This Easy Grinch Cake Mix Cookies recipe is a fun and festive cookie for the holiday season. With just a few simple ingredients you can make this buttery cookie that is not only delicious but a fun treat to snack on while watching the iconic movie classic!
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Why You'll Love This Grinch Cake Mix Cookie Recipe!
I remember watching the classic Grinch cartoon movie years ago when I was little. It still enjoy watching this even as an adult so I had to try a few Grinch related treats.
While I love to bake, I'm still working at improving my decorating skills. I love this cookie because it is so easy and doesn't require too much difficult styling. All you need is some green gel and a few candy hearts to make a really fun festive cookie that tastes amazing!
These cookies are so soft and rich from the butter and cream cheese. They practically melt in your mouth! An added bonus, you can also make these ahead before the holidays and freeze them.
- Easy to make and decorate- not the master cookie decorator yet, no problem these are super easy for a beginner level!
- Minimal ingredients- by using cake mix you will not need many baking supplies to put these cookies together.
- Fun and festive- whether you are a Grinch fan or not, you'll love these cute and tasty cookies!
Equipment Needed
large mixing bowl
hand or stand mixer (you can mix by hand but the cream cheese will require a bit of strength to mix)
parchment paper
Key Ingredients
white cake mix- white cake mix is the best option because it is easier to dye the cookies a nice shade of green.
unsalted butter- gives the cookies a rich flavor.
cream cheese- adds moisture and a makes these cookies practically melt in your mouth!
eggs- helps bind together the wet and dry ingredients.
green food gel- It is very important to use gel and not liquid dye because you will get a better green color without making the cookies too wet. I used Wilton's Kelly Green and it only took a few drops. Add and mix until you get the color you like.
candy hearts- I found candy hearts at my local craft store. I tested baking 1 cookie to see how it would hold up in the oven. The color ran just a bit with this variety so you may want to test it first.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
In a large mixing bowl add the room temperature butter and cream cheese and use a hand or stand mixer to mix until light and fluffy. It is so important to use room temperature ingredients because it is impossible to mix cold butter or cream cheese.
Add the eggs and mix for another 30 seconds. Add the cake mix and mix while scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl.
Once mostly combined add a couple drops of the green gel and mix until you achieve the desired effect. I recommend gel instead of liquid food coloring because it will give a brighter green color plus it won’t add too much moisture to the cookie dough.
Use a cookie scoop to portion out the cookie dough. I used a #40 size scoop but you can use whatever size you have. The bake time may need to be slightly adjusted depending on the size of the cookies.
Add the dough directly to a plate with the powdered sugar. The dough will be too sticky to roll before coating in the sugar. Once you roll it around you can roll into a ball and place on the cookie sheet.
Use the bottom of a glass to press down on the cookie. You want to just gently press so that the cookie dough is flat and you can place the candy hearts on top.
Bake in a preheated oven for 8-10 minutes. My cookies were perfect at 9 minutes. Cool for a couple of minutes on the cookie sheet and transfer to a wire rack to cool.
Storage Recommendations
The Grinch cake mix cookies will stay fresh in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
Freezing Instructions- These cookies also freeze very well. Place cooled cookies in a single layer on a cookies sheet and place in the freezer for a couple hours to freeze. Then transfer the cookies to a freezer container or a freezer bag. Cookies will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for a few hours before serving.
Expert Tips
- Use gel food coloring instead of liquid for a deeper color. Liquid food coloring could also add too much moisture to the cookie dough.
- Make sure to bring the butter, cream cheese and eggs to room temperature.
- Use a cookie scoop to get equally sized cookies. They will bake evenly this way.
- Roll the dough directly in the powdered sugar because it will be too sticky to roll in your hands first.
Did you try this recipe? Please let me know what you think! Leave a comment below, and a 5- star rating. I would love to hear from you! Subscribe Here to get new recipes sent straight to your inbox!
Easy Grinch Cake Mix Cookies (Crinkle Cookie Recipe)
Equipment
- mixing bowl
- hand or stand mixer
- cookie sheet
- parchment paper
- cookie scoop
Ingredients
- 1 8 ounce package cream cheese, room temperature
- ½ cup unsalted butter, room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 white cake mix
- green food gel
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
- candy hearts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the room temperature butter and cream cheese to the mixing bowl and use a hand or stand mixer to beat on low speed until light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs and mix into the butter mixture. Then add the package of cake mix. Mix on low speed, scraping the sides of the bowl with a spatula. When mostly combined add a couple of drops of green food gel to the batter while mixing until the desired color is achieved.
- Use a cookie scoop to portion out the cookies. I used a #40 which makes a nice sized cookie. You can use any sized scoop but remember to adjust the baking time to accommodate the size.
- Drop the cookie dough balls directly onto a plate with the powdered sugar. The dough is very sticky so you can not roll into balls until it is covered with the sugar. Use your fingers to roll it around then pick the cookie balls up and roll into a ball and place on the cookie sheet. Space the cookies about 2 inches apart to allow spreading.
- Once the cookie dough balls are placed on the cookie sheet, use the bottom of a flat glass to gently press the cookies so they are just flat enough to add the candy heart. Press the heart into the cookies.
- Bake in preheated oven for 8-10 minutes. Mine were perfect at 9 minutes.
- Let the cookies cool on the cooling rack for a couple minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
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