Grinch Cookies Recipe-Lemon Crinkle Cookies (2024)

posted by Lisa on December 5, 2016

Do you ever feel “Grinchy?” Sometimes I get that way. It seems as if I’ve been sucking on a lemon for a few days and I get a sharp bitter attitude. I don’t know why it happens, but now I have a plan on how to shake it off. I make a batch of Grinch Cookies with cream cheese frosting. It makes the grouchy grouch go away and I become my normal self again. So the next time you feel like you’re a mean one, or you feel like a heel that’s about as cuddly as a cactus make these cookies so no one will say you’re as charming as an eel. They’ll just talk about how big your heart is!

Simple Grinch Cookies Video:

Enjoy the video and the recipe is at the bottom.

Grinch Cookies

Begin by pouring a box of lemon cake mix into a medium-sized bowl.
Add one egg and mix.
Add eight ounces of Cool-Whip.

Next, add a few drops of green food gel color. You can use the food color from the grocery store but I prefer the soft gels paste. It is thicker than the grocery store liquid food gel and it won’t mess with the consistency of your dough.
Mix until blended.

Scoop the dough with a cookie scoop and place it on a baking sheet lined with a Silpat or parchment paper.
Place them about 3″ apart.
Place the tray in the freezer for about 10-15 minutes.

Time to Decorate:

Once the dough is nice and cold it’s much easier to roll them in the powdered sugar so remove them from the freezer and give them a good roll.
Place them on a baking sheet and bake at 350° for 8-10 minutes.

When you remove them from the oven, immediately make a heart shape in each cookie. You can use a fondant tool or the back of a teaspoon. Gently press while the cookies are warm and let them cool to room temperature before you add the cream cheese frosting.

Make the cream cheese frosting and tint it red. I used Americolor Tulip Red and then added a little Americolor Super Red to get the correct shade. You can use regular food color from the grocery store, but the soft gel food colors like AmeriColor and Wilton don’t thin the frosting consistency like the grocery store food coloring does.
When you make your frosting you may need to add a little milk or heavy cream to thin it down. Add one teaspoon at a time until you get the consistency you desire.
Place some frosting in a piping bag with a coupler fitted with a #2 decorating tip. Secure the top with a bag tie or rubber band so the frosting doesn’t ooze out of the top.

Now for the fun part. Pipe the red cream cheese frosting in the heart indentions you made in the cookies. Enjoy!

The best part about these cookies is the lemon flavor. People just think they are cute green cookies, but you and I know better. It’s a little twist on holiday cookies and it will help take the Grinchy mood away. If you want some cake to go with your cookies, here is my Grinch Cake.

Grinch Crinkle Cookie Recipe:

Grinch Crinkle Cookies

Print Pin Rate

Course: Christmas

Keyword: Christmas, cookies, cream cheese, crinkle cookie, Frosting, grinch, Recipe

Ingredients

Cookie Recipe:

1 Box Lemon Cake Mix
1 egg
1 – 8-ounce container Cool-Whip
2-3 drops green food color
1/2 cup powdered sugar for rolling the cookie dough
Baking sheet
Parchment paper or a Silpat
1-8 ounces package cream cheese room temperature
1 stick 4 ounces unsalted butter, room temperature
1 pound 4 cups powdered sugar
1-3 tablespoons milk or heavy cream
1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

Cookie Instructions: Preheat oven to 350°.
Place the lemon cake mix, egg, cool-whip and the green food color in a bowl and mix with a fork or spoon until well blended. Be careful not to over mix.
Freeze the cookies for about 2-3 minutes before you roll them in the powdered sugar.
Roll them in the powdered sugar and place them onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a Silpat.
Bake in a 350° oven for 8-10 minutes.
Cream Cheese Frosting:
Mix cream cheese, butter, and vanilla in a medium sized bowl.
Add the powdered sugar a little at a time and mix.
Continue until all sugar is mixed and you don't see any lumps.
Add 1-3 teaspoons of milk or heavy cream until you reach the desired consistency.
Add red food gel a few drops at a time until you get the shade of red you want.

Video

Bear hugs,

5 comments
Janis S. TheCookieMomster —December 6, 2016 @ 8:39 am Reply
I love that they are lemon. Not only do I love everything lemon, but it is a nice change from the usual peppermint, gingerbread, and spice flavors one associates with the Holidays. Definitely going to whip up a batch of these….such a simple cookie! 🙂
Love ya, Lisa!
The Partiologist —December 6, 2016 @ 8:51 am Reply
My heart just grew bigger after seeing how cute these are!
Pam, Sweet Virginia Treats —December 6, 2016 @ 10:01 am Reply
Wonderful cookies the kids in my family can help me make! My youngest daughter (8 years old) will love the look of these as well as all the fun we will have making them! Thanks so much for another perfect idea and tutorial!
Lisa Spencer —December 4, 2018 @ 4:45 pm Reply
Don’t I see these made into sandwich cookies in one photo? Those look awesome.
Linda Fisher —December 3, 2019 @ 9:32 pm Reply
Hi Lisa,
I was just wondering if I could get help finding my ebook? I ordered it but I don’t know where to find it. Should I be getting an email?
Thanks for tour help!
Linda
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