🎄 A Sweet Holiday Memory
Every Christmas, my kitchen turns into a cookie workshop. But a few years ago, I decided to surprise my nieces with a batch of cookies inspired by their favorite holiday movie The Grinch Who Stole Christmas. 💚
I tinted the dough green, added a red heart candy on top, and watched their eyes light up as they each held up a cookie with a giggle, shouting: “He does have a heart!” Now it’s our yearly tradition these buttery snowball cookies with chocolate chips and a Grinchy green hue are always the first to disappear from the cookie platter.
💚 Why You’ll Love These Cookies
These cookies are fun, festive, and full of holiday spirit!
🎄 Inspired by the Grinch—complete with a red heart!
🍫 Loaded with mini chocolate chips
❄️ Twice rolled in powdered sugar for snowy sweetness
👧 Perfect for baking with kids
🎁 Ideal for cookie boxes or Christmas movie nights
🧰 Tools You’ll Need
- Hand or stand mixer
- Mixing bowls
- Rubber spatula
- 1 tbsp cookie scoop
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
- Baking sheets
- Cooling racks
✨ Key Ingredients
For the Cookies
- 3 cups powdered sugar (divided) – 2 cups for the dough, 1 cup for rolling
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened – Rich and buttery base
- 1½ tsp clear vanilla extract – Keeps the green color bright
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour – Gives structure
- 2 tbsp cornstarch – Adds tenderness
- ½ tsp salt – Balances sweetness
- ¼ tsp green liquid food coloring (10–12 drops) – For that perfect Grinchy hue
- 1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips – Sweet chocolate in every bite
- 32 red heart sprinkles – The signature Grinch “heart grew three sizes” detail 💕
🍪 How to Make Grinch Snowball Cookies
🧈 Make the Dough
- Line baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
- Sift powdered sugar: Place 2 cups in a bowl for the dough, reserve 1 cup in a second bowl for rolling.
- Cream butter + 1 cup powdered sugar in a large bowl for 1–2 minutes until light and fluffy.
- Add vanilla extract and beat 30 seconds more.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing until fully incorporated.
- Tint the dough green with food coloring and mix until even.
- Fold in mini chocolate chips.
❄️ Scoop & Chill
- Use a 1 tbsp cookie scoop to form balls, rolling them gently in your hands.
🔟 Place dough balls on baking sheets and chill for 15 minutes.
🔥 Bake & Roll
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Bake cookies for 12 minutes—edges should be set but not browned.
- Cool 10 minutes on the baking sheet.
- While still warm, roll cookies in reserved powdered sugar.
- Cool completely for 10–15 more minutes.
- Roll in powdered sugar again for a snowy finish.
- Top each cookie with a red heart sprinkle while slightly warm. 💕
💡 Tips for the Best Grinch Cookies
🎨 Use clear vanilla extract to keep that green color bright.
❄️ Chill the dough before baking to prevent spreading.
🧤 Roll the dough while slightly chilled—it holds its shape better.
❤️ Add heart sprinkles while cookies are warm but not hot so they stick without melting.
👩🍳 Gemma’s Pro Tips
“Add a dash of almond extract for a nutty twist—or swap in peppermint for an icy holiday feel.”
“These freeze beautifully before or after baking. Just add the sugar coating fresh!”
🧊 Storage Tips
Room Temp: Store in an airtight container for up to 1 week.
Freezer (baked cookies): Freeze without sugar coating up to 3 months. Roll in powdered sugar after thawing.
Freezer (unbaked dough): Freeze dough balls, then bake directly from frozen (add 1 extra minute).
🎁 More Festive Cookies You’ll Love
🍎 Apple Pie Cookies That Taste Just Like Grandma’s Pie!
🍪 Soft & Chewy Sugar Cookies – The Classic Everyone Loves
🍋 Ooey Gooey Butter Cookies – The Softest Cookie You’ll Ever Taste
Get Recipes on Pinterest
💚 Grinch Snowball Cookies – Buttery, Green & Full of Holiday Cheer!
Description
These Grinch Snowball Cookies are everything we love about the holidays—cozy, cute, and packed with personality! With a festive green tint, a powdered sugar coating, and a mini red heart, they’re inspired by The Grinch Who Stole Christmas and perfect for cookie swaps, movie nights, or gifting. Bonus: they’re easy enough for kids to help with!
Ingredients
Instructions
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Line baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
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Cream butter with 1 cup powdered sugar until fluffy (1–2 mins).
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Add vanilla and beat 30 sec.
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Whisk together flour, cornstarch, and salt.
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Mix dry ingredients into butter mixture.
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Add green food coloring. Mix until uniform.
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Fold in chocolate chips.
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Scoop 1 tbsp dough, roll into balls. Chill 15 mins.
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Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake 12 mins.
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Cool 10 mins on tray, roll in reserved powdered sugar.
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Cool completely, roll again in sugar.
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Top each with a red heart ❤️