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Grinch Sugar Cookies

Grinch sugar cookies are soft, green cutout cookies decorated with a red heart sprinkle on a smooth powdered sugar icing dab. Chill the dough before rolling, then bake the cookies until set with edges just barely golden.
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Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 50 minutes
Servings: 24 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 120
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the cookies
  • 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg large
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.5 tsp green gel food coloring
For the icing and decoration
  • 0.5 cup powdered sugar
  • 2 tsp milk
  • 24 sprinkles red heart-shaped

Equipment

  • 1 electric mixer
  • 2 18x13-inch baking sheets

Method
 

Make the dough
  1. Whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium bowl.
  2. Beat the butter and granulated sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  3. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and green food coloring until smooth.
  4. Mix in the flour mixture on low speed just until a dough forms.
  5. Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disk, wrap, and refrigerate for 1 hour.
Bake the cookies
  1. Heat the oven to 350°F and line two 18x13-inch baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Roll each dough disk between sheets of parchment to 1/4 inch thick.
  3. Cut out 2 1/2-inch cookies and arrange them about 2 inches apart on the baking sheets; keep the second sheet refrigerated while the first bakes.
  4. Bake one sheet at a time for 9–11 minutes, until the tops look set and the edges are just barely golden.
  5. Let each batch cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make the icing and decorate
  1. Stir the powdered sugar and milk together in a small bowl until smooth and thick.
  2. Put a small dab of icing on each cooled cookie and press a red heart sprinkle into the icing.
  3. Let the icing set before serving.

Notes

For clean cutouts, keep the second sheet refrigerated while the first batch bakes. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days; freeze undecorated cookies for up to 2 months. For a dairy-free option, use plant-based butter and unsweetened plant milk.