Description
Festive Grinch sugar cookies with green royal icing and red heart sprinkles, perfect for the holidays.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Green gel food coloring
- Red heart sprinkles
- White royal icing (recipe follows)
- 4 cups powdered sugar, sifted
- 3 tablespoons meringue powder
- 5–7 tablespoons warm water
Instructions
- Cream the Butter and Sugar: In a large bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer, cream together the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy. This usually takes about 3-5 minutes. Make sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl occasionally to ensure everything is evenly mixed.
- Add the Eggs and Extracts: Beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Then, stir in the vanilla extract and almond extract. The almond extract really gives these cookies a special flavor, but you can omit it if you prefer.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisking ensures that the baking powder and baking soda are evenly distributed throughout the flour, which will help the cookies rise properly.
- Gradually Add Dry Ingredients to Wet Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the dough, as this can result in tough cookies.
- Add Green Food Coloring: Add green gel food coloring, a little at a time, until you reach your desired shade of Grinch green. I usually start with a few drops and then add more until I get the perfect color. Remember, the color will deepen slightly as the dough rests.
- Divide and Chill the Dough: Divide the dough in half, flatten each half into a disc, wrap tightly in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, or preferably overnight. This chilling time is crucial because it allows the gluten in the flour to relax, which will prevent the cookies from spreading too much in the oven. It also makes the dough easier to roll out.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This will prevent the cookies from sticking and make cleanup a breeze.
- Roll Out the Dough: On a lightly floured surface, roll out one disc of dough to about 1/4 inch thickness. Keep the other disc of dough refrigerated while you’re working with the first one.
- Cut Out the Cookies: Use your favorite cookie cutters to cut out the cookies. I like to use a variety of shapes, such as hearts, stars, and circles. You can also use a Grinch-shaped cookie cutter if you have one!
- Place Cookies on Baking Sheets: Carefully transfer the cut-out cookies to the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch of space between each cookie.
- Bake the Cookies: Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown. Keep a close eye on them, as they can burn easily.
- Cool the Cookies: Remove the baking sheets from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the sifted powdered sugar and meringue powder. Sifting the powdered sugar is important to remove any lumps and ensure a smooth icing.
- Add Water: Gradually add the warm water, one tablespoon at a time, mixing on low speed until the icing reaches a stiff peak consistency. You want the icing to be thick enough to hold its shape when piped. If the icing is too thick, add a little more water, one teaspoon at a time. If it’s too thin, add a little more powdered sugar.
- Divide and Color (Optional): If you want to add color to your royal icing, divide it into separate bowls and add gel food coloring, a little at a time, until you reach your desired shades.
- Prepare Piping Bags: Transfer the royal icing to piping bags fitted with small round tips. You can also use ziplock bags with a small corner snipped off.
- Outline the Cookies: Use the royal icing to outline the edges of each cookie. This will create a dam to prevent the flood icing from running off the edges.
- Flood the Cookies: Thin the remaining royal icing with a little water, one teaspoon at a time, until it reaches a flood consistency. This means that the icing should be thin enough to spread easily but not so thin that it runs off the edges of the cookie. Use a toothpick or scribe tool to help spread the flood icing evenly over the surface of the cookie.
- Add Sprinkles: While the flood icing is still wet, add red heart sprinkles to the cookies. This will ensure that the sprinkles adhere to the icing.
- Let the Icing Set: Let the icing set completely, which usually takes several hours or overnight. This is important to prevent the icing from smudging.
Notes
- Use softened butter for a light and fluffy dough.
- Don’t overmix the dough.
- Chilling the dough is crucial to prevent spreading.
- Use parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Don’t overbake the cookies.
- Let the cookies cool completely before decorating.
- Use gel food coloring for vibrant color.
- Sift the powdered sugar for smooth icing.
- Meringue powder stabilizes the royal icing.
- Adjust royal icing consistency for outlining and flooding.
- Use a toothpick or scribe tool for even icing.
- Let the icing set completely before handling.
- Store decorated cookies in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes