Grinch Sugar Cookies Recipe (Easy No-Chill Christmas Cookies)
These Grinch sugar cookies are soft, chewy, and festively green with a single red heart in the center — the perfect easy Christmas cookies! No chill time required and made with melted butter, they go from bowl to oven in under 10 minutes. Perfect for kids, cookie exchanges, and Grinch movie nights!
Equipment
- Baking sheet
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mat
- Microwave-safe bowl
- medium mixing bowl
- Wooden spoon or rubber spatula
- Small cookie scoop (1½ tablespoon size)
- Wire Cooling Rack
Ingredients
- For the Grinch Cookies
- 1 stick (8 tablespoons/4 oz) unsalted butter
- 2/3 cup granulated sugar, plus 2–3 tablespoons for rolling
- 2 large egg yolks (reserve whites for another use)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3–5 drops green gel food coloring (or 8–10 drops liquid food coloring)
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- For Decoration
- 12 small red heart sprinkles (or red M&Ms, Red Hots, or cinnamon imperials)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Melt butter in a microwave-safe bowl in 30-second intervals, stirring between each. Let cool slightly for 2 minutes so it’s warm but not hot.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine melted butter, ⅔ cup sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla extract. Stir until smooth and thickened.
- Add 3–5 drops green gel food coloring and stir until color is evenly distributed. Adjust to desired shade of green.
- Add flour, baking soda, and salt to the wet ingredients. Stir gently just until no flour streaks remain. Do not overmix.
- Divide dough into 12 portions using a small cookie scoop (about 1½ tablespoons each). Roll into smooth balls.
- Roll each dough ball in 2–3 tablespoons granulated sugar until fully coated.
- Place on prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10–11 minutes until edges are set but centers still look slightly soft.
- Immediately press one red heart sprinkle into the center of each hot cookie right after removing from the oven.
- Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. They’ll crackle more as they cool.