Description
Delightfully soft and vibrant Pink Crinkle Cookies made with vanilla cake mix, tinted with rose pink gel food coloring, rolled in icing sugar, and topped with charming heart-shaped sprinkles. Perfect for festive occasions or a sweet treat, these cookies combine easy preparation with a lovely presentation.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1 Box vanilla cake mix (I used Betty Crocker)
- ⅓ Cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- Pink gel food coloring (I used Wilton rose pink gel)
For Rolling & Decoration
- 2 Cups icing sugar (for rolling and dusting)
- 1 Pinch large heart-shaped sprinkles
Instructions
- Preheat: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it’s ready for baking once the dough is prepared.
- Cream Ingredients: In a mixing bowl, combine the vanilla cake mix, vegetable oil, eggs, and pink gel food coloring. Use a mixer to cream these ingredients together until smooth and evenly blended, creating a vibrant pink dough.
- Chill Dough: Cover the dough and chill it in the refrigerator for 15 minutes. This helps firm up the dough, making it easier to handle and roll.
- Roll Dough Balls: Take about a tablespoon of chilled dough and roll it into a ball shape. Then roll each ball in the icing sugar, fully coating it for the signature crinkle effect.
- Place and Decorate: Arrange the sugar-coated dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Press one large heart-shaped sprinkle gently into the center of each ball to create a cute heart decoration.
- Chill on Sheet: Place the baking sheet with the cookies into the refrigerator and chill for another 15 minutes. This additional chilling step helps cookies hold their shape while baking.
- Bake Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 6 to 8 minutes, until they are set but still soft in the center, preserving a tender texture.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This prevents them from breaking and ensures they firm up nicely.
Notes
- The gel food coloring provides vibrant color without adding extra liquid to the dough, maintaining the right consistency.
- Chilling the dough twice is key to preventing spreading and keeping the cookies thicker and chewier.
- Use large heart-shaped sprinkles for the best visual impact on the cookies.
- For softer cookies, bake closer to 6 minutes; for slightly firmer edges, bake up to 8 minutes.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days to maintain freshness.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 8 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
