Grinch Cake Mix Cookies are so easy to make simply by following a shortcut recipe that combines a box of cake mix with a few pantry staples that bake into a delicious dessert.
Inspired by Dr. Seuss’s classic story, these cake-like, chewy Christmas cookies are brightly colored Grinch-green; they’re fun and festive cute holiday treats.
Shortcut Grinch Cake Mix Cookies Are Stress-Free
This Grinch Cake Mix Cookie recipe is my favorite, easy go-to when I need a shortcut in the kitchen and a quick trick to alleviate the stress (and mess) of holiday baking. It takes only a few simple steps to transform a box of cake mix into chewy, tender treats, letting you skip most of the measuring and get right to the fun part–kids love to stir, scoop, and roll the dough!
These cookies are soft with lightly crispy bottoms and taste like sugar cookies that have been colored the perfect shade of Grinch-green.
The quote from the classic movie, “Maybe Christmas doesn’t come from a store. Maybe Christmas, perhaps, means a little bit more” was my inspiration for creating a cookie dedicated to the pear-shaped creature himself–it teaches my kids that love cannot be bought or sold and making homemade memories is the best way we can share the holiday spirit.
These Grinch crinkle cookies may be coated in sugar and topped with a heart that’s “2 sizes too small,” but connecting in the kitchen is the ultimate way to spread joy and sweetness this season and make your heart grow three sizes!
Why not have a Grinch-themed movie night and enjoy these cookies with our Grinch Punch!
Why We Love These Christmas Cake Mix Cookies
- Quick and easy to make because the recipe uses a shortcut.
- Simple recipe that combines 4 ingredients with a box of cake mix (plus sugar coating and candy heart).
- Bakes soft and chewy cake-like cookies that taste delicious.
- Fun to make with kids and enjoyed by everyone.
- Perfect for a Christmas cookie exchange, holiday party platters, dessert trays, or an afternoon snack.
Ingredients
- Vanilla cake mix (I used Betty Crocker)
- Vegetable oil
- Eggs
- Vanilla
- Green food coloring (gel kind)
- Confectioners sugar
- Cornstarch
- Candy hearts or sprinkles
Substitutions and Additions
- Cake Mix: This recipe uses a vanilla cake mix because it is easy to dye green but any yellow or white cake mix will taste great.
- Candy: If you cannot find candy hearts or sprinkles, feel free to use red hot candy hearts, red M&Ms, or make your own red heart with red sugar cookie icing.
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Mixing bowl
- Measuring tools
- Drinking glass with a flat bottom
- Cookie scoop
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How to Make the Grinch Cake mix Cookies
Grinch Cake Mix Cookies are so quick and easy to make because the dough is simply a combination of a few pantry staples with a box of cake mix. These festively green Christmas crinkle cookies with their tiny red heart in the center are soft and chewy and perfect for your holiday party platter.
- Combine the cake mix, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl.
- Mix in food coloring.
- Refrigerate cookie dough for 20 minutes.
Pro-Tip: Make sure you chill the dough for at least 20 minutes before baking. This helps make it easier to handle and also allows the flavors of the ingredients more time to blend together for a better tasting cookie. - While dough is chilling, mix together confectioners sugar and cornstarch.
- Scoop chilled dough into balls, roll them in the sugar mixture until completely coated, and place on baking sheet.
Pro-Tip: I highly recommend using a cookie scoop to scoop the dough. It saves time on spooning out the cookies and they look more uniform when baked. - Press down with the bottom of a glass to flatten the dough balls.
Pro Tip: Do not press too hard! - Press the candy heart into the top of the cookie.
- Bake at 350 degrees Farenheight for 8-10 minutes (personally 9 minutes was ideal!).
Pro Tip: Do NOT overbake your cookies! Cake mix cookie dough is by nature, very thick. It will take only 8-10 minutes in the oven. - Leave on the baking sheet for 3 minutes, then move to a wire rack. Cool and serve warm or at room temperature. Enjoy!
Tips
- I highly recommend using a cookie scoop to scoop the dough. It saves time on spooning out the cookies and they look more uniform when baked.
- Make sure you chill the dough for at least 20 minutes before baking. This helps make it easier to handle and also allows the flavors of the ingredients more time to blend together for a better-tasting cookie.
- Do NOT overbake your cookies! Cake mix cookie dough is by nature, very thick. It will take only 8-10 minutes in the oven.
Storage Tips
- To Store: Store these cookies at room temperature in an air tight container for 5-7 days.
- To Freeze: Store completely cooled baked cookies in a freezer bag and freeze for 2-3 months. Thaw cookies completely to room temperature before eating.
Frequently Asked Questions
I don’t recommend liquid food coloring because it will make the batter looser. Gel food coloring gives more intense color and is perfect for these Grinch cookies!
You can freeze both baked cookie and unbaked cookie dough. To freeze your baked cookies, completely cool the cookies and store them in a single layer in a freezer/air tight container. If you’re stacking the cookies, layer with wax paper between. To freeze your raw dough, roll into balls before freezing and freeze on a baking sheet. Once the dough balls are solid, transfer them to an air tight container. When you’re ready to bake, thaw on the counter about 30 minutes then roll in the powder sugar/corn starch mixture and bake according to the recipe.
These green Christmas cookies are sometimes referred to as crinkle cookies, although I prefer to call them Grinch Cake Mix Cookies since they’re green! They expand as they bake, making the pretty crinkles, hence the name!
There are a lot of reasons why your cookies may have spread out and flattened.
I have found if I am using expired or old cake mix, this can happen. Also, if you leave the cookies on the hot baking sheet too long or add the second batch of cookies to a hot baking sheet, this can cause flattening as well. I like to pop my dough back in the fridge while another set of cookies are in the oven to keep the dough cool.
Try chilling the dough for another 20 minutes. If it is still sticky add a tablespoon or so of flour to the batter.
Other Easy Christmas Cookie Recipes
- Christmas Sprinkle Cookies
- Secret Kiss Cookies
- Peppermint Snowball Cookies
- Melted Snowman Cookies
- Meringue Wreath Cookies
Grinch Cake Mix Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 box vanilla cake mix I used Betty Crocker
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- ½ teaspoon vanilla
- Green food coloring (gel kind)
- ⅓ cup confectioners sugar
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- Candy hearts or sprinkles
Instructions
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Combine the cake mix, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla in a large bowl. Add the green food coloring and mix well to incorporate it evenly.1 box vanilla cake mix, ⅓ cup vegetable oil, 2 eggs, ½ teaspoon vanilla, Green food coloring (gel kind)
- Set the dough in the refrigerator for 20 minutes. (Do NOT skip this step)
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix the confectioners sugar and cornstarch in a small bowl.⅓ cup confectioners sugar, ⅓ cup cornstarch
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Scoop dough into balls and roll them in the confectioners sugar mixture until completely coated.
- Set the balls on the prepared baking sheet. Lightly press down with the bottom of a glass to make the balls have a flatter surface. (Do not press too hard though).
- Add the candy heart to the top of the dough.Candy hearts or sprinkles
- Place the baking sheet in the oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. Do not overbake. (I found the ideal baking time to be 9 minutes)
- Leave on the baking sheet for 3 minutes, then move to a wire rack and let cool.
- Serve warm or at room temperature.
Jenn’s Notes
- To Store: Store these cookies at room temperature in an air tight container for 5-7 days.
- To Freeze: Store completely cooled baked cookies in a freezer bag and freeze for 2-3 months. Thaw cookies completely to room temperature before eating.
- I highly recommend using a cookie scoop to scoop the dough. It saves time on spooning out the cookies and they look more uniform when baked.
- Make sure you chill the dough for at least 20 minutes before baking. This helps make it easier to handle and also allows the flavors of the ingredients more time to blend together for a better tasting cookie.
- Do NOT over bake your cookies! Cake mix cookie dough is by nature, very thick. It will take only 8-10 minutes in the oven.
I found the dough is sticky but when you take it from the cookie scoop and plop it right into the mixture of powdered sugar. they are pretty easy to work with and my grandkids love them. in fact, after Christmas they asked if I could make them again. they were they were delicious
Hi Tina! So glad the kids enjoyed them!
I am not sure about how “easy” this is lol. The dough is very tough to mix and even though I chilled it longer than called for it is sticky, VERY STICKY.
I love the idea, and I hope they will turn out well……
Horrible. Agree with other comments it was way too sticky. It was an absolute mess.
Don’t use this recipe! The dough is entirely too sticky and they don’t come out good
can I keep the dough in the fridge for 2-3 days before baking?
can I use a sugar free cake mix? I am diabetic & have family members who are? can I use Stevia or alternative sugar source for sugar & zero sugar connectors sugar?
I haven’t tried that yet to advise sorry.
The grinch cookies. how can you make them gluten free
We made these last year for a cookie swap and used Funfetti Gluten Free cake mix and it worked great! Planning on doing it again this year for our family. They were a big hit!
Could you add pistachio pudding mix for a different flavor and get the green color too?
Hi Lori! I have not tested that substitution to advise.
made this recipe many times, they are great!
Dough was very sticky – not fun to work with at all. Make a sugar cookie instead.
Totally found the same thing. Very sticky. Even after the fridge 20-30mins
Dough is way too sticky. I can’t even roll it into balls. I slapped it in a baking dish so we’ll see how it turns out