Description
Celebrate the holidays with these festive Grinch Snowball Cookies, featuring buttery, melt-in-your-mouth dough tinted green and studded with mini chocolate chips, finished with a delightful dusting of powdered sugar and charming red heart sprinkles for a fun and whimsical treat.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 3 cups powdered sugar, sifted and divided
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1½ teaspoons clear vanilla extract
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon liquid green food coloring
- 1 cup mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Decoration
- Large red heart sprinkles for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats to prevent sticking and for easy cleanup.
- Mix Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, cream together the softened unsalted butter with 1 cup of the sifted powdered sugar until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color. Incorporate the clear vanilla extract and liquid green food coloring, mixing until the color is evenly distributed.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, and salt to ensure there are no lumps and the ingredients are well combined.
- Form the Dough: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing gently until a soft dough forms. Fold in the mini semi-sweet chocolate chips evenly throughout the dough.
- Shape the Cookies: Scoop dough portions about one tablespoon each and roll them into balls between your palms. Place the balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for slight spreading.
- Bake: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly golden. The tops should remain pale to maintain their signature snowy look.
- Cool and Dust: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cooled, roll the cookies gently in the remaining sifted powdered sugar to create a snowy coating.
- Decorate: While the powdered sugar is still fresh on the cookies, press a large red heart sprinkle gently into the top center of each cookie to complete the Grinch-themed decoration.
Notes
- Ensure butter is softened to room temperature for easy creaming.
- Sifting powdered sugar and dry ingredients is key for a light, tender texture.
- You can adjust the green food coloring quantity to achieve your preferred shade.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days for best freshness.
- For a festive twist, you can substitute mini chocolate chips with white chocolate chips or crushed candy canes.
Keywords: Grinch cookies, holiday cookies, snowball cookies, Christmas treats, green cookies, chocolate chip cookies, festive cookies