Christmas Crinkle Cookies
Christmas Crinkle Cookies add a festive splash of color to your holiday treat platters. They are one of my 30 Best Christmas Cookies to bake during the holiday season! Crinkle cookies are super easy to make, and they disappear in a flash. The soft, chewy morsels start with a simple white cake mix and are tinted with red and green coloring for a festive touch.
Whether you’re baking for a holiday gathering or stocking the family dessert tray, these colorful cake mix treats will steal the show and spread cheer with every bite. The light dusting of powdered sugar gives them that signature “snowy” look that’s perfect for the season.
Christmas Crinkles will surely put a smile on your face with its pop of color, and then when you taste them, oh so good! If you love easy recipes that use shortcuts, try Nutter Butter Reindeer Cookies or my personal favorite, Santa Munch Christmas Popcorn.
The holidays are my time to shine in the kitchen and then relax with My Top 5 Favorite Christmas Movies and a round of Bobbing for Candy Canes Christmas Party Game with the family. Fun bites like this Easy Santa Charcuterie Board for Christmas make it all the more merry.
Christmas Crinkle Cookies
The signature cracked, powdered-sugar coating dusted over a vibrant red and green cookie base makes them instantly recognizable and incredibly festive. This simple recipe couldn’t be easier, making it a great choice for a last-minute sweet treat for dessert trays. The hero ingredient here is the boxed white cake mix, which guarantees a perfect, moist, and fluffy Christmas confection.
Baking these simple, fun-to-make treats is a family tradition, and I am thrilled to share this easy recipe with you. They’re easy enough for kids to help with, making them a fun family baking activity you’ll look forward to every season.
Timesaving Tips and Variations
While this recipe is already easy, here are a few simple tips to make your baking process even smoother. We also have some fun variations if you want to switch up the flavor or look of the baked treat.
- Using a Box Cake Mix: Using a white cake mix has the benefit that all of the ingredients are already in there for you, but I like to bump up the flavor in the mixes with vanilla extract. Gives it more of an oomph, if you will.
- Use Food Coloring Gel: I recommend using food coloring gel to get the red and green colors, but regular food coloring will work as well. You may have to use more to get the color you desire.
- Chill Time Shortcut: If you are short on time, place the dough in the freezer for 15 minutes instead of the refrigerator for 30 minutes to firm it up quickly.
- Marbled Look: Instead of dividing the dough completely, gently swirl the red and green dough together a few times for a gorgeous marbled crinkled effect.
- Add Flavoring: Add peppermint extract for a minty holiday flavor.
- Storage Tip: The baked bites freeze wonderfully; store them in an airtight container for up to three months and thaw overnight for a quick treat.
More Holiday Treats
Pair these baked goodies with other festive treats. Mixing different flavors and textures makes your dessert table sparkle with variety and color.
- Brownie Bites with Hershey Kisses
- Brown Butter Thumbprints
- Cinnamon Pecan Snickerdoodles
- Candy Cane Whoopie Pies
- Christmas Fruitcake Biscotti
You can count on these easy, cheerful baked goods to add a perfect touch of nostalgia and sweetness to your celebration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Crinkle cookies crack because the outside of the dough ball sets and bakes before the center expands. The generous coating of powdered sugar prevents the surface from setting too quickly, allowing the soft interior to push through and create those beautiful, iconic cracks. Chilling the dough also helps promote a better crinkled effect.
The secret to vibrant colors is using food coloring gel, not the liquid drops. Gel colors are concentrated and do not add extra liquid to your dough, which is essential for texture. Start with a few drops and add more until you reach your desired level of saturation for a truly festive look.
Yes, you can prepare the dough up to two days ahead. Keep it covered and refrigerated until ready to bake, then roll in powdered sugar just before baking. You may need to allow for additional baking time.
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Recommended Tools to Make Crinkle Cookies
These basic kitchen tools will set you up for success in all your holiday baking endeavors. I’m showing you my favorites from Amazon that I have been using for years.
Anolon Bronze Nonstick Baking Sheet – 10 Inch x 15 Inch, Brown
GORILLA GRIP Patented Nonstick Heat Resistant BPA-Free Silicone Spatula, Non Scratch Flexible Head for Pans, Slip Resistant Soft Rubber Handle, Kitchen Spatulas for Cooking Food, 11.6 in, BlackPyrex Essentials (3-Piece) Glass Mixing Bowls Set For Prepping, Baking and Cooking, Preheated Oven, Dishwasher, Freezer, and Microwave SafeKitchenAid 5 Ultra Power Speed Hand Mixer – KHM512, Empire RedKitchenAid Universal Easy To Read Measuring Cup and Spoon Set with Soft Grip Handle for Maximum Control, Hang Hole and Nesting For Easy Storage, Dishwasher Safe, 9 Piece, Blue VelvetOXO Good Grips Medium Cookie Scoop
Ingredients Used to Make Crinkle Cookies
This short list of ingredients is what makes these so quick and easy to prepare. You’ll likely have most of these items in your pantry already, ready to transform into a delicious treat. I have linked to a few of my favorite Amazon products that I use for many recipes.
- White Cake Mix: The base for our dough, providing the structure and moisture needed for a soft, chewy texture. *This recipe was tested with a 13.25-ounce boxed cake mix.
- Eggs: The binding agent that helps hold the ingredients together and adds richness to the dough.
- Vanilla Extract: A crucial flavor enhancer that complements the sweetness of the cake mix and brings out the flavors of the mix.
- Vegetable Oil: Adds necessary fat to keep them moist and helps them spread slightly while baking.
- Red and Green Food Coloring Gel: Used to create the vibrant, festive colors that make these crinkles perfect for Christmas. I love using Chefmaster Color Gels.
- Powdered Sugar: The essential ingredient for the signature “crackle” effect on the outside of the finished soft baked treats.
Baking Crinkle Cookies for Christmas
Preheat oven to 375 degrees and line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. In a large bowl, mix eggs, oil, vanilla, and cake mix until fully combined.
Divide the dough evenly between two small bowls and tint one red, one green with the food-safe color gel.
Chill the dough for 30 minutes. Then, scoop a tablespoon of dough into a ball, roll it in the powdered sugar, and place it on a baking sheet. Bake for 9–11 minutes, let cool slightly on the pan, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Holiday baking is the perfect opportunity to get creative, and this recipe opens the door to endless festive fun. Try arranging them in a cookie wreath, stacking in gift jars, or place a couple out for Santa to munch on.
Christmas Crinkle Cookies
Equipment
- nonstick spatula
Ingredients
- 1 box (13.25 ounces) white cake mix
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- Wilton red food coloring gel
- Wilton green food coloring gel
- ⅓ cup powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degree and line a baking sheet with a silicon baking mat or parchment paper.
- Mix eggs, oil, vanilla, and cake mix in a large bowl.
- Divide the dough into two equal amounts and place each in a small bowl.
- Add red food coloring to one bowl and green to the other. Stgart with a few drops, mix and if it's not the color you want, add one drop at a time to get the color you want.
- Mix each one till the color is fully incorporated into the dough. I used spoon but you can use your hands as well.
- Refrigerate dough for at least 30 minutes to make the dough a more easy to work with and for a fluffier result.
- Using a medium cookie scoop to measure out the dough. Then roll each dough ball in powdered sugar and place on prepared baking sheet. *If you find the dough is too sticky, add about one tablespoon of flour to the dough and work that in.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes at 375 degrees, allow to cool a minute or two on baking sheet before removing to cooling rack.*Every oven cooks differently, so check at the minumin time for donemess.
Notes
Nutritional Disclaimer
“Blogghetti” is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is an estimate. If calorie count and other nutritional values are important to you, we recommend running the ingredients through whichever online nutritional calculator you prefer. Calories and other nutritional values can vary quite a bit depending on which brands were used.
Enjoy!
The color of these cookies is AMAZING! Perfect for prettying up a Christmas cookie tray!
The food coloring makes such a difference! These are awesome for the holidays.
I’d love to wrap a few of these up for my Christmas guests to take home! They are so very festive.
The colors on these are so festive it’s a must-bake for anyone’s cookie list!
I can’t believe you made these with cake mix! They look so delicious and festive.
These cookies are so festive and cute! I love the green and red.
These cookies are so festive! Putting these on my list to make with the kiddos.
What can I use to substitute oil?
I haven’t tried it with anything but veg oil. You could use coconut oil or try melted butter, but I have not used either of those to say if it would turn out the same.
Do you use vanilla in the cookies?
Yes, you do. Thank you for catching that – I updated the recipe. It’s 1 teaspoon of vanilla. Sorry I didn’t see the comment earlier.
I took a tip from a recipe for chocolate crinkle cookies that rolled the cookie balls in granulated sugar before coating them in powdered sugar
How many cookies does this recipe make? Thank you
It will make about 24 – 30 cookies.
Which brand of Cake mix did you use? I know that Betty Crocker is now 13.25oz 😣 and Duncan Hines is still 15.25oz I’m assuming it will make a difference with the ingredients you have listed. Thank you ☺️
Hi Cheryl, I used a 15.25 ounce cake mix which I believe is Duncan Hines.
I’m looking forward to making them.Thank you so much! ☺️