These Grinch Crinkle Cookies are everything a Christmas treat should be: fun, easy, colorful, and irresistibly soft. Whether you’re baking for kids, hosting a party, or just watching How the Grinch Stole Christmas, these cookies will definitely make your heart grow three sizes too.
Bright green, soft, and dusted with snowy powdered sugar, they look like they came straight out of Whoville! Whether you call them Grinch Heart Cookies, or Grinch Kiss Cookies, these sweet treats will steal the show on your holiday dessert table.
These cookies combine buttery vanilla flavor with a hint of lemon for a refreshing twist. The result is a chewy, crinkly cookie with that signature “Grinch” green center and a little red heart on top. They’re perfect for cookie swaps, kids’ parties, or adding some color to your Xmas Cookies lineup.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Fun and festive: The bold green color and cute heart make these cookies instantly recognizable and loved by both kids and adults too.
- Easy to make ahead: You can chill or freeze the dough in advance, making them perfect for busy Christmas baking schedules.
- Soft and chewy texture: Thanks to melted butter and proper chilling, you get that soft interior with a perfect crinkle top.
- Kid-approved: Fun to make, easy to decorate, and impossible not to smile at when they come out of the oven.
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup + 4 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled -gives these cookies their chewy, rich texture.
- 2 small eggs (room temperature)
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder – helps the cookies puff and form the crinkle effect.
- Green gel food coloring: Gel is best for intense color without thinning the dough.
- ½ cup granulated sugar (for rolling): Helps set the surface before the final coating.
- 1 cup powdered sugar (for rolling): Creates the signature white crinkle look.
- Heart-shaped candies or sprinkles
How to Make Grinch Crinkle Cookies
In a large mixing bowl, combine sugar and lemon zest. Rub together with your fingertips or spatula until fragrant. This releases the oils from the zest, giving the cookies their subtle citrus aroma. Add lemon juice, vanilla extract, and melted butter. Stir until smooth. Add eggs, whisking well after each addition until fully incorporated.
Sift in the flour and baking powder. Gently stir with a spatula until just combined. Don’t overmix—this keeps the cookies tender. Add a few drops of green gel food coloring and stir until you achieve that vibrant “Grinch” green. The dough will be sticky—don’t add extra flour.
Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 3–4 hours. This step is essential to firm up the sticky dough and prevent spreading.
Scoop about 2 tablespoons (30 g) of dough per cookie and roll into smooth balls. Coat each ball first in granulated sugar, then in powdered sugar for a thick, snowy coating.
Place the coated dough balls on a tray and freeze for 30 minutes. This ensures a clean crinkle and prevents flat cookies.
Preheat oven to 320°F (160°C) about 10–12 minutes before baking. Roll dough balls again in powdered sugar right before baking for a stronger contrast. Arrange cookies on a parchment-lined baking sheet with at least 2 inches between them. Bake for 12–15 minutes, checking at 10 minutes since ovens vary.
Immediately after removing from the oven, press a small red heart candy or sprinkle into the center of each cookie. Let cool on the tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Storage & Serving Tips
- Room temperature: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freezer-friendly: Freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature before serving.
- Make-ahead dough: Keep the dough in the fridge for 2 days or freeze unbaked dough balls for up to 1 month.
- When to serve: These cookies are perfect for Christmas movie nights, cookie exchanges, or as edible gifts. Wrap a few in cellophane bags with red ribbons for a Grinch-themed holiday treat.
Variation Ideas
- Lime twist: Substitute lemon juice and zest with lime for a more tropical note.
- Add sparkle: Dust with edible glitter or shimmer powder for extra holiday flair.
- Heart swap: Replace heart candies with mini red M&Ms or red fondant hearts.
- Flavor change: Mix in a drop of peppermint extract for a cool, minty version.
FAQ
Can I make the dough ahead of time?
Yes. Store the dough covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. You can also freeze shaped dough balls for up to 1 month and bake directly from frozen.
Why do I need to freeze the dough balls before baking?
Freezing keeps the cookies from spreading too much and helps form sharp crinkle lines.
My cookies didn’t crinkle much—what happened?
This can happen if the oven is too cool or if the powdered sugar layer was too thin. Try re-rolling the dough in powdered sugar right before baking, and if your oven runs cool, increase temperature slightly to 340°F (170°C)
Can I use softened butter instead of melted?
No, melted butter gives the cookies their chewy, brownie-like texture. Softened butter makes them more cake-like.
More Grinch Dessert Ideas
Grinch Crinkle Cookies
Soft, chewy, and bright green with a dusting of snowy powdered sugar, these festive cookies are a Christmas classic with a fun twist. A hint of lemon adds freshness, while the little red heart on top makes them pure holiday joy. Perfect for cookie exchanges, Christmas parties, or gifting to someone who could use a little Whoville cheer!
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Ingredients
3/4 cup 3/4 + 4 tbsp granulated sugar
2 tsp 2 lemon zest
1 tbsp 1 lemon juice (freshly squeezed)
1 tsp 1 vanilla extract
6 tbsp 6 unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
2 small 2 eggs, room temperature
2 1/2 cups 2 1/2 all-purpose flour
1 tsp 1 baking powder
Green food coloring (gel recommended)
1/2 cup 1/2 Extra granulated sugar (for rolling)
1 cup 1 Powdered sugar (for rolling)
Heart-shaped candies or sprinkles (for decorating)
Directions
- In a large mixing bowl, rub the lemon zest into the sugar with your fingertips or a spatula until fragrant.
- Add lemon juice, vanilla, and melted butter. Mix until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time until well incorporated.
- Sift in flour and baking powder and stir until just combined.
- Add a few drops of green food coloring and mix until you reach a vibrant “Grinch” green. The dough will be VERY sticky—don’t add extra flour.
- Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for 3–4 hours.
- Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough and roll into balls. Coat each ball first in granulated sugar, then generously in powdered sugar.
- Place coated dough balls on a tray and freeze for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 320°F (160°C) about 12 minutes before baking. Just before placing in the oven, roll the dough balls once more in powdered sugar so they’re fully covered. Arrange on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving space between each cookie. Bake for 12–15 minutes, checking at 10 minutes since ovens vary.
- As soon as you remove the cookies from the oven, gently press a heart-shaped candy or sprinkle into the center of each cookie. Let cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.
Notes
- Use gel food coloring for a bold Grinch green that won’t fade in the oven.
- The double coating in sugar ensures the “crinkle” effect shows up strongly when the cookies bake.
- The dough will be very sticky—resist adding flour. Proper chilling and freezing are key.
- If your powdered sugar “melts” into the cookie while baking, it usually means the coating wasn’t thick enough—make sure to re-roll right before baking.
- Press the heart candies immediately after baking while the cookies are soft, so they stick.