These Grinch crinkle cookies are a fun and easy Christmas cookie! These brightly green cookies are started with a box cake mix that gets transformed into a cookie.
Crinkle cookies are rolled in powdered sugar and soft to nibble on.
We’re also sharing a recipe on how to make Grinch Crinkle Cookies from scratch as well.
Both recipes for Grinch cookies are listed below.
Grinch Crinkle Cookies | Holiday Recipe
One of our favorite holiday movies we watch every holiday season is How the Grinch Stole Christmas. There are so many great messages in this movie, reminding us of the true meaning of Christmas.
We also love the animated version, The Grinch, which came out in 2018. Honestly, I think I almost prefer this version. It’s a modern take on the classic movie, and I love the upbeat music.
These Crinkle Cookies are easy to make and we’re sharing two ways you can name them.
First, if you prefer to save yourself time, you can use a box cake mix for the crinkle cookies. (The box cake mix recipe is listed towards the bottom of the blog.)
Also, be sure to check out our Grinch Kabobs for another themed Grinch treat.
Ingredients Needed For Grinch Crinkle Cookie Recipe
All-purpose flour. Baking Powder. Baking Soda. Sugar. In order to make this crinkle cookie recipe from scratch, you will need these dry ingredients for your dough. If preferred, you can use a cake mix to save steps.
Butter. Eggs. Vanilla Extract. These ingredients are what you will mix with the above dry ingredients to turn into cookie dough.
Powdered Sugar. Once the cookies dough is formed you roll in powdered sugar. As you bake it crackles the top giving a fun twist to the look of your cookies!
Food coloring. Green gel food coloring is what you will use to color the dough. You may have to adjust your drops, depending on how green you want your cookies to be.
From Scratch Crinkle Grinch Cookie
Ingredients:
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 4-6 drops of green food coloring
- assorted pink and red candy hearts
- red candy melts
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- Using a stand mixer, cream together the sugars and softened unsalted butter
- Add the pure vanilla extract, then add one egg at a time only adding the second egg after the first egg is fully incorporated.
- Add 4-6 drops of green food coloring and blend on a medium setting, add more drops of coloring until you get the shade of green color you want.
- In a separate mixing bowl add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon.
- Mix the dry ingredients together using a wire whisk or a fork.
- Little by little, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
- Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl as needed.
- Wrap the finished cookie dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
- Using a medium scoop, scoop cookie dough into the palm of your hand and work the dough into a ball, dredge each ball of cookie dough through the powdered sugar, and coat evenly.
- Arrange six cookies on a cookie sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Make sure to leave 3-4 inches between cookies to allow the cookies to expand.
- Place the cookie sheet on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 8 minutes.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and press a red candy melt in the center of each cookie, then place a pink or red candy heart on top of the candy melt.
- Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve.
Ingredients Needed For Grinch Crinkle Cookie Using a Box Cake Mix
Cake Mix. Use any brand of white cake mix for the base. You could even do a yellow cake mix if that is what you have on hand.
Butter, Egg, Oil. These ingredients are what you will mix with the cake mix to make this cake mix turn into cookie dough.
Powdered Sugar and Cornstarch. Once the cookies dough is formed you roll in powdered sugar. As you bake it crackles the top giving a fun twist to the look of your cookies!
Food coloring. Green gel food coloring is what you will use to color the dough.
How to make Crinkle Cookies with Cake Mix
Ingredients:
- 18.25 oz Box Vanilla Cake Mix
- 1 stick butter melted
- 2 Eggs
- Green Food Coloring
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 tbsp Corn Starch
- 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
Directions:
- Preheat oven to 375.
- Cover cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Mix together corn starch and powdered sugar in a shallow dish.
- In a large bowl, mix together butter cake mix and eggs (this will be thick).
- Add enough green food coloring to get bright green (a lot).
- In order to keep from getting your hands all green, use 2 spoons to gather up a chunk of dough and drop it into the sugar starch mixture.
- Roll around with the spoons to cover well. Then pick up and roll into a ball and place on cookie sheet.
- Make sure you don’t place too close as they will spread out some.
- Bake for about 8-10 minutes until they puff up.
- Allow cooling on cookie sheet for several minutes before transferring to cooling rack.
Do These Cookies Spread When Baked?
These cookies will spread as they bake so make sure to leave room between each cookie. You will roll into balls, dredge into powdered sugar mixture then place on the baking sheet. As they bake, they will spread a bit and fill your home with a rich buttery cookie aroma.
How to Store Crinkle Cookies?
Room Temperature. These Grinch crinkle cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container. Just allow the cookies to fully cool before placing them in a container.
Freezing. You can freeze these cookies for 3-4 months if you want. Then just thaw on the counter until they are thawed and enjoy.
How to Know When Cookies Are Done?
Cookies are done when they are soft but have a little firm texture. You can take a toothpick and stick it in the center and if it comes out clean from wet batter the cookies are fully done.
Don’t overbake as the cookies can turn a little brown around the edges. Place cookies on a cooling rack to fully cool and then enjoy!
Ingredients
- 1 stick unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 4-6 drops of green food coloring
- assorted pink and red candy hearts
- red candy melts
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
Using a stand mixer, cream together the sugars and softened unsalted butter
Add the pure vanilla extract, then add one egg at a time only adding the second egg after the first egg is fully incorporated.
Add 4-6 drops of green food coloring and blend on a medium setting, add more drops of coloring until you get the shade of green color you want.
In a separate mixing bowl add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon.
Mix the dry ingredients together using a wire whisk or a fork.
Little by little, add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl as needed.
Wrap the finished cookie dough in plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 20-30 minutes.
Using a medium scoop, scoop cookie dough into the palm of your hand and work the dough into a ball, dredge each ball of cookie dough through the powdered sugar, and coat evenly.
Arrange six cookies on a cookie sheet lined with a silicone baking mat or a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Make sure to leave 3-4 inches between cookies to allow the cookies to expand.
Place the cookie sheet on the center rack of the preheated oven and bake for 8 minutes.
Remove the cookies from the oven and press a red candy melt in the center of each cookie, then place a pink or red candy heart on top of the candy melt.
Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Serve.
Ingredients
- 18.25 oz Box Vanilla Cake Mix
- 1 stick butter melted
- 2 Eggs
- Green Food Coloring
- 1 cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 tbsp Corn Starch
- 1 tbsp Vegetable Oil
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375.
Cover cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Mix together corn starch and powdered sugar in a shallow dish.
In a large bowl, mix together butter cake mix and eggs (this will be thick).
Add enough green food coloring to get bright green (a lot).
In order to keep from getting your hands all green, use 2 spoons to gather up a chunk of dough and drop it into the sugar starch mixture.
Roll around with the spoons to cover well. Then pick up and roll into a ball and place on cookie sheet.
Make sure you don't place too close as they will spread out some.
Bake for about 8-10 minutes until they puff up.
Allow cooling on cookie sheet for several minutes before transferring to cooling rack.
Created 12/23/2013 | Updated 12/10/2021
Cathy says
Never thought about making cookies from a cake mix and they look absolutely delicious. Pinning them. Thank you for sharing at Share It One More Time. Cathy