Grinch Dip with Cake Mix
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If you need a fun Christmas dessert that takes hardly any effort, this Grinch dip with cake mix is such an easy one. It has a sweet cake batter flavor, that bright Grinch-green color, and of course, a few red heart sprinkles on top.
This is especially cute for a Grinch movie night or Christmas party. Set it out with cookies, graham crackers, pretzels, or fruit and let everyone dig in.
Why You’ll Love This Grinch Cake Mix Dip
The cake mix is what makes this version a little different from a traditional cream cheese dessert dip. It gives the dip that sweet cake batter flavor without having to bake anything.
It’s also really easy to dress up for Christmas. Green food coloring and a few red heart sprinkles are all you need to turn a simple cake batter dip into a Grinch-themed dessert.
And if you’re planning ahead for a party, you can make the dip earlier in the day and keep it chilled until you’re ready to serve it.
Serve this dip as part of a Grinch-themed dessert table with a few more green and red treats. You’ll find plenty of ideas in my collection of Grinch recipes for Christmas.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this easy Grinch dip:
Yellow cake mix: This gives the dip its sweet cake batter flavor. Be sure to heat treat the cake mix before using it in a no-bake recipe.
Cream cheese: Let it soften first so everything mixes together smoothly.
Cool Whip: Makes the dip lighter and fluffier.
Green food coloring: Add as much as you need to get that bright Grinch-green color.
Red heart sprinkles: The little red heart is what really brings the Grinch theme together.
A Quick Note About the Cake Mix
Because we’re using cake mix in a no-bake dessert, you’ll want to heat treat it first rather than using the flour mixture straight from the box.
Spread the cake mix onto a baking sheet and heat it in a 350°F oven for about 5 minutes, or microwave it in short intervals, stirring in between. You’ll want the cake mix to reach 165°F. Let it cool completely before mixing it into the dip.
How to Make Grinch Dip with Cake Mix
Once your cake mix has been heat treated and cooled, add it to a large mixing bowl with the softened cream cheese.
Mix until the cream cheese and cake mix are well combined and smooth.
Fold in the Cool Whip, then add green food coloring a little at a time until you get the shade of Grinch green you want.
Spoon the dip into your serving bowl and finish it with red heart sprinkles.
Keep it chilled until you’re ready to serve.
What to Serve with Grinch Dip
You can serve this with just about any sweet dipper you like. Vanilla wafers, graham crackers, shortbread cookies, animal crackers and pretzels would all work well.
Strawberries and apple slices are good options if you want to add some fruit to the tray, too.
I especially like setting out a mixture of cookies and pretzels because you get both sweet and salty options with the cake batter dip.
Can I Make Grinch Dip Ahead of Time?
Yes. You can prepare the dip ahead of time and keep it covered in the refrigerator until you’re ready to serve it.
I’d wait to add the heart sprinkles until closer to serving so they look their best.
Can I Use a Different Flavor of Cake Mix?
Yellow cake mix keeps the flavor simple and lets the green color really stand out, but white cake mix would work well, too.
I wouldn’t use a strongly colored cake mix because it could make it harder to get that bright green Grinch color.
How Do I Store Leftover Grinch Dip?
Keep any leftover dip in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Since it’s made with cream cheese and Cool Whip, it shouldn’t be left sitting at room temperature for long periods.
More Grinch Recipes
Don’t want to use cake mix? Try my easy Grinch Dessert Dip instead. It’s a creamy version made with cream cheese, powdered sugar, vanilla and Cool Whip.
Grinch Dip with Cake Mix
This easy Grinch Dip with Cake Mix is a fluffy Christmas dessert dip made with yellow cake mix, cream cheese, and Cool Whip. Green coloring and red heart sprinkles give it the perfect Grinch-inspired finish.
Ingredients
- 1 box yellow cake mix, heat treated and cooled
- 8 ounces cream cheese, softened
- 8 ounces Cool Whip, thawed
- Neon green gel food coloring
- Jumbo red heart sprinkles
Instructions
1. Before making the dip, heat treat the cake mix according to food-safety recommendations and allow it to cool completely.
2. Add the softened cream cheese to a large mixing bowl and beat until smooth and creamy.
3. Add the cooled cake mix and mix until well combined. The mixture will be fairly thick at this point.
4. Fold in the Cool Whip until everything is smooth and fluffy.
5. Add a small amount of neon green gel food coloring and mix until evenly combined. Add more coloring as needed until you get a bright Grinch-green color.
6. Transfer the dip to a serving bowl and top with jumbo red heart sprinkles.
7. Serve chilled with vanilla wafers, graham crackers, pretzels, strawberries, apple slices, or your favorite cookies.
To Heat Treat the Cake Mix
Spread the dry cake mix onto a baking sheet and bake at 350°F for about 5 minutes, checking that it reaches 165°F. Let it cool completely before adding it to the dip.
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 368
