean one” to a loved holiday hero. Grinch Crinkle Cookies bring that story into an edible form: a mix of fun, lime green color with a special candy heart on top.
Making such cookies reminds me of my childhood, and each of them brings some holiday spirit to everybody who looks at it.
What You’ll Need for Grinch Crinkle Cookies
Making these Grinch-themed cookies requires a few simple ingredients and a little holiday magic! Here’s what you’ll gather for this recipe:
- A Box of White Cake Mix: This acts as the perfect base, offering a fluffy texture and just the right amount of sweetness. The boxed mix simplifies the process, giving you a head start on this holiday treat.
- Unsalted Butter and Eggs: Melted butter adds a rich flavor and contributes to the softness of the cookie, while eggs bind the dough and ensure each cookie is chewy and tender.
- Vanilla Extract: A touch of vanilla adds warmth and enhances the flavor, giving the cookies that classic homemade taste.
- Green Gel Food Coloring: This is the magic touch! Gel food coloring offers a vibrant hue without watering down the dough. Feel free to adjust the amount until you achieve your ideal “Grinch-green” shade.
- Powdered Sugar for Rolling: Essential for that classic crinkle cookie look, powdered sugar coats the dough balls before baking, creating a cracked and snowy appearance.
- Red Heart-Shaped Candies and Chocolate Chips for Decoration: The red candy heart is a nod to the Grinch’s “three sizes too small” heart, while the chocolate creates his iconic mischievous grin.
How to Make Grinch Crinkle Cookies: The Method Behind the Magic
Those cookies are such a fun thing to make; it takes in the fun from very simple steps. How it all works is explained below:
1. Prepare the Cookie Dough
Preheat your oven to 350° F (175° C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a mixing bowl, combine white cake mix, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract until the dough is combined. Add a couple of drops of green gel food coloring to the dough and mix until it is festive green. Refrigerate the dough for about 15–20 minutes.
This resting of dough provides better firmness to the cookies as they don’t get thin while inside the oven.
2. Roll in Powdered Sugar and Bake
Let the dough cool down. Take a bit, take something like the size of a tablespoon, roll out a small ball and roll each in the powdered sugar, very nice, coating well. Place them on your prepared baking sheet, leaving about two inches between each cookie.
Bake in hot oven for 8–10 minutes or until they have a nice crackled top. Let them cool for a short length of time on the baking sheet then move them onto a wire rack.
3. Decorating Your Grinch Crinkle Cookies
Once the cookies have cooled, it is time for the final decoration. Melt some semi-sweet chocolate chips with a teaspoon of coconut oil or shortening. You can do this in the microwave for 20-second bursts, stirring between each time until smooth.
Using a piping bag or a small ziplock bag, pipe a dot of melted chocolate onto each cookie where you’d like the heart to sit.
Press a red heart candy onto each dot to secure it in its place. Then, create an arc for the Grinch’s smile by adding a line that curves up on each side of the heart, with small lines above for added expression. Let chocolate harden; this may be done either at room temperature or in the fridge for quicker results.
Tips for Perfect Grinch Crinkle Cookies
To make sure your cookies are a holiday hit, here are a few tips to keep in mind:
- Chill the Dough Well: Chilling the dough isn’t just a step; it’s essential. This step prevents the cookies from spreading too thin and helps maintain a chewy center.
- Use Gel Food Coloring: Gel food coloring gives you the bold green color without altering the dough consistency.
- Get Creative with Decoration: If you don’t have heart-shaped candies, try using small red chocolate-coated candies or even a red dot of icing for the heart. And don’t worry if your piping skills aren’t perfect—the charm of these cookies is in their homemade touch.
Serving Suggestions for a Festive Cookie Display
Grinch Crinkle Cookies are delightful on their own but can be even more fun when arranged as part of a holiday dessert spread. Here are some creative ways to serve them:
- Holiday Cookie Platter: Pair them with classic sugar cookies, chocolate peppermint cookies, and gingerbread for a visually stunning dessert tray.
- Hot Chocolate Pairing: Serve these cookies with a hot chocolate bar, complete with whipped cream, marshmallows, and peppermint sticks. It’ll bring out the holiday spirit and warm your guests.
- Gift Boxes and Bags: These cookies make a thoughtful gift for neighbors, teachers, or friends. Package them in clear bags with festive ribbons or in small holiday-themed tins for a lovely homemade present.
Conclusion: Spread the Holiday Cheer with Grinch Crinkle Cookies!
Grinch Crinkle Cookies are the holiday fun for any activity that might be a family movie night, a holiday bake sale, or just a festive get-together. Bright green in color, cheerfully decorated, these cookies are super popular among kids and fans of the Grinch.
You can make such treats so easily in only a few steps and add some cheer to your holiday season. Give them a try, and don’t be surprised if they become your new family favorite!
Love this recipe? Don’t forget to save it to your holiday baking board for easy access when you’re ready to bake up some Grinchy goodness!
Grinch Crinkle Cookies
Course: Cake Ideas24
servings20
minutes8
minutes110
kcalIngredients
- For the Cookies:
1 box (15.25 oz) of white cake mix
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Green gel food coloring
½ cup powdered sugar (for rolling)
- For Decoration:
Red heart-shaped candies (you can use red chocolate hearts or heart-shaped sprinkles)
½ cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (for the Grinch’s face)
1 teaspoon coconut oil or vegetable shortening (for melting the chocolate)
Steps
Step 1: Prepare the Cookie Dough- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cake mix, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract. Stir until well blended.
- Add several drops of green gel food coloring to the dough, and mix until you achieve the perfect Grinch-green shade.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator for 15–20 minutes. This helps prevent the dough from spreading too much while baking.
- Step 2: Roll and Bake
- Once chilled, scoop about 1 tablespoon of dough and roll it into a ball.
- Roll each dough ball generously in powdered sugar, ensuring they’re fully coated. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet, spaced about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes, or until the cookies are just set and have a crackled surface. Be careful not to overbake them—they should be soft and slightly chewy.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Step 3: Decorating the Grinch’s Face
- Melt the chocolate chips with coconut oil in a microwave-safe bowl, heating in 20-second intervals and stirring in between, until smooth.
- Using a piping bag or a small ziplock bag with the corner snipped off, pipe a small dot of melted chocolate in the center of each cookie. Press a red heart-shaped candy onto the dot of chocolate so it sticks in place.
- Next, use the melted chocolate to pipe the Grinch’s mischievous grin onto the cookies:
Start with two upward-curved lines on each side of the heart for the smile.
Add small lines for the creases of his face above the smile and between the eyes, if you like. - Allow the chocolate to set for about 10–15 minutes at room temperature or refrigerate for quicker setting.
Hi! If you are going to freeze the cookies would you decorate the face or wait until you defrost them?
Hi Heather 😊 If you’re planning to freeze these, I’d recommend holding off on decorating the faces until after they’re defrosted. The heart candies and chocolate details can sometimes lose their shape or texture when thawing, especially if any condensation forms.
What works well for me is baking and freezing the cookies after they’ve cooled completely, then decorating them fresh once they’re defrosted. That way the chocolate stays crisp and the hearts don’t shift or get tacky. You’ll get cleaner lines and a much nicer finish.