The Christmas season is saturated with rich comforting traditions—the sparkle of lights the warmth of cocoa and the endless parade of delicious baked goods. For many families the holiday isn’t complete without watching How The Grinch Stole Christmas a tale that reminds us that the heart always grows three sizes bigger during the season of giving.
I wanted a Christmas dessert that perfectly captured the spirit of that movie: something BRIGHT something soft and something incredibly fun to make with kids. But the holidays are hectic and I needed a quick cookie recipe that didn’t require hours of measuring flour and chilling dough.
The solution came in a box: Grinch Cake Mix Cookies.
This recipe is nothing short of magical. It uses a simple vanilla or white cake mix as the base which instantly simplifies the dry ingredients. With a generous dose of vivid green food coloring and a single red heart sprinkle these cookies are instantly recognizable. They are incredibly soft chewy and ready in less than 30 minutes start to finish.
This recipe is a must-pin for anyone searching Christmas Cookies Recipes because it delivers huge visual impact and flavor with minimal effort—the perfect combination for busy holiday bakers. If you are looking for the BEST easy Christmas cookies and a fun holiday treat this simple method is your guaranteed winner.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
This recipe is a massive Pinterest success because it taps into beloved holiday nostalgia and delivers a high-quality cookie using an effortless baking hack.
- The BEST Easy Christmas Cookies Hack The secret to this recipe’s simplicity is the cake mix. It eliminates the need to measure flour sugar baking powder and salt separately. You get a perfect blend of dry ingredients every time. This shortcut makes it the BEST easy Christmas cookies recipe for baking with children or when you are short on time before a cookie exchange.
- BRIGHT and Recognizable Theme The vivid Grinch green color combined with the single red heart sprinkle on top makes these cookies instantly recognizable and incredibly BRIGHT and festive. This strong visual appeal makes them a showstopper on any Christmas dessert platter and drives massive engagement online.
- Pillowy Soft Texture Cake mix cookies are famous for their texture. They bake up incredibly soft chewy and almost pillowy due to the additional oil and eggs compared to a standard cookie dough. They stay soft for days making them perfect for make-ahead dessert needs and shipping to family.
- A True Fun Holiday Treat This is a fun holiday treat from start to finish. Kids love watching the dough turn that vibrant green color and they can easily participate in the simple rolling and decorating steps. It’s a low-stress activity that results in a delicious and memorable Christmas dessert.
Ingredients and Instructions The Simple Cake Mix Base
The key to the Grinch Cake Mix Cookies is using the right ratio of eggs and fat to the dry mix for a soft chew and using gel coloring for the BRIGHT green color.
| Component | Quantity | Notes |
| White Cake Mix | 1 (1525 oz) box | White or vanilla flavor works best |
| Butter | 1/3 cup | Softened to room temperature |
| Vegetable Oil | 1 tablespoon | Adds essential moisture |
| Large Eggs | 2 | Room temperature |
| Green Food Coloring | Gel recommended | Use a few drops at a time for deep color |
| Powdered Sugar | 1/4 cup | For rolling (the “snow” effect) |
| Cornstarch | 1/4 cup | Mixed with powdered sugar to prevent melting |
| Red Heart Sprinkles | As needed | For decorating (the Grinch heart) |
- Prep Oven & Sugar Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl whisk the powdered sugar and cornstarch set aside.
- Mix Wet In a large bowl beat the softened butter oil and eggs until smooth.
- Add Cake Mix & Color Pour in the dry cake mix and blend until combined. Add a few drops of green food coloring gel at a time stirring until you reach the desired BRIGHT Grinch shade. The dough will be thick.
- Roll & Coat Use a small cookie scoop to portion the dough. Roll each dough ball in the powdered sugar-cornstarch mixture until fully coated. Place on baking sheets 2 inches apart.
- Bake Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. The cookies should be puffed soft and set around the edges. Do not overbake.
- Decorate & Cool Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Use a dab of water mixed with powdered sugar to create a “glue” and press one red heart sprinkle onto the center of each cookie. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step by Step Mastering the Quick Cookie Recipe
The challenge with these Grinch Cake Mix Cookies is ensuring the cookies remain pillowy soft and that the powdered sugar coating doesn’t melt entirely during baking. My early batches sometimes lost their “snowy” look; I learned the cornstarch hack is the secret.
Here is the detailed human-written guide to mastering this spectacular easy Christmas cookies recipe:
- Use Gel Coloring for Vivid Green To achieve that vibrant BRIGHT Grinch color use gel food coloring not liquid drops. Liquid coloring can thin the dough requiring you to add more flour which changes the final texture. Gel coloring provides concentrated color without affecting the consistency of this quick cookie recipe.
- The Cornstarch Powdered Sugar Mix This is the secret to the perfect “snow-dusted” look. Mixing powdered sugar with cornstarch prevents the sugar from fully dissolving and melting into the cookie during baking. The cornstarch absorbs some moisture and keeps the coating looking fresh and white after the cookies come out of the oven. This is essential for the Grinch Cake Mix Cookies aesthetic.
- Use Softened Butter Unlike the kitchen sink cookie that used melted butter this recipe works BEST with softened butter. Softened butter creamed with the egg and oil provides the structure needed to prevent the cookie from spreading too flat in the oven which is key to that soft pillowy center.
- Don’t Overbake the Green Overbaking is the enemy of this cookie! The edges will turn a brownish-green if left in the oven too long ruining the BRIGHT color. Remove the cookies promptly at the 8-to-10-minute mark when the centers still look very soft and slightly underdone. They will set up perfectly as they cool on the baking sheet.
- Attaching the Hearts The Glue To prevent the red heart sprinkles from sliding off or losing their shape in the heat use a tiny bit of “glue” after the cookies have baked and cooled slightly. Mix a tiny bit of the powdered sugar with a drop of water to make a thick paste. This works better than simple icing and ensures the heart is perfectly centered and stable on the cooled Christmas dessert.
Variations Serving and Storage Tips
This core Grinch Cake Mix Cookies recipe is a fun flexible base perfect for customization and cookie exchange platters.
Delicious Variations to Try
- Dairy-Free Grinch Substitute the butter with refined coconut oil or a good quality vegan butter alternative for a dairy-free version.
- Peppermint Grinch Add 1/2 teaspoon of peppermint extract and fold in 1/4 cup of crushed candy canes or mini white chocolate chips before baking.
- Lime Zest Add the zest of one lime to the dough for a subtle unexpected citrus zing that complements the sweetness.
- Chewier Cookie For an even chewier cookie chill the dough for 15 minutes before rolling.
Serving Suggestions
These BRIGHT cookies are perfect for themed holiday moments:
- Movie Night Serve with a big bowl of popcorn and a batch of homemade hot chocolate for a themed Grinch movie night.
- Cookie Exchange Winner They are visually stunning and unique making them a guaranteed hit at any cookie exchange.
- Gifting Place a few cookies in a clear cellophane bag tied with a ribbon and a small tag quoting a line from the movie.
Storage and Recipe Notes
| Question | Answer |
| How long do the cookies last | These Grinch Cake Mix Cookies are great for making ahead and stay soft for up to 5 days stored at room temperature in an airtight container |
| Can I freeze the dough | Yes The dough freezes beautifully. Freeze the coated dough balls on a sheet pan then transfer them to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen adding 1-2 minutes to the cook time |
| My cookies are flat what happened | The butter was likely too warm or too much oil was used. Ensure the butter is only softened not melted. If the dough feels sticky chill it for 15 minutes before rolling |
| What can I use instead of heart sprinkles | You can use small red M&Ms or a piping bag with red icing to pipe small hearts onto the cooled cookies |
Conclusion Your Most BRIGHT Christmas Cookie Recipe
The Grinch Cake Mix Cookies recipe is the perfect blend of holiday spirit and ultimate convenience. It’s the BEST easy Christmas cookies solution that guarantees a BRIGHT soft and completely irresistible fun holiday treat every time.
By embracing this simple quick cookie recipe you eliminate the baking stress and ensure your Christmas dessert platter is filled with joy and recognizable holiday cheer.
Pin this fun holiday treat today and enjoy the BEST BRIGHT Grinch Cookies
The BRIGHT Grinch Cake Mix Cookies
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar and cornstarch for the coating; set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat softened butter, oil, and eggs until smooth and combined.
- Add cake mix to the wet ingredients and stir until fully combined. Add gel food coloring a few drops at a time until the dough reaches the desired BRIGHT Grinch green shade. The dough will be thick.
- Use a small cookie scoop to form dough balls. Roll each in the powdered sugar-cornstarch mixture until fully coated. Place on baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 8–10 minutes, until cookies are puffed and set around the edges but still soft in the center. Do not overbake.
- Let cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes. Mix a little powdered sugar with a drop of water to create ‘glue’ and attach one red heart sprinkle to each cookie. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.