This recipe for Christmas Crinkle Cookies has been my go-to for holiday cookie exchanges and last-minute teacher gifts since I first made them a decade ago. I discovered the simplicity of using white cake mix to create pillowy, crinkled cookies on a snowy December afternoon when time was tight but I still wanted something festive and homemade. The dough is forgiving, the colors pop, and the crackled powdered-sugar finish always makes everyone smile. They’re chewy at the center with a tender crumb, and the powdered sugar gives that classic snow-kissed look that reads instantly seasonal.

I love how quick these come together: just three pantry ingredients plus food coloring, and you have a tray of bright cookies in under an hour from start to finish. The first time I brought a tin of these to a neighborhood potluck, they disappeared within minutes; neighbors asked for the recipe and noted how soft and cake-like they were versus the typical butter cookie. Over the years I’ve adjusted the chilling and rolling technique to make the surface crack perfectly without flattening, and I’ll share those small tips below so your results are predictably beautiful every time.

Ingredients

• White cake mix: 1 standard box (about 15.25 ounces). Choose a high-quality brand you like for cupcakes — I often use Pillsbury or Duncan Hines for consistent texture; this is the structural base so it matters more than you’d expect.
• Eggs: 2 large eggs at room temperature. Room-temperature eggs incorporate more evenly into the cake-mix base and give better rise and tenderness.
• Vegetable oil: 1/3 cup. Neutral-flavored oil keeps the cookies soft. I prefer canola or sunflower if you want a lighter taste; using melted butter will change the texture and flavor, making them more buttery and slightly denser.
• Powdered sugar: 1/3 cup for rolling. This is what creates the signature crinkle appearance when the dough expands in the oven.
• Food coloring: Red and green gel food coloring. Gel is concentrated and won’t thin the dough; a few drops is usually enough for bright color.
• Optional: Up to 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour if the dough feels too sticky to handle. This is a texture helper — add sparingly and knead just until manageable.

Instructions

Combine the base:In a medium mixing bowl, whisk the box of white cake mix with 2 large eggs and 1/3 cup vegetable oil until a soft dough forms. Scrape the sides and mix until there are no streaks of flour. If dough is excessively sticky — it should be tacky but workable — add 1 tablespoon of all-purpose flour at a time, up to 2 tablespoons, kneading gently until it firms slightly. Over-flouring will dry the cookies.Divide and color:Split the dough evenly into two portions. Add a few drops of gel red food coloring to one portion and green gel to the other; work the color in with a silicone spatula or use gloved hands to knead until color is uniform. For vivid color add more gel by the drop; avoid liquid food coloring which can soften the dough.Chill:Smooth each colored dough into a disk, wrap separately in plastic wrap or place in lidded containers, and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Chilling firms the dough so the cookies hold shape while they bake and encourages that crackled top.Preheat and prepare pans:Preheat oven to 375°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and promote even browning. Use a small cookie scoop or a measuring tablespoon to portion dough for uniform cookies — this helps baking times stay consistent.Roll in powdered sugar:Using a tablespoon, form level scoops and roll each into a ball between your palms. Roll each ball generously in the powdered sugar so the surface is well coated; the contrast between sugar and colored dough produces the classic crinkle pattern during baking.Bake:Arrange the sugared balls 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake in the preheated 375°F oven for 8 minutes. Watch carefully in the final minute — cookies should puff and crack but not brown heavily. For slightly taller cookies, bake 7–8 minutes; for flatter, crisp-edged cookies add 1 minute.Cool:Remove trays from the oven and let cookies sit on the sheet for 2 minutes to set, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cooling fully prevents the powdered sugar from becoming wet and helps the interior finish its set.

Storage Tips

Keep baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to five days. If you want to maintain the crinkled powdered-sugar appearance, place parchment between layers to prevent sticking. For longer storage, freeze completely cooled cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet until firm, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag; they keep for up to three months. To thaw, leave at room temperature for 30–60 minutes. If you freeze unbaked dough balls, bake from frozen adding 1–2 minutes to the bake time.

Ingredient Substitutions

If you prefer a different flavor profile, swap the white cake mix for yellow cake mix for a slightly richer vanilla note, or funfetti for a playful drizzle of sprinkles inside (note that sprinkles can bleed color). For a dairy-free option, most boxed mixes are dairy-free but check labels; keep eggs as written or use a commercial egg replacer in the same volume for a vegan attempt (results vary on texture). Using butter instead of oil will deepen flavor but make the dough slightly firmer; reduce additional flour if you make that swap. For a gluten-free version, choose a certified gluten-free cake mix and ensure other ingredients are compliant.

Serving Suggestions

Arrange these cookies on a platter with powdered-sugar dusting for a snowy display, or layer them in cellophane bags tied with ribbon for gifting. They pair wonderfully with hot cocoa, spiced tea, or a lightly sweetened eggnog. For a festive dessert tray, include chocolate-dipped halves or sandwich two cookies with a dab of buttercream or marshmallow fluff for a playful twist. Garnish with small edible gold or silver dragees if you want an elegant touch for parties.

Seasonal Adaptations

Beyond Christmas colors, adapt these for other holidays: tint dough pastel for Easter, or deep orange and black for Halloween. Add peppermint extract (1/2 teaspoon) to the dough for a minty holiday version, or a teaspoon of orange zest and a drop of orange extract for a citrusy profile. During summer, use lemon gel coloring and pair with a thin lemon glaze after cooling to create bright seasonal cookies.

Success Stories

I remember making these with my teenage son one December evening while holiday movies played in the background — his first time carefully rolling powdered sugar onto dough balls, proud of how they cracked in the oven. At a neighborhood cookie swap, someone told me these were the only cookies that matched the photo on their phone when they tried them at home, which always makes me smile. They’re the recipe friends request when they need something quick that still feels homemade.

Meal Prep Tips

For a batch-ahead approach, portion dough into tablespoon-sized balls on a parchment-lined tray and freeze solid. Once frozen, place balls in a zip-top bag and bake straight from frozen, adding a minute or two to the baking time. This makes it easy to manage holiday baking in small sessions rather than one marathon day. Label bags with color and date so you can keep red and green separate for themed platters.

These cookies are perfect for busy holiday hosts: they look like work-intensive confections but are actually simple, dependable, and crowd-pleasing. Try making them with a friend and swapping colored batches — it’s a fun way to speed up prep and make more variety for a party.