These Grinch Cookies are so festive even the grumpiest of grinches will have to smile! These Grinch Snowball Cookies are a colorful twist on the classic snowball cookie recipe. They’re one of our most popular Christmas recipes of all time!
Grinch Christmas Cookies
The Grinch is one of my favorite Christmas movies ever! I think I’m not the only one because it’s a story that’s been re-made countless times!
Inspired by The Grinch, these Grinch Snowball Cookies are bright green with a red heart — they are sure to stand out on a party table! And they taste like the classic pecan snowball cookies you love and treasure (maybe even better!)
Aren’t they super cute? I just love the red heart sprinkles!
What Are Snowball Cookies?
A traditional snowball cookie is a round shortbread cookie, filled with chopped pecans, and rolled in powdered sugar.
My Granny always makes snowball cookies for Christmas, so they hold a special place in my heart. Even though as kids we love hyper-sweet treats, at Christmas time we gravitated towards these more subtly flavored classics.
These Grinch Snowball Cookies are just like the holiday favorite from all of our childhoods — but with a fun and festive twist!
Our Grinch Snowball cookies add dried cranberries to the mix and bright Christmas colors. Plus we found these awesome red heart sprinkles that are just perfect!
There are a lot of recipes for Grinch cookies that use cake mix, but if you’re looking for Grinch cookies without cake mix, then these Grinch Snowball cookies are just the thing!
Related: Be sure to check out our Grinch Jello Shots too! (For grown-ups!)
For your convenience in re-creating our Grinch Cookies, I’ve included shop-able links to some of the supplies and kitchen tools used to make them. Disclosure policy available here.
Grinch Cookies Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla Extract
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3-5 drops green food coloring
- 1/2 cup Chopped pecans
- 1/3 cup Dried cranberries
- Wilton jumbo heart sprinkles
- White chocolate melting wafers
Kitchen Supplies Used:
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare a baking sheet with non-stick spray or a silicone baking mat.
Cream butter, sugar, and vanilla in a stand mixer or bowl using an electric hand mixer, until fluffy.
Gradually add in flour, salt, and food coloring until your batter is well combined and a rich green color. We found that kneading by hand was the easiest way to evenly distribute the green color. Wearing gloves prevents the hands from staining.
Stir in the dried cranberries and chopped pecans with a spatula or wooden spoon or work into the dough by hand.
Roll dough into 1″ balls and place on baking sheet(s).
Bake for 10-12 minutes, keeping a close eye on them so you can remove from oven before they start to brown.
When cookies are cool enough to handle, roll in a small bowl of powdered sugar, until well coated.
Use melted white chocolate to attach a large red heart sprinkle on top of each cookie and allow to set.
How to Make Your Own Red Heart Decorations
While the red heart sprinkles are the easiest way to decorate, you can create your own hearts too!
What you’ll need:
- Red candy melts -OR-
- White chocolate and red food coloring
Here’s what to do:
- Melt the chocolate or candy melts. If using white chocolate, stir red food coloring into it until you have a rich red color.
- Scoop into a plastic decorating bag with fine tip.
- Use the melted chocolate to draw hearts onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
- Place the cookie sheet into the freezer for about 10 minutes to harden.
Now you can use your candy hearts to decorate your cookies!
A free printable copy of our Grinch Cookies recipe is available at the bottom of the post.
Want More Christmas Cookie Ideas?
Click here to see ALL of our favorite Christmas Cookies Recipes!
More Grinch Inspired Recipes To Try:
- Grinch Snowball Cookies
- Homemade Grinch Marshmallows
- Grinch Jello Shots
- Easy Grinch Cupcakes
- Grinch Hot Cocoa Bombs
- Grinch Gingerbread Sandwich Cookies
Grinch Cookies Recipe (Printable Copy)
If you like this recipe, rate it! We’d also love to hear what you think in the comments below.
Grinch Cookies - Christmas Snowball Cookies
Equipment
- hand mixer
- Mixing bowls
- Cookie sheet
- Silicone baking mat
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted sweet cream butter
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar (plus 1 cup for rolling cookies)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 3-5 drops green food coloring
- 1/2 cup pecans chopped
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries chopped
- 24 pieces red confetti heart sprinkles
- 1/4 cup white chocolate wafers melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a standing mixer, cream softened butter, sugar, and vanilla extract. Gradually mix in flour, salt, and food coloring until your batter is well-combined and a rich green color.
- Stir in chopped pecans and cranberries until evenly distributed.
- Form dough into 1 inch balls and place onto a prepared baking sheet (or two baking sheets depending on how large they are).
- Bake cookies for 10 - 12 minutes. Remove from oven before they start to brown.
- Allow cookies to cool enough to handle, then roll each in a small bowl of powdered sugar until fully coated.
- Use melted white chocolate to secure a red heart sprinkle to the top of each cookie.
- Allow cookies to cool completely and chocolate to set before serving or storing.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
CLICK HERE to see all of our holiday recipes on the Soccer Mom Blog!
Be sure to pin our Grinch Cookies on Pinterest:
More of our favorite Christmas cookie recipes
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Alison says
Hi! I am also a soccer mom of 5 and new to your blog. I am so excited to find new cookie recipes for the holidays! I have a question regarding your Grinch cookie…could I substitute almonds for the pecans and have the texture/consistency come out right?
Any thoughts you have are much appreciated!
Stacey aka the Soccer Mom says
I think that would be ok!
Erika says
One place it says, 2 1/2 cups flour, and in the other place it says 2 1/4 cups flour
Which one is right???
Stacey aka the Soccer Mom says
Hi Erika, good catch! I just double checked the recipe and it is 2 1/4 cups flour.