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The Perfect Grinch Cookie Recipe for Christmas Baking

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These soft and buttery Grinch cookies are a festive holiday treat with a vibrant green color and a red candy heart in the center. Perfect for cookie exchanges, school parties, and Christmas baking, they are quick to make and sure to be a crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon almond extract
  • 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • Green gel food coloring
  • Red candy melts or red M&M’s (about 24 pieces)
  • Powdered sugar, for dusting (optional)

Instructions

  1. Cream the butter and sugar. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy — about 3-4 minutes with a hand mixer on medium speed. Scrape down the sides of the bowl halfway through.
  2. Add the egg and extracts. Crack in the room-temperature egg, then add the vanilla and almond extracts. Beat on medium speed until fully combined, about 1 minute.
  3. Add the green food coloring. Squeeze in a small amount of green gel food coloring — start with about 1/4 teaspoon. Beat until the color is evenly distributed. Add more if needed.
  4. Combine the dry ingredients. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.
  5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing on low speed. Add it in two or three batches, mixing just until combined after each addition.
  6. Chill the dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes.
  7. Preheat the oven. While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  8. Scoop and shape. Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, scoop out rounded tablespoons of dough. Roll them into balls between your palms. Place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
  9. Bake. Bake for 9-11 minutes, or until the edges are just barely set and the tops look slightly cracked.
  10. Add the heart immediately. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, gently press a red candy melt or red M&M into the center of each cookie.
  11. Cool. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely. If dusting with powdered sugar, wait until they are completely cool.

Notes

Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes to prevent spreading. Use gel food coloring for best results. Don’t overbake; cookies should look slightly underdone when removed from the oven. For best flavor, let cookies sit overnight.

Nutrition

Keywords: Grinch cookies, Christmas cookies, sugar cookies, holiday baking, green cookies, easy cookie recipe

Find it online: https://fizzlefork.com/the-perfect-grinch-cookie-recipe-for-christmas-baking/