These festive Grinch sugar cookies are quick and easy to make with sugar cookie mix. Simply add green food coloring to the cookie mix and follow the instructions on the package. For extra Grinch-y flair, decorate the cookies with red jumbo heart sprinkles. These Grinch sugar cookies are perfect for a holiday party or a fun family activity.
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It's official: the Grinch is the new Santa. No longer is the big guy in red the most popular holiday figure. Oh no, that title now belongs to the grumpy, green-hued creature who hates Christmas.
And what better way to celebrate the rise of the Grinch than with some easy Grinch sugar cookies? Made from sugar cookie mix and decorated with jumbo red heart sprinkles, these cookies are both easy to make and oh-so festive.
So channel your inner Grinch this holiday season and bake up a batch of these easy sugar cookies. Who knows, you might just find yourself enjoying the holidays a little bit more.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
If you're looking for a festive and easy holiday cookie recipe, these Grinch sugar cookies are the perfect choice! Made with just a few simple ingredients, they come together quickly and can be decorated in any way you like. Here are just a few reasons why this recipe is sure to become a holiday favorite:
- The cookie dough makes use of pre-made sugar cookie mix, which means that these cookies will come together in no time - perfect for the busy holidays.
- They can be kept simple with red heart sprinkles, or decorated in any way you like - use your imagination!
- They're perfect for any holiday party or cookie swap.
So if you're looking for an easy and fun holiday cookie recipe, give these Grinch sugar cookies a try. You're sure to love them!
What You’ll Need To Make Grinch Sugar Cookies
Sugar cookie mix: I like to use Pillsbury or Betty Crocker sugar cookie mix for this recipe, but any brand will work.
Green food coloring: This is used to tint the cookie dough green. You should use gel food coloring if you have it available as liquid food coloring can add too much moisture to the dough. I used AmeriColor gel food coloring in Electric Green to recreate the vibrant Grinch-y green for these cookies.
Egg: My sugar cookie mix recipe calls for one egg, but be sure to check the package of your mix as the amount may vary.
Unsalted butter: Most sugar cookie mix recipes call for unsalted butter, but again, be sure to check the package of your mix as the amount may vary.
Jumbo red heart sprinkles: These cute little heart-shaped sprinkles are used to decorate the cookies and can be found at most craft stores or online.
White chocolate (optional): I like to use a little bit of melted white chocolate to stick the heart sprinkles to the cookies after baking
How To Achieve Grinch Green Sugar Cookies
The easiest way to achieve the perfect Grinch-y green cookie is to use a food coloring gel in an electric green or neon green color. However, these aren't always easy to find so another option is to use a combination of regular green and yellow food coloring gel.
Start with a small amount of green food coloring and add more until you achieve the desired color. Then, add a touch of yellow food coloring to add some depth to the green and give it that eye-catching neon look.
Step-By-Step Instructions
Now that you have all of your ingredients, it's time to get started on the cookies! Here's a step-by-step guide to help you make the perfect Grinch sugar cookies:
Step 1: Preheat your oven to the temperature recommended by the instructions on your sugar cookie mix (mine recommended 365 degrees Fahrenheit).
Step 2: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside for later.
Step 3: In a large bowl, combine the sugar cookie mix, green food coloring, egg, and butter. Mix everything together until well combined.
Step 4: Use a cookie scoop or spoon to drop dough onto the prepared baking sheet, making sure to leave plenty of space between each cookie. I like to create large cookies, so I used a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop.
Step 5: Bake the cookies for the amount of time recommended by the instructions on your sugar cookie mix (mine took 18 minutes).
Step 6: Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 7: Once the cookies are cool, it's time to decorate! First, melt the white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl or in a saucepan set over low heat.
Step 8: Transfer the white chocolate to a small piping bag and snip off the tip. Place a dot of white chocolate on the back of each sprinkle and stick them to the cookies.
Enjoy your Grinch sugar cookies!
Recipe Tips And Tricks
Here are a few tips and tricks to help you make the perfect Grinch sugar cookies:
- If you can't find electric green or neon green food coloring, add a few drops of yellow food coloring to regular green food coloring to achieve a similar effect.
- If you find that your cookie dough is too sticky to work with, simply place it in the fridge for 30 minutes to an hour to firm up.
- If you can't find jumbo red heart sprinkles, you can use regular red sprinkles or even nonpareils.
- If you don't want to use white chocolate, you can place the sprinkles on the cookies before baking. Just be sure to lightly press them into the dough so that they stick.
Serving Suggestions And Substitutions
These Grinch sugar cookies are perfect for holiday parties, cookie exchanges, or just because! Here are a few ideas for how to serve them:
- Serve them with a glass of cold milk.
- Make a batch of royal icing and use it to decorate the cookies.
- Drizzle the cookies with melted white chocolate.
- Sprinkle the cookies with green and red sanding sugar.
- Use a small star-shaped cookie cutter to cut out the center of each cookie.
- Dust the cookies with a little bit of powdered sugar once they come out of the oven, or roll them in powdered sugar before baking for a crinkle cookie effect.
If you're looking for more amazing Christmas cookie recipes, I recommend these Easy Snowball Cookies or Christmas Pinwheel Cookies.
How To Store Leftovers
These cookies are best enjoyed on the day they are made. However, if you have leftovers, they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
You can also freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months. Simply place the dough in a freezer-safe bag or container and thaw it in the fridge overnight before baking as directed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can use any type of sprinkles that you like. I just think the jumbo red heart sprinkles add a fun and festive touch!
Yes, you can use any type of chocolate that you like. If you don't want to use white chocolate, you can use milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or even semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Yes, you can make the cookie dough ahead of time and store it in the fridge for up to 3 days. You can also freeze the cookie dough for up to 3 months. Simply place the dough in a freezer-safe bag or container and thaw it in the fridge overnight before baking as directed.
These cookies are best enjoyed on the day they are made. However, if you have leftovers, they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Tools And Equipment For This Recipe
KitchenAid Artisan Tilt-Head Stand Mixer: This mixer is perfect for making cookie dough. I like to use a mixer for mixing these Grinch sugar cookies as it makes it easier to evenly distribute the electric green food coloring.
Cuisinart 17-Inch Chef’s Classic Nonstick Bakeware Cookie Sheet: This cookie sheet is the perfect size for baking cookies. It’s nonstick so the cookies won’t stick and it’s dishwasher safe too. The best thing about this cookie sheet is that it doesn’t have any edges, so the air can circulate around the cookies to help ensure you get a nice even bake.
Fayomir Cookie Scoop Set: A cookie scoop is a great way to get uniform-sized cookies. This set comes with 3 different sizes so you can choose the perfect size for your cookies.
📖 Recipe
Easy Grinch Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 box sugar cookie mix
- 1 large egg
- 8 tablespoon unsalted butter
- electric green gel food coloring
- jumbo red heart sprinkles
- white chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to the temperature recommended by the instructions on your sugar cookie mix.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside for later.
- In a large bowl, combine the sugar cookie mix, green food coloring, egg, and butter. Mix everything together until well combined.
- Use a large cookie scoop or spoon to drop dough onto the prepared baking sheet, making sure to leave plenty of space between each cookie.
- Bake the cookies for the amount of time recommended by the instructions on your sugar cookie mix.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the cookies are cool, it's time to decorate! First, melt the white chocolate in a microwave-safe bowl or in a saucepan set over low heat.
- Transfer the white chocolate to a small piping bag and snip off the tip. Place a dot of white chocolate on the back of each sprinkle and stick them to the cookies.
Nutrition
* Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content may vary based on brands of ingredients used, measuring methods, portion sizes, and more.
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