Description
Celebrate the festive season with these delightful Grinch Heart Cake Mix Cookies! Made with a simple vanilla cake mix and tinted green with gel food coloring, these soft and chewy cookies are topped with charming candy hearts to bring a pop of color and whimsy. Perfect for holiday parties or as a fun treat to share, these cookies are easy to make and sure to spread joy with every bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 15.25 ounces vanilla cake mix
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- Green gel food coloring, as needed
Coating
- ¾ cup confectioners sugar
- ¼ cup cornstarch
Topping
- 24 candy hearts or large heart sprinkles
Instructions
- Prepare baking sheet: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set it aside to prevent the cookies from sticking during baking.
- Make the dough: In a large bowl, combine the vanilla cake mix, eggs, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract. Add green gel food coloring little by little and mix thoroughly until the dough is evenly tinted green.
- Chill the dough: Refrigerate the dough for 20 minutes to make it easier to handle and to help the cookies hold their shape during baking.
- Preheat oven and prepare coating: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). In a small bowl, mix together the confectioners sugar and cornstarch to create the coating mixture.
- Form cookies: Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Scoop the dough into 1-inch balls using a spoon or cookie scoop. Roll each ball thoroughly in the confectioners sugar and cornstarch mixture ensuring an even coat.
- Flatten dough balls: Place the coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Lightly press the bottom of a glass onto each ball to flatten slightly, creating a smoother surface. Avoid pressing too hard to maintain some thickness.
- Add candy hearts: Gently press one candy heart or large heart sprinkle on top of each dough ball, embedding it slightly into the dough so it stays in place while baking.
- Bake the cookies: Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 8-10 minutes. Bake until the cookies are set but not overbaked to keep them soft and chewy.
- Cool the cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 3-4 minutes to firm up slightly, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before serving or storing.
Notes
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature to keep them fresh and soft.
- Do not overbake to avoid dry cookies; they should remain soft in the center.
- Use gel food coloring for vibrant color without altering the dough consistency.
- For uniform cookies, use a cookie scoop to portion the dough evenly.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 4.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3.5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 20 g
- Fiber: 0.5 g
- Protein: 1 g
- Cholesterol: 15 mg
