Watermelon Cookies
Brighten up your dessert table with these adorable and fun-to-make Watermelon Cookies! Perfect for summer gatherings, picnics, or just a sweet treat, these slice-and-bake cookies combine soft, buttery dough with vibrant red and green food coloring to mimic a juicy watermelon. Mini chocolate chips serve as the “seeds,” adding both a charming touch and a hint of chocolatey goodness. With a prep time of just 25 minutes and a simple freezing technique to achieve their distinctive look, these cookies are as enjoyable to bake as they are to eat. Whether you're hosting a party or simply craving a playful twist on classic sugar cookies, these Watermelon Cookies are guaranteed to impress with their colorful appearance and melt-in-your-mouth texture.
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Recipe Information
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 0.5 teaspoon almond extract (optional)
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 0.25 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon red gel food coloring
- 1 teaspoon green gel food coloring
- 0.5 cup mini chocolate chips (for seeds)
Instructions
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
Beat in the egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract (if using) until fully incorporated.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until a soft dough forms.
Divide the dough into two portions—about two-thirds of the dough for the red (watermelon flesh) and the remaining one-third for the green (watermelon rind).
Tint the larger portion of dough with red gel food coloring and the smaller portion with green gel food coloring. Knead the dough gently to incorporate the colors evenly.
Roll the red dough into a log approximately 2 inches in diameter. Wrap the log in plastic wrap and freeze for 20-30 minutes to firm it up.
Once the red dough is firm, flatten the green dough and wrap it around the red dough log, smoothing out any seams. Re-wrap the log in plastic wrap and freeze for another 20 minutes.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Slice the chilled dough log into 1/4-inch thick slices. Cut each slice in half to create a half-circle shape, resembling a watermelon slice.
Press a few mini chocolate chips onto the red (flesh) portion of each cookie to imitate watermelon seeds.
Arrange the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 inch apart.
Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges just begin to turn golden. Do not overbake.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Serve and enjoy these delightful watermelon cookies!
Nutrition Facts
Calories |
3350 | ||
|---|---|---|---|
% Daily Value* |
|||
| Total Fat | 138.8 g | 178% | |
| Saturated Fat | 78.5 g | 392% | |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 2.0 g | ||
| Cholesterol | 468 mg | 156% | |
| Sodium | 1209 mg | 53% | |
| Total Carbohydrate | 496.3 g | 180% | |
| Dietary Fiber | 16.2 g | 58% | |
| Total Sugars | 249.5 g | ||
| Protein | 46.4 g | 93% | |
| Vitamin D | 1.3 mcg | 7% | |
| Calcium | 171 mg | 13% | |
| Iron | 18.8 mg | 104% | |
| Potassium | 745 mg | 16% | |
*The % Daily Value tells you how much a nutrient in a serving of food contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
