Grinch Crinkle Cookies

close up of a green crinkle cookie with a red M&M heart on a wire rack surrounded by more cookies.

Grinch Crinkle Cookies with a snowy crinkle top and plush, fudgy middles. From scratch, boldly green, and perfect for holiday cookie trays.

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 11

Chill Time 1

Total Time 1 26

Servings Cookies

Ingredients

DRY INGREDIENTS

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
½ tsp fine salt

WET INGREDIENTS

½ cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
¼ cup neutral oil (canola/vegetable)
1 cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
2 tsp vanilla extract
¼ tsp almond extract (optional, but very “Christmas cookie”)

FOR COLOUR + COATING

green gel food coloring (10–20 drops, until you hit Grinch green)
½ cup granulated sugar (for rolling)
1 cup powdered sugar (for rolling)

FOR THE HEART

24 jumbo heart sprinkles, cut small pieces of red gummy candy into hearts, or red M&Ms pressed in sideways as a “heart” cheat

Instructions

In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl, whisk together melted butter, oil, and granulated sugar until glossy and slightly thick.
Add eggs, vanilla, and almond extract. Whisk until smooth and fully combined.
Add several drops of green gel food colouring to the wet mixture. Whisk in the colour, adding more as needed until it’s a bold, bright green. (The flour will lighten it a bit, so go slightly darker than your final shade.)
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir with a spatula just until no dry spots remain. The dough will be soft and a bit sticky (that’s good for puff and crinkle.) Cover the bowl and chill the dough for at least 1 hour (up to overnight). Proper chill = cookies that stay thick, puffed, and crinkly.
Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment.
Place the extra granulated sugar in one shallow bowl and powdered sugar in another.
Scoop dough into 1-tablespoon balls (a small cookie scoop is perfect). Roll each ball first in granulated sugar (helps the powdered sugar stick and enhances the crinkle). Then roll generously in powdered sugar until fully coated. Arrange on baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
Bake for 9–11 minutes, until the cookies are puffed, the tops have clear cracks, and the edges look set but not browned. They’ll look a little underbaked in the cracks but that’s what keeps them soft.
As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, while they’re still soft, gently press one red heart into the center of each cookie. Let cookies cool completely on the baking sheet for at least 5–10 minutes so they don’t fall apart, then transfer to a rack.

Notes

Use gel green food colouring for bold Grinch colour without thinning the dough (liquid can fade and loosen it).

Chill the dough until firm; warm dough spreads and won’t crinkle as nicely.

Roll heavily in powdered sugar (a light coat disappears). For extra crackle, don't skip the roll in granulated sugar first.

Bake just until the edges are set; overbaking dries them out and dulls that soft center.

If you can’t find any heart candy, just pipe a tiny red icing heart on top once the cookies are completely cool.

Store airtight at room temp for 3–4 days (they stay soft); freeze baked cookies up to 1 month with parchment between layers.

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