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These Christmas Grinch cookies are another fun version of cake mix cookies! Turn them green and add a heart to make them look like the “Grinch.

Grinch cookies with sprinkle hearts on top.
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Grinch Cookies with Cake Mix

Christmas cookies are the best out there if you ask me. I love when neighbors bring goody plates around the holidays. It’s always fun to see what treats will be shared.

I made this fun version of my favorite cake mix cookie recipe with The Grinch in mind. It’s our absolute favorite Christmas movie. Adding the green food coloring and adorable heart sprinkle is the perfect touch.

They are soft and chewy with that cake flavor everyone loves. Both kids and adults will adore them, especially when you put them on a plate with these Christmas reindeer cookies!

Recipe Ingredients

These grinch cookies ingredients are straight forward and all the pantry staples you already have. You will make the cookie dough using the cake mix as a “flour” mixture rather than making the actual cake mix.

Grinch cookie ingredients on counter.

Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.

  • Cake mix: You will only need the dry mix from a vanilla cake mix box. Pick your favorite brand and use the box mix for the dry ingredients in the dough.
  • Butter: Soften the butter at room temperature but not too soft.
  • Eggs: Helps binds the cookie dough together and holds the shape of the dough while being baked.
  • Oil: Use either vegetable or canola oil to add moisture to the dough.
  • Food coloring: Green is the main color but change it up depending on the holiday or what you are celebrating!
  • Powdered sugar: Added in for sweetness but also for the thickness and texture of the cookies.
  • Cornstarch: This is always a strange ingredient but you will love how chewy these cookies turn out because of it.
  • Heart candies: Add a heart at the end on the green cookies to show the Grinches love and his heart grew in the end.
  • Gel coloring: Use this to “glue” the heart sprinkles on each cookie.

How to Make Grinch Cookies

Have a fun night celebrating the Grinch with these special Christmas cookies. These cookies are always fun to make and a great way to celebrate the holiday season. Grinch cookies are so simple to make!

Showing how to make grinch cookies in a 4 step collage.
  • Mix together. In a mixing bowl, place the dry cake mix, butter, eggs and oil. Mix until well combined. Add green food coloring until desired color of green is reached. Mix together the powdered sugar and cornstarch.
  • Use a cookie scoop. Roll dough into balls and into powdered sugar mixture and place onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
  • Bake. 8-10 minutes or until the centers have set, making sure not to let the cookies brown. Remove from oven and let sit 2 minutes before placing on wire rack to cool completely.
  • Add hearts! Using green decorating gel or frosting, place a dot onto each cookie and add a heart sprinkle or red hot candy.

Tips for the Best Grinch Cookies

You can’t go wrong with these grinch Christmas cookies! Here are some extra tips to know just what to do in order to make the perfect cookie recipe. Make your Grinch night even better with this helpful ways to

  • Refrigerate. Cake mix cookie dough can be a bit sticky, so it helps to refrigerate the dough for about 30 minutes. This makes it easier to shape and roll the cookie dough balls in confectioners sugar.
  • Turn it green! Start small with the food coloring, then add more as needed to reach the perfect shade of green. Once you add it, you’re stuck with that color!
  • Underbake cookies.You don’t want the outside of the cookies to get brown, so make sure not to over bake them in the oven. Once the centers are set, that’s when they’re ready. They should be soft and chewy in texture.
  • Cool on a wire rack. Let the cookies cool completely before adding the red heart sprinkles on top with the gel food coloring.

Variations

Feel free to make this recipe your own! Use white cake mix instead of vanilla, skip the powdered sugar coating or even mix white chocolate chips into the dough. For decorating, swap the sprinkles with a red hots or red M&M’s. You can even use this pistachio cookie recipe as the base instead if you’d like!

Grinch cookies on a baking sheet.

Recipe FAQs

What makes a cookie chewy or crispy?

Cookies are a magical treat! There are so many variables to sugar cookies and baking. The type of dry ingredients, how many eggs, and how soft your butter is. These all play a key factor into making the most chewy or crispy kind of cookies.

What to add to cookies to make them thicker?

It is strange to say but the colder things are the thicker the cookies seem to be. Place your dough in the fridge for a few hours to set up. You can also use cold butter and let your cookie sheets cool before adding on more cookie dough balls.

How do you keep cookies from going flat?

The more fat you have in your cookies the most the cookie will flatten. The flour to butter ratio has to be balanced in order to have the cookies fluff up and stay in their shape. If the cookie dough is too soft either chill it for a few hours or add in more flour to balance it out.

Grinch cookies with red heart.

Storing + Freezing

These grinch cookies will stay fresh in an airtight container or bag for about 3 to 4 days. They also freeze beautifully as well and will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months. I like to flash freeze them on a baking sheet first until they harden, then add them to a freezer bag and store (the cookies won’t stick together this way). Let them thaw on the counter for about 2 hours prior to enjoying.

5 star review

These are absolutely amazing! We made them for every holiday and were a hit! Honestly my new favorite cookie!

– Emily
Grinch cookies on a white plate.

Looking for more ways to use a cake mix for a fun dessert? Try these cake mix bar cookies, I know they will be a hit!

More Christmas Cookies

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grinch cookies with heart

Grinch Cookies

5 from 25 votes
↑ Click stars to rate now!
Author: Jamielyn Nye
These Christmas Grinch cookies are another fun version of cake mix cookies! Turn them green and add a heart to make them look like the "Grinch."
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
Total Time: 18 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies

Equipment

Ingredients 

  • 15.25 ounce box vanilla cake mix (dry mix)
  • ½ cup butter , softened
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 Tablespoon oil
  • green food coloring
  • ½ cup powdered sugar
  • ½ cup cornstarch
  • heart sprinkles , or red hots candies
  • green decorating gel or frosting

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°F. In a mixing bowl, place the dry cake mix, butter, eggs and oil. Mix until well combined.
  • Add green food coloring until desired color of green is reached.
  • Mix together the powdered sugar and cornstarch. Roll dough into balls and into powdered sugar mixture and place onto cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
  • Bake 8-10 minutes or until the centers have set, making sure not to let the cookies brown. Remove from oven and let sit 2 minutes before placing on wire rack to cool completely.
  • Using green decorating gel or frosting, place a dot onto each cookie and add a heart sprinkle or red hot candy.

Notes

Note: This is a sticky dough, so I like to chill the dough in the fridge for about 30 minutes prior to shaping and rolling to help make it easier to work with. 
Storing and freezing: These cookies will stay fresh for about 3 to 4 days in an airtight container. You may also freeze them for up to 3 months. Let thaw on the counter for about 2 hours before enjoying. 

Nutrition

Calories: 131kcal | Carbohydrates: 20g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 24mg | Sodium: 164mg | Potassium: 17mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 138IU | Calcium: 43mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.

Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American

Did you make this recipe? Don’t forget to give it a star rating below!

Recipe contributed by Mandy’s Recipe Box and inspired by Katrina’s Kitchen.

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