Holiday Crinkle Cookies

Holiday Crinkle Cookies

From the powered sugar and flour on the counter tops, you can tell its cookie time! My girls and I participate in several cookie swaps between holidays so we focus on our family more and baking less. In our cookie swaps, each person makes five or six dozen cookies that are all the same. Then when we get together, we swap packages of cookies so we each have a dozen of 5 types of cookies. Whew..I am glad I don’t have to make each type of cookie that I will be enjoying this holiday season.

Cookies aren’t just for the holidays

But it sure seems like I bake a whole lot more cookies around the holidays as compared to the rest of the year. This year I am making cookies that are a little different because they only require a couple of ingredients. Talk about easy! One of my favorite cookies has to be the holiday crinkle cookie.

Crinkle cookies look like they have been cracked open while cooking. The sugary covering breaks apart so some of the cookie shows through making each a unique design.

The recipe couldn’t be any easier and these Holiday Crinkle Cookies take only four (4) ingredients.

Did you know that you could make cookies with boxed cake mix and a tub of Cool Whip? I didn’t!

Sound interesting? Let’s do this..

Holiday Crinkle Cookies

Ingredients:

1 box vanilla cake mix
8 ounce tub of Cool Whip – thawed
1 egg slightly beaten (optional)
8 ounces powdered sugar
Food Coloring (Red and Green)

Directions:

Set oven to preheat at 350 degrees F (if using convection oven lower to 340).

Cover baking sheet with parchment paper, foil cover your baking sheet.

Break egg into a small cup or bowl and lightly beat to break up yoke.

Place box cake mix, beaten egg, vanilla, and cool whip in a large mixing bowl and mix until blended.

The baking mixture will be really thick and look like marshmallow fluff.

Once cookie dough mixture is blended, remove half of mixture to a second bowl.

Color one bowl of cookie mixture with red food coloring (start with small amount of coloring and add until it is the color you desire).

Color one bowl of cookie mixture with green food coloring (start with small amount of coloring and add until it is the color you desire).

Place powder sugar in a medium bowl (you need room to get your hands in the sugar to roll the cookie dough balls.

Scoop one color of cookie baking mixture at a time with a small cookie scoop (or 1 tablespoon measuring spoon) and drop into the powdered sugar.

Gently toss the cookie dough ball in the powdered sugar to completely cover the cookie ball.

Toss the cookie ball in your hand to remove excess powdered sugar

Place sugar covered cookie dough balls on baking sheet at least two (2) inches apart, note that said AT LEAST two (2) inches apart..these bad boys spread big time as they bake and you don’t once one cookie the size and shape of your baking pan!

Bake for 12 minutes or until the cookie edges are set. The centers will still look moist. Don’t over cook the cookies.

Remove from the oven and let rest while cooling for at least five (5) minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.

Store cookies in an airtight container or freeze for later use.

These cookies can be colored to go with any party or holiday theme. Just look at some of our favorite variations:

Valentine’s Day:
Red Velvet Crinkle Cookies: Use red velvet cake mix instead of white cake mix.

Easter:
Lemon Crinkle Cookies: Use lemon cake mix, add 1 tablespoon lemon juice and zest of 1/2 lemon.
Strawberry Crinkle Cookies: Use strawberry cake mix and add almond extract.

Memorial Day or 4th of July:
Red White and Blue Crinkle Cookies: Change the food coloring to red and blue. The white will be provided by the powdered sugar.

Other Favorites:

Mexican Chocolate Crinkle Cookies: Use chocolate or devil’s food cake mix and add 1 teaspoon +/- cayenne pepper and replace the vanilla with 1 Tablespoon strong black coffee.

Chocolate Crinkle Cookies: Use devil’s food cake mix and replace the vanilla with 1 Tablespoon strong black coffee.

Spiced Crinkle Cookies: Use spiced cake mix and add one (1) teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the powdered sugar bowl.

These are just a few ways you can change up the crinkle cookie recipe. Just remember to start with a box of cake mix, one (1) egg, and thawed cool whip. From there you can add anything that you think would be good in a cookie.

 

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Do you have a favorite crinkle cookie recipe? I would love for you to share it below in the comment section so my family can give it a try.

Also make sure to check out the favorite cookies of some of my blogging friends. I can’t wait to try them all!