Description
These festive Grinch Cookies are a fun and easy Christmas treat featuring soft, minty green cookies coated in powdered sugar and topped with a cute red heart sprinkle. With a white cake mix base infused with peppermint and vanilla extracts and vibrant green food coloring, these cookies are perfect for holiday cookie plates and dessert tables. Quick to prepare and bake, they’re sure to steal the hearts of friends and family this season!
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 15.25 ounces white cake mix (432 g box)
- ¼ cup powdered sugar (32 g)
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
Wet Ingredients
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (softened)
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- 2 teaspoons peppermint extract (or mint extract)
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Other
- Green gel food coloring
- Red heart-shaped sprinkle or cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside for easy cleanup.
- Mix wet and dry ingredients: Using a hand-held mixer or stand mixer, combine the white cake mix, softened butter, and eggs until the mixture is well blended and smooth.
- Add flavorings and color: Stir in the peppermint (or mint) extract and vanilla extract. Add enough green gel food coloring to reach your desired festive shade. Mix on low speed just until everything is combined; the batter will be thick and sticky.
- Prepare powdered sugar coating: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and cornstarch. This will be used to coat the cookie dough balls to reduce stickiness and create a nice outer texture.
- Scoop and coat dough balls: Using a 1½ tablespoon cookie scoop, portion out balls of dough. Roll each ball in the powdered sugar and cornstarch mixture to fully coat them. Place the coated balls about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake the cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookie edges are set and the tops look dry but not browned.
- Add the topping: Immediately after removing the cookies from the oven, press a red heart-shaped sprinkle gently onto the center of each cookie so it adheres while still warm.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Notes
- These cookies are perfect for holiday parties and make a festive addition to any cookie platter.
- The batter will be quite sticky, so coating the dough balls with powdered sugar and cornstarch helps make handling easier.
- If you can’t find red heart-shaped sprinkles, cinnamon hearts or red colored sugar sprinkles make a great substitute.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.
- For a stronger mint flavor, adjust the peppermint extract to taste, but be careful not to overpower the cookie.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 93 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 105 mg
- Fat: 4 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 14 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 20 mg
