Description
These Grinch Cookies Decorated are the kind of festive holiday treat that instantly steals the spotlight on any Christmas dessert table. I love how a buttery sugar cookie base turns into a playful, bakery-style Christmas cookie with smooth green icing, bold black details, and a tiny Santa hat on top. They’re perfect for cookie exchanges, holiday baking days, Christmas party dessert trays, and fun food ideas when you want an easy recipe that doubles as edible art. Whether you need holiday dessert ideas, Christmas cookies for kids, or a cheerful make-ahead sweet for seasonal gatherings, these cookies bring charm, color, and classic sugar cookie flavor to every bite.
Ingredients
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups powdered sugar
4 to 5 tablespoons milk
green gel food coloring
1/2 cup red decorating icing or red fondant
1/2 cup white decorating icing
1/4 cup black decorating icing
Instructions
1. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
2. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until smooth.
4. Gradually add the dry ingredients and mix just until a soft dough forms.
5. Flatten the dough into a disk, wrap it, and chill for 1 hour.
6. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
7. Roll the dough to about 1/4 inch thick and cut into circles or Grinch face shapes.
8. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, until the edges are just set. Cool completely.
9. Whisk the powdered sugar with milk until smooth, then tint it with green gel food coloring.
10. Spread or pipe the green icing over the cooled cookies and let it set slightly.
11. Add white icing for the eyes and hat trim, red icing or fondant for the Santa hat, and black icing for the pupils, eyebrows, nose, and smile.
12. Let the decorations set fully before serving or storing.
Notes
Use gel food coloring instead of liquid coloring so the icing stays thick and vibrant.
Let the cookies cool completely before decorating or the icing will melt and slide.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 185
- Sugar: 16g
- Sodium: 65mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 27g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 28mg
Keywords: Grinch Cookies Decorated, Christmas cookies, holiday cookies, sugar cookies, decorated cookies, easy recipe, dessert ideas, food ideas, Christmas dessert, festive cookies