These festive Grinch Thumbprint Cookies are the perfect treat for any holiday party or as a sweet addition to your holiday baking lineup. With their soft, buttery base and indulgent green frosting, they’re sure to be a hit with kids and adults alike. Plus, the adorable thumbprint design, inspired by the classic holiday character the Grinch, adds a playful touch.

grinch thumbprint cookies on a white round plate

Grinch Thumbprint Cookie Ingredients

Butter – softened
Sugar
Egg
Vanilla
Flour
Salt
White Chocolate Almond Bark
Bright Green Food Coloring Gel – for the cookies
Green Food Color for Chocolate
Thumbprint Cookie Cutter
Red Grinch Hearts Sprinkles

top view of grinch thumbprint cookies on a white plate

Frequently Asked Questions

How far in advance can I make these cookies?
You can make them 2-3 days in advance. Just be sure to store them in an airtight container.

Can I use regular food coloring?
No. Regular food coloring is water-based and will cause the chocolate to seize. Oil based food coloring does not cause the same reaction.

grinch thumbprint cookies stacked on white wood table

How to Make Grinch Thumbprint Cookies

In the mixing bowl of a Stand Mixer, add the Butter, Sugar, and Egg, and blend with the Whisk attachment until smooth, and creamy.

Add the Vanilla, and mix until blended.

In a separate bowl, add the Flour, and Salt, and mix well to blend.

Add the Flour mixture to the mixing bowl, and mix until blended, and smooth.

Add several drops of the Green Food Coloring Gel, and using the Paddle attachment, mix the food coloring into the dough, on low speed. Add a little more Food Coloring Gel if needed, to achieve the bright Green color.

Place a large piece of Parchment paper on the Kitchen Counter, and sprinkle with Flour.

Place half of the Cookie dough on the Parchment paper, and with a Floured Rolling Pin, roll the Dough to 1/2 inch thickness.

Using the Thumbprint Cookie Cutter, cut out the Cookies. Continue until all the dough has been rolled, and all the cookies have been cut out.

Place on a Parchment paper lined Cookie Sheet.

Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes, or until Cookies being to turn golden brown around the edges.

Remove from oven to a wire rack, and cool completely.

When cookies are cool; place about 4 squares of the White Chocolate Almond Bark in a microwave safe dish/bowl, and microwave for about 1 minute, stopping at 10 second intervals to stir the White Chocolate.

When the Chocolate is melted, remove from Microwave, and add several drops of the Food Coloring, made especially for Chocolate, until the desired color of Green is achieved for the Frosting.

Frost the center of the Cookies with the Frosting, and place a Red Grinch Heart in the middle of the Frosting.

Frost around the edges of the cookies, using the back of a spoon.

Place Cookies on a wire rack, or Parchment paper until the Chocolate is set/firm, about an hour.

Serve cookies and Enjoy!

hand holding grinch thumbprint cookie with bite taken out of it

NOTE: The Food Coloring for the Chocolate is made with an oil base, and it won’t cause the Chocolate to thicken like regular Food Coloring, or Food Coloring Gel does. It will allow you to be able to Frost the Cookies, center and edges, and be easy to work with, without becoming too thick.

Grinch Thumbprint Cookies

COURSE: Christmas Recipes

Servings Cookies

These festive Grinch Thumbprint Cookies are the perfect treat for any holiday party or as a sweet addition to your holiday baking lineup. With their soft, buttery base and indulgent green frosting, they're sure to be a hit with kids and adults alike. Plus, the adorable thumbprint design, inspired by the classic holiday character the Grinch, adds a playful touch.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Ingredients

1 cup of Butter – softened
1 cup of Sugar
1 Egg
2 teaspoons of Vanilla
2 1/2 cups of Flour
1 teaspoon of Salt
White Chocolate Almond Bark
Bright Green Food Coloring Gel – for the cookies
Green Food Color for Chocolate

Equipment

Instructions

In the mixing bowl of a Stand Mixer, add the Butter, Sugar, and Egg, and blend with the Whisk attachment until smooth, and creamy.
Add the Vanilla, and mix until blended.
In a separate bowl, add the Flour, and Salt, and mix well to blend.
Add the Flour mixture to the mixing bowl, and mix until blended, and smooth.
Add several drops of the Green Food Coloring Gel, and using the Paddle attachment, mix the food coloring into the dough, on low speed. Add a little more Food Coloring Gel if needed, to achieve the bright Green color.
Place a large piece of Parchment paper on the Kitchen Counter, and sprinkle with Flour.
Place half of the Cookie dough on the Parchment paper, and with a Floured Rolling Pin, roll the Dough to 1/2 inch thickness.
Using the Thumbprint Cookie Cutter, cut out the Cookies. Continue until all the dough has been rolled, and all the cookies have been cut out.
Place on a Parchment paper lined Cookie Sheet.
Bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes, or until Cookies being to turn golden brown around the edges.
Remove from oven to a wire rack, and cool completely.
When cookies are cool; place about 4 squares of the White Chocolate Almond Bark in a microwave safe dish/bowl, and microwave for about 1 minute, stopping at 10 second intervals to stir the White Chocolate.
When the Chocolate is melted, remove from Microwave, and add several drops of the Food Coloring, made especially for Chocolate, until the desired color of Green is achieved for the Frosting.
Frost the center of the Cookies with the Frosting, and place a Red Grinch Heart in the middle of the Frosting.
Frost around the edges of the cookies, using the back of a spoon.
Place Cookies on a wire rack, or Parchment paper until the Chocolate is set/firm, about an hour.
Serve cookies and Enjoy!

Did you try this recipe?Let us know how it was!