Grinch Cookies (Cake Mix + 3 Drops of Green!)

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You know the part where the Grinch’s heart grows three sizes? That’s what happens to everyone who eats one of these.

These Grinch cookies start with a simple box of cake mix and just three drops of lime gel color. They come out soft, crinkly, and dusted like they rolled straight through a Whoville snowstorm. The little red heart on top? That’s his heart. Obviously.

🏫 Fun Baker Fact: Grinch Day is officially December 1st! School teachers love celebrating it in the classroom. Tuck one of these festive treats into your child’s lunchbox and you will be the ultimate holiday hero.

What You’ll Need (The Supply List)

• 1 box white cake mix (15.25 oz): Pro-tip: Get the white mix, not yellow, so your lime green color stays bright and true!
• 1/3 cup unsalted butter: Softened to room temperature.
• 1 tablespoon cooking oil
• 2 large eggs: Room temperature.
• Lime green gel food coloring: I exclusively used The Sugar Art Gel Color in Lime, and exactly 3 drops did the trick!
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar + 1/4 cup cornstarch: Mixed together in a small bowl (for rolling).
• Red heart sprinkles: These look gorgeous on top, and they also double as the cutest Rudolph noses or gingerbread buttons later in the season!
• Medium cookie scoop: The absolute perfect size for uniform drop cookies.

How I Made Them (Step-by-Step)

Full credit here — I followed the original base recipe from Nourish Plate, and it worked perfectly. Here is my real-kitchen walkthrough:

1. Prep the Kitchen

Heat your oven to 350°F and line your baking sheets with premium pre-cut parchment sheets. Mix your powdered sugar and cornstarch together in a shallow bowl — this is your “Whoville snow.”

2. Mix the Dough

Beat the softened butter, oil, and eggs with a stand mixer — I used my trusty KitchenAid stand mixer with the paddle attachment. Slowly mix in the white cake mix until you have a thick, cohesive dough.

3. Add the Holiday Color

Add your green gel color and mix until it is thoroughly Grinch-green. Three drops of lime gel was the absolute magic number for me.

4. Scoop and Roll

Scoop the dough right into your powdered sugar mixture. Don’t panic: the dough is naturally sticky, which is totally normal! Roll each dough ball gently in the sugar mixture until coated, then set them on your lined sheets.

5. Bake to Perfection

Bake for 8–10 minutes, rotating the baking sheet halfway through. Watch them carefully and do not overbake! If the edges turn brown, they will lose that beautiful, signature bright green shade.

6. The Final Touches

Cool for 5 minutes right on the warm baking sheet, then gently move them to a wire rack. Attach one red heart sprinkle to the top of each cookie using a tiny dab of melted white chocolate or royal icing as your glue.

Kathy’s Real-Baker Tips

• Don’t Fight the Stickiness: This cake mix dough is sticky! Don’t overhandle it. Scoop it straight from the bowl directly into your sugar mixture and let that outer coating do the heavy lifting for you.
• Gel Color Over Liquid: Always use high-quality gel color rather than liquid food coloring. Liquid dyes can dull out and fade under oven heat, while gel stays vibrant and bright.
• Watch the Edges: Watch your oven like a hawk during the last two minutes of baking. Pale green equals perfection. Golden edges are still tasty, but they look less “Grinchy.”
• Protect Your Hands: Wear food-safe disposable gloves during the rolling phase. I wear a size medium and they fit perfectly. This green dough sticks to everything and will stain your fingers!
• Ditch the Mess with Parchment: Use pre-cut parchment sheets to contain the mess. When I don’t feel like cleaning my fancy silicone baking mats, I bake on these disposable sheets instead for an instant cleanup.
• Serve it in Style: Looking for a gorgeous holiday display platter? These bright green treats pop beautifully off a black-and-white checkered MacKenzie-Childs charger plate!

They will keep perfectly for up to 3 days at room temperature inside an airtight container — if they even last that long around your family!