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by Katrina Bahl
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Made and loved by thousands every year! These Cake Mix Grinch Cookies are so easy and festive they will be sure to put you in the holiday mood. Print and Pin The ORIGINAL Cake Mix Grinch Cookies at In Katrina’s Kitchen!
Every Who down in Whoville liked Christmas a lot,
But the Grinch, who lived just north of Whoville, did not.
The Grinch hated Christmas — the whole Christmas season.
Oh, please don’t ask why, no one quite knows the reason.
It could be, perhaps, that his shoes were too tight.
It could be his head wasn’t screwed on just right.
But I think that the most likely reason of all
May have been that his heart was two sizes too small.
Then the Grinch thought of something he hadn’t before:
“Maybe Christmas,” he thought, “doesn’t come from a store–
Maybe Christmas–perhaps–means a little bit more.”
And what happened then–well, in Whoville they say
That the Grinch’s small heart grew three sizes that day.
And then the true meaning of Christmas came through,
And the Grinch found the strength of ten Grinches–plus two.
And now that his heart didn’t feel quite so tight,
He whizzed with his load through the bright morning light.
With a smile in his soul, he descended Mount Crumpet,
Cheerily blowing Who! Who! on his trumpet.
Welcome, Christmas, while we stand
Heart to heart… and hand in hand.
Grinch Cookies
Yield: 24 cookies
Prep Time: 20 minutes mins
Cook Time: 10 minutes mins
Chill Time: 20 minutes mins
Total Time: 50 minutes mins
Made and loved by thousands every year! These Cake Mix Grinch Cookies are so easy and festive they will be sure to put you in the holiday mood.
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Ingredients
- 1 box french vanilla cake mix, dry mix only
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- green food coloring, 1 drop
- 1/2 cup Powdered sugar, or more for dusting
- Sprinkles or candies, large heart-shaped
Instructions
PREHEAT oven to 350° F.
In the bowl of your mixer CREAM together cake mix, food coloring, oil, and eggs.
DROP by Tablespoon into confectioners sugar.
CHILL dough balls for 20 minutes before transferring to a baking sheet to bake.
PLACE on baking sheet and press 1 large heart candy/sprinkle.
BAKE for 8-10 minutes until just set.
COOL 3-4 minutes on pan before removing to cool completely on a wire rack. SPRINKLE with more powdered sugar if desired.
Nutrition
Serving: 24cookies, Calories: 54kcal
Original recipes and images © In Katrina's Kitchen
Did you make this recipe?Tag @katrinaskitchen on Instagram with the hashtag #katrinaskitchenrecipes
Recipe Notes for Cake Mix Grinch Cookies
- These are the Original Cake Mix Grinch Cookies-made and loved by thousands every December. Cake mix boxes may have changed proportions since 2012.
- This author prefers this recipe made with Betty Crocker French Vanilla Cake mix.
- The author uses AmeriColor Electric Green gel food coloring and Wilton Jumbo Heart Sprinkles.
- The best way to prevent flat cookies is to scoop the dough into Tablespoon portions and then chill for 20-30 minutes. Roll in powdered sugar and bake.
- These cookies are supposed to look a bit wonky and Grinch-like so embrace the crackles!
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All Recipes, Christmas, Christmas Cookie Tray Favorites, Cookies, Holidays, I'll Bring the COOKIES, St. Patrick's Day
posted on December 21, 2013 — updated November 4, 2022 // 184 comments
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Bonnie —Reply
Note: check your cake mix ounce/s. Unfortunately manufacturers are cutting back on product:(. I made these cookies with BC* French vanilla (13.25 oz. 🙁 )box, 1/3 cup of oil, 2 eggs, & 3 drops of food coloring (McCormick*). Mixed them as directed. Put in the fridge for 20 minutes or so, then scooped & rolled in sugar & baked. They turned out fine. Thanks for sharing your recipe.
Heather —Reply
I made these and used red hot candy for the “heart” and having that little hot bite at the end with the sweet was soooo good. Thanks for sharing the recipe
Patti —Reply
The cookies became flat and seem not done. Cooked 10 minutes. What is the problem?
MC —Reply
We used coconut oil in place of the vegetable oil and they turned out super fluffy with great crackles! Melted it first to incorporate it and the cold eggs made the batter so easy to handle, did not chill it before baking.
Sara Clifton —Reply
I just had to share that 2022 is the 10th year we have made Grinch cookies to snack on while watching the Grinch. Our kids are now 13 and 16 and it’s amazing tradition. I just gathered our pictures over the year and one year we had no heart candies or food coloring, a couple we had no candies.. my husband is in the Navy and has deployed over the holidays but we also find time to make these cookies.
Whenever someone asks for the recipe I direct them to your website.
Thank you for such a wonderful family tradition!Katrina Bahl —
That makes my whole day! Thank you for taking the time to let me know. And thank you for your service.
Cecilia —Reply
I made these today. I used Pillsbury Traditional Vanilla cake mix. I used 2 eggs and 1/3 cup oil. I put the cookies in the freezer for 20 minutes before baking and they turned out perfect. They looked just like those pictured.
Laurie —Reply
My grandchildren’s favorite Christmas cookie! We make them all year round
Andrea Hensley —
Amazing! Love this recipe w all of my heart.
These are beautiful, delicious and so easy to make.
My daughter (she’s 5yo) and I have made 4 bathes already. Everyone loves them!
I’ve shared the recipe w my friends and they have made these w their children too. Love creating memories w my family and the kitchen is probably one of the best places to do so.
Thank you for a great recipe.
I do recommend sticking to BC cake mix (vanilla works too if you can’t find French vanilla) don’t skip the powder sugar nor the 20 minutes in the freezer- that’s key for perfect cookies that are not flat.
Cook them just until the edges start to brown. The temp of the cookie itself will do the rest.. If you cook them too long, then you’ll have hard and flat cookies.
Delicious and easy!Andrea Hensley —
Amazing! Love this recipe w all of my heart.
These are beautiful, delicious and so easy to make.
My daughter (she’s 5yo) and I have made 4 batches already. Everyone loves them!
I’ve shared the recipe w my friends and they have made these w their children too. Love creating memories w my family and the kitchen is probably one of the best places to do so.
Thank you for a great recipe.
I do recommend sticking to BC cake mix (vanilla works too if you can’t find French vanilla) don’t skip the powder sugar nor the 20 minutes in the freezer- that’s key for perfect cookies that are not flat.
Cook them just until the edges start to brown. The temp of the cookie itself will do the rest.. If you cook them too long, then you’ll have hard and flat cookies.
Delicious and easy!
Valerie Reynolds —Reply
Once these cookies are made can you freeze them to safe for a later time?
Wendy K Cannin —Reply
I wanted to let you know that my family loves your grinch cookie recipe. We love it so much that I have included the link to your recipe in my own holiday planning blog. Thank you for your creativity and fun.
Katrina Bahl —
I love to hear that! It’s a family favorite here too.
See AlsoMickey's Backyard B-B-Q Review
Tammy King —Reply
Great recipe, great flavor as well. Will bake again. Thank you for sharing.
Kristin —Reply
Love this recipe!! It is one of our traditions to make these every year!
Julie —Reply
I made these on 12/20/21. Read through all the comments and made adaptations accordingly and they turned out great. Definitely used the Betty Crocker French vanilla cake mix, 15 ounce box. I then only added 1/3 cup of oil with the two eggs. I used the Americolor electric green food coloring, but I needed three drops instead of the one as written in recipe. I plopped rounded tablespoons and two cookie sheets lined with waxed paper and refrigerated for 20 minutes. I then rolled into balls, dipped in powdered sugar and placed on parchment lined baking sheets. Added the hearts which I found at Michael’s and baked them for eight minutes in a 350° oven. Super cute, easy and turned out great, not flat.
Devra —Reply
Has anyone updated this recipe for the smaller boxes of cake mix?
Bianca —
Looking for this too, the Betty Crocker French vanilla mix I find is 13.25 oz?
Barb —Reply
i used 1 box cake mix they were flat as pancakes. i was able to salvage them by cutting them with a round cookie cutter when they came out of the oven.
Rebecca —Reply
I have use cinnamon red hots in place of the hearts because I couldn’t find them. Delicious!
Kaycee —Reply
Well this was a fail as I did not read the comments. You need to update the recipe. They are flat with the Duncan Hines mix. The powdered sugar baking in like another said. Lesson learned read the comments and look how old recipe is
Gina —
Mine came out flat too! They look terrible. I’m not serving these.
Amy —Reply
I made these about 8 years ago and loved them and I was a little concerned with the recent reviews so I bought 2 boxes of the Betty Crocker French Vanilla cake mix and used 1 full box plus 3 oz. that I weighed out of the second box for a total of 18.3 oz. and they came out absolutely perfect! I will make these every year since they are so unique and delicious.
Dawn —Reply
The cookies look so cute, but I have yet to make a cookie or cake with a box mix that does not taste artificial. I’m disappointed. Why not homemade?
Katrina Bahl —
Most of my recipes are homemade, but I’m not opposed to semi-homemade as well. I’m sure you could use this design on a favorite recipe of yours!
Carol Keblusek —Reply
They look wonderful! I’m just disappointed I cannot print this out.
Cassie S —Reply
Can’t wait to make these this year. So cute! Can you tell me where you got your green and red square dishes from? Thanks!
Rae —Reply
Loved this cookie and will definitely make again thanks for sharing
Cassie —Reply
Can these be made with white cake mix and vanilla flavoring? My local kroger and Walmart both were out of the French vanilla cake mix. 🤦♀️🤷♀️
Siera —Reply
Yummy I love them
carol —Reply
where can you find those red heart candies?
A C —
You can find them at Michael’s and Jo-Ann. Last year I used theWilton Jumbo Heart Shaped Sprinkles, because it was like the heart was growing (like the movie/book).
Becky —Reply
Party City has Wilton red/pink hearts. Only place I found them this time of the year.
Jane Singleton —Reply
Is this cake mix cookie recipe the grinch cookies made with the new size Betty Crocker cake mix the 15 ounce instead of the old recipe the 16 ounce boxes
Pat —
Yup same thing happened, I’ve been making this cookie for years and mine came out flat, however I did used BC today vs Duncan Hines last week that gave me better results. I might cut back on the oil then a little.
Page —Reply
My cookies came out super flat??? I made these last year and followed your recipe exactly and have zero issues so I don’t know what it changed or what was different. Any suggestions on how I can avoid flat thin cookies?
Julie —
SAME! I see the page was updated in November 2019. The recipe must’ve been changed. I wish I had written it down because they are nothing like what they were 😢
Siera —
Mine were a little but not much but I loved them
Amory —Reply
Ok so I’ve made these 2 years in a row now because I love them…they’re cute easy festive and delicious. But they didn’t turn out so cute this 2nd year. The dough was super oily and they came out flat. Also, all the powdered sugar just baked into the cookie so I had to re sugar them. I saw your “tip” about others who cut the oil back but I stuck to your recipe. Do you think that’s why they were so flat? I won 2nd place in a cookie contest the first year I made them, this year almost no one ate them bc they looked so sad. What did I do??
Dianna —Reply
These are wonderful! So easy and tasty! I couldn’t find candy hearts so I bought a small silicone mold with 12 little hearts and red chocolate melts and made my own! They held up beautifully in the bale and added a little extra to the cookie:-) thank you!
Jenn Hodgson —Reply
Wish I could post a picture of the ones I made! They turned out great!
I couldn’t find heart candies so I bought a heart mold and some red chocolate wafers and made my own.Laura Guernsey —Reply
My friend and I make these for our family cookie boxes every year now. I think this is our fourth year. This year, we found that the brand of cake mix determined whether they cookies came out flat or puffy. We had 3 boxes of Betty Crocker brand and 1 box of Duncan Hines. The Duncan Hines mix had a thinner batter and came out flatter, where as the Betty Crocker made a stiffer batter and the cookies were puffier. Thanks for the recipe.. it’s our most requested cookie every Christmas 🙂
Lisa —Reply
Will this work with gluten-free cakr mix?
Melissa —
I make these with GF cake mix every year! French vanilla is hard to find, but I’ve used white or yellow mixes and added vanilla. You do have to tinker with consistency. Sometimes I add a sprinkle of water at a time until they’re cookie dough consistency, sometimes a sprinkle of GF flour to thicken them up. I tried adding pistachio pudding mix powder and that thickened them a little too much, but added a great flavor and color. They’re not my favorite but the family adore them and say it’s not Christmas without Grinch cookies!
Mamanewelll —Reply
I wish I had scrolled down farther to buy the Wilson heart candies. I bought cinnamon red hearts but they didn’t have a definitive heart shape. I also bought vanilla cake mix and found the flavor lacking. So go for the french vanilla cake mix for sure. I loved this great recipe. I added crushed candy canes and sprinkled those on top because I wanted a little mint flavor since i didn’t have peppermint extract.
The candy canes didn’t add much and may have taken away from the vanilla flavor. Next time i’m going to try to add peppermint extract for a little more flavor.
This was a great idea! I also found that I needed to refrigerate the dough about 15 minutes before forming into balls which you suggested. The cookies were fluffy and adorable! I’m starting a new holiday tradition of watching the Grinch and then making the cookies. Thanks for sharing!joleen —Reply
Like EVERYONE else…considering my cake mix included “pudding in the mix” I did 1/3 cup oil maybe …a table spoon more and 2 tablespoons of water. Refrigerated for 2 hours, not sticky…didnt “spread out” Turned out perfect!!
Shane —Reply
I tried to come with the recipe before reading your comments at the end what’s the vegetable oils an ounce and I signed your instructions just fine they tasted better with the half a cup thank you for this cute little treat and the popcorn bag added to it awesome
Pam white —Reply
Love these cookies, went exactly by the recipe, turned out perfect. Will be a Christmas cookie every year. Thank you for sharing.
Julia —Reply
Do the grinch cookies freeze well?
Maureen —Reply
Where do you find the small red heart in mid-winter? I have looked everywhere.
Miki —Reply
Do you have to use French vanilla flavored cake batter or would just a regular yellow or white cake mix work also?
