Grinch Crinkle Cookies
Add Preferred SourceThese Grinch Crinkle Cookies are everything you want in a holiday treat—festive, easy to make, and seriously fun! With their bright green hue and crackled powdered sugar tops, they bring a pop of color and a little mischief to any cookie spread. You don’t need any special skills or fancy ingredients, just a love for baking and a holiday spirit!
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My family can’t get enough of these Grinch Crinkle Cookies—they’re such a hit at every holiday gathering! They’re incredibly easy to make, which is perfect during the busy holiday season when you want something quick yet festive. No fancy decorating needed; just roll them in powdered sugar, bake, and watch the magic happen!
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll need all the ingredients shown in the photograph below.
How to Make Grinch Crinkle Cookies with Step-By-Step Instructions
Scroll down for the full recipe card containing a full printable recipe and measurements in both US customary and metric units.
Follow my simple instructions, and you’ll have a batch of Grinch Crinkle Cookies ready in no time!
Cream the Butter and Sugars
Start by beating the butter, sugar, and light brown sugar together in a large bowl until it’s smooth and fluffy. This creates a creamy base for your cookie dough.
Mix in the Wet Ingredients
Add the eggs, one at a time, mixing until everything is well blended. Then stir in the vanilla extract to give the cookies a warm, sweet flavor.
SERIOUSLY GOOD
DESSERTS!
Dessert First is a collection of 61 RECIPES to show you that you can make beautiful, impressive desserts right in your own kitchen, no matter your skill level.
Immediate eBook download. No physical book available.
Includes ad-free recipes like:
∙ Lemon Pound Cake
∙ Starbucks Cake Pops
∙ Boston Cream Pie
∙ Chocolate Mousse
∙ Matcha Tiramisu
...and much more!
Combine the Dry Ingredients
In another bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Slowly mix this dry mixture into the wet ingredients until you have a smooth dough.
Add the Grinchy Green and Chill
Stir in enough green food coloring to get the perfect Grinch shade—play around until it’s just right. Cover the dough and pop it in the fridge for at least 2 hours so it firms up.
Preheat and Shape the Dough
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180ºC). While it’s heating, roll about 1½ tablespoons of dough into balls.
Coat in Sugar and Bake
Roll each ball generously in powdered sugar until completely covered. Place them on a lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
Bake on the top rack for 10-13 minutes, watching for those telltale air bubbles in the crinkles.
Cool and Decorate
Let the cookies cool completely before decorating with sprinkles—otherwise, they might not stick!
Enjoy your Grinch cookies¬
Recipe Notes and Expert Tips
I’ve got a few tips to make sure your Grinch Crinkle Cookies turn out just right:
- Chill for Perfect Crinkles: Chilling the dough for at least 2 hours helps the cookies hold their shape and creates those classic crinkles. The colder the dough, the better the cracks will look!
- Add Food Coloring Slowly: Start with a small amount of food coloring and add more as needed. Different brands can vary in strength, so it’s better to build up the color slowly until you reach that ideal Grinch-green hue.
- Generous Sugar Coating: Don’t be shy with the powdered sugar. A thick coating not only gives the cookies their signature look but also adds a light sweetness that balances the dough.
- Uniform Dough Balls: Use a small cookie scoop for evenly sized cookies that bake at the same rate.
- Watch for Bubbles: Keep a close eye on the cookies as they bake. Tiny air bubbles popping up in the crinkles are a good sign they’re ready to come out of the oven. This way, you get soft cookies with a perfect texture.
- Let Them Cool: Make sure the cookies are fully cooled before adding any sprinkles. Warm cookies can cause the sprinkles to melt or slide off, making them messy instead of festive.
How to Store Leftover Grinch Crinkle Cookies
To keep your Grinch Crinkle Cookies at their best, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. If stacking the cookies, add a layer of parchment or wax paper between each layer to prevent them from sticking.
These cookies are also freezer-friendly! To freeze, let the baked cookies cool completely, then place them in a single layer on a baking sheet.
Once they’re firm, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag or container. They’ll keep in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More Easy Cookie Recipes for You to Try at Home
I’ve got more crowd-pleasing recipes that are perfect for the holidays—check them out and get inspired!
- Buttery Shortbread Cookies
- Copycat Crumbl Caramel Pumpkin Cookies
- Irresistible Christmas Tree Sugar Cookies
- Glazed Lemon Cookies
- Lemon Blueberry Muffin Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ cup sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 2 eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon green food coloring
- ¼ cup sugar
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- Christmas sprinkles
Instructions
- Cream the butter and sugar together in a large bowl until smooth.½ cup sugar, ¼ cup light brown sugar, ½ cup unsalted butter, ¼ cup sugar
- Add the eggs, and mix until fully combined. Then add the vanilla extract and mix well.2 eggs, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Gradually add this mixture to the mixer, combining everything well.1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt
- Stir in the food coloring until you reach the desired shade of green.1 tablespoon green food coloring
- Cover the dough and refrigerate for 2 hours to allow it to chill.
- Preheat the oven to 180ºC (350°F).
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll about 1.5 tablespoons of dough into balls.
- Coat the dough balls in powdered sugar.½ cup powdered sugar
- Place the dough balls on a lined baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake on the upper rack for 10-13 minutes or until you see air bubbles escaping from the crinkles of the cookies.
- Let the cookies cool completely before adding the sprinkles.Christmas sprinkles
Nutrition
SERIOUSLY GOOD
DESSERTS!
Dessert First is a collection of 61 RECIPES to show you that you can make beautiful, impressive desserts right in your own kitchen, no matter your skill level.
Immediate eBook download. No physical book available.
Includes ad-free recipes like:
∙ Lemon Pound Cake
∙ Starbucks Cake Pops
∙ Boston Cream Pie
∙ Chocolate Mousse
∙ Matcha Tiramisu
...and much more!
About the Author
Hey there! I’m Mandy
Mandy Applegate is a home cook, food blogger, and writer who believes the best meals are the ones shared with the people you love.
She’s all about easy recipes that taste amazing, the kind that make ordinary days feel a little more special and remind you why cooking at home matters.
She has been published on NBC, the Daily News, the Boston Herald, and the Chicago Sun-Times, amongst many others.
