Soft • Festive • Jam-Filled • Holiday Treat
Quick Description
These soft, chewy green Grinch cookies are holiday perfection — buttery sugar cookies dipped in powdered sugar, baked until crackly, and filled with bright red jam in the center. A festive Christmas treat that’s fun to make and even better to eat.
Servings & Timing
Servings: 20–24 cookies
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Chill Time: 30 minutes
Bake Time: 10–12 minutes
Total Time: ~55 minutes
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1–2 teaspoons green food coloring (gel preferred)
Fillings & Toppings
- ½ cup red jam (strawberry or raspberry)
- Powdered sugar for dusting
Instructions
1. Mix the dry ingredients
In a bowl, whisk together:
- Flour
- Baking soda
- Baking powder
- Salt
Set aside.
2. Cream the butter & sugar
In a large mixing bowl:
- Beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
Add the egg and vanilla.
Mix again.
3. Add green color
Add green food coloring and mix until evenly combined.
Adjust shade to your liking.
4. Add dry to wet
Slowly add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture.
Mix until soft cookie dough forms.
5. Chill
Cover dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes.
This helps cookies keep their shape and crackle beautifully.
6. Form cookies
Scoop about 1 tbsp of dough.
Roll into balls.
Place on lined baking sheet (2 inches apart).
Press a shallow well in the center of each cookie with your thumb or a spoon.
7. Fill & bake
Add ½–1 teaspoon of jam into the center of each cookie.
Bake at 350°F (180°C) for 10–12 minutes until edges just set.
8. Cool & dust
Cool completely.
Dust lightly with powdered sugar for the Grinch snow effect.
Storage & Make-Ahead
Room Temperature:
- Store in an airtight container up to 4–5 days.
Freezer:
- Freeze baked cookies (without powdered sugar) up to 2 months.
- Thaw and dust with powdered sugar before serving.
Dough Freezing:
- Freeze cookie dough balls up to 2 months.
- Bake from frozen + 2 extra minutes.
Flavor Upgrade Tips
- Add a touch of almond extract
- Fill with Nutella or lemon curd
- Add crushed candy canes on top
- Use glitter sugar for a festive sparkle
- Add white chocolate chips to the dough
