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Watermelon Cookies

These gorgeous Watermelon Cookies are made using homemade cookie dough and topping with neon-colored homemade royal icing to create a cookie that just screams Summer!

bright neon watermelon sugar cookies on white plate

Watermelon Cookies

Nothing is better than a bite out of a ripe, juicy watermelon during the warm summer months.

That’s why I love these watermelon slice cookies because they are inspired by a slice of fresh watermelon.

Not only are these watermelon cookies sweet, they are adorable too! These would be great to give as gifts, serve up at summer barbecues, make for birthday parties and even baby showers!

While they may look complicated, they are way easier to make than you’d think. Plus, you’ll get a chance to try your hand at making homemade cookies with royal icing which is always a fun baking trade to learn!

stacked watermelon cookies on a white plate

Love watermelon as much as we do? Try our Watermelon Jello Shots, Watermelon Popsicles and our Watermelon Margarita too!

What You Need to Make Watermelon Cookies

For The Cookie Dough:

For The Royal Icing:

sliced watermelon cookies on a white round plate

How many servings does this recipe make?

This will make 24 watermelon cookies.

Can I use premade cookie dough?

Yes! You can use any pre-made sugar cookie dough you’d like! Simply follow the baking instructions on the package then proceed with this recipe as usual.

Can I use premade frosting?

While you certainly can use premade frosting, it will not give you the crisp, clean look that homemade royal icing does.

Can I use mini chocolate chips instead of black food coloring?

Absolutely! You can use mini chocolate chips and push them into the royal icing frosting before it hardens to create the watermelon seeds.

watermelon cookies on a round white plate

Can I Use Liquid Food Coloring?

While you can use regular food coloring, I’ve learned that it does not give a bright, vibrant color like gel food coloring does. I also find it throws off the consistency of the royal icing. Therefore, I highly recommend using the gel food coloring instead.

How to Make Watermelon Cookies

In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter, sugar, and egg, and blend with the whisk attachment until smooth, and creamy. 

Add the Vanilla, and mix until blended. 

In a separate bowl, add the flour, and salt, and mix well to blend. 

Add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl, and mix until blended, and smooth.  

homemade cookie dough in stand mixer

Place a large piece of parchment paper on the kitchen counter, and sprinkle with flour. 

Place half of the cookie dough on the parchment paper, and with a floured rolling pin, roll the dough to 1/2 inch thickness. 

Using a 3 inch round cookie cutter, cut out a circle, and then cut the circle in half, making 2 watermelon slices for the cookies. 

cookie cutter cutting out circle cookies
circle cookie dough cut into watermelon slices

Place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes, or until cookies being to turn golden brown around the edges. 

Remove from oven to a wire rack, and cool completely.

How to Make The Royal Icing

In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, place the warm water, meringue powder, and karo syrup, and blend with the whisk attachment until completely blended and smooth. 

Add the powdered sugar, about 2 cups at a time, and mix on low, until all the powdered sugar has been added.  Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl as needed, and blend until the Icing is smooth and creamy. 

homemade royal icing in stand mixer

Evenly divide the frosting into 4 bowls (adding about 1/4 of the Icing in each bowl). 

In one of the bowls, add 2 teaspoons of watermelon flavored jello, and 2 drops of hot pink food coloring gel. 

In another bowl, add several drops of lime green food coloring gel. 

In the next bowl, add a few drops of the dark green food coloring gel.

In the last bowl, add a few drops of the black food coloring gel.

Place the Icing in a plastic pastry bag, (You’ll have FOUR bags, one Hot Pink, one Lime Green, one Dark Green, and one Black), and snip off the very end of the bags. 

Pipe the Lime Green Frosting in two lines, on the Rounded side of the Cookie, one on the outside, and one right at the Pink color, leaving just enough room to pipe a thin strip of the Dark Green Icing between the Lime Green piping.

green royal icing piped onto watermelon slice cookies

Pipe the Watermelon colored/Hot Pink Icing around the inside of the Cookies and fill in the Cookies with the Watermelon colored Icing. 

hot pink royal icing piped onto watermelon cookie

Pipe small dots of the Black Icing all around the Rounded side of the Cookie, and using a Cookie Scribe pull the Black Icing down on the body of the Cookie, which will resemble Watermelon Seeds. 

Allow about 1 hour for Icing to completely set. 

Serve and Enjoy!

Watermelon Cookies

Watermelon Cookies

Yield: 24 Cookies
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Additional Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

These gorgeous Watermelon Cookies are made using homemade cookie dough and topping with neon-colored homemade royal icing to create a cookie that just screams Summer!

Ingredients

For The Cookie Dough:

  • 1 cup of Butter - softened
  • 1 cup of Sugar
  • 1 Egg
  • 2 teaspoons of Vanilla
  • 2 1/2 cups of Flour
  • 1 teaspoon of Salt

For The Royal Icing

  • 3/4 cup of Warm Water
  • 1/3 cup of Meringue Powder (I used Wilton)
  • 1 1/2 Tablespoons of Karo Syrup
  • 2 - 16 ounce bags of Powdered Sugar
  • 1 small box of Watermelon Jello
  • Hot Pink Food Coloring Gel
  • Lime Green Food Coloring Gel
  • Dark Green Food Coloring Gel
  • Black Food Coloring Gel
  • Plastic Pastry/Piping bags

Instructions

  1. In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, add the butter, sugar, and egg, and blend with the whisk attachment until smooth, and creamy. 
  2. Add the Vanilla, and mix until blended. 
  3. In a separate bowl, add the flour, and salt, and mix well to blend. 
  4. Add the flour mixture to the mixing bowl, and mix until blended, and smooth.  
  5. Place a large piece of parchment paper on the kitchen counter, and sprinkle with flour. 
  6. Place half of the cookie dough on the parchment paper, and with a floured rolling pin, roll the dough to 1/2 inch thickness. 
  7. Using a 3 inch round cookie cutter, cut out a circle, and then cut the circle in half, making 2 watermelon slices for the cookies. 
  8. Place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet and bake at 350 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes, or until cookies being to turn golden brown around the edges. 
  9. Remove from oven to a wire rack, and cool completely.

For The Royal Icing:

  1. In the mixing bowl of a stand mixer, place the warm water, meringue powder, and karo syrup, and blend with the whisk attachment until completely blended and smooth. 
  2. Add the powdered sugar, about 2 cups at a time, and mix on low, until all the powdered sugar has been added.  Scrape down the sides of the mixing bowl as needed, and blend until the Icing is smooth and creamy. 
  3. Evenly divide the frosting into 4 bowls (adding about 1/4 of the Icing in each bowl). 
  4. In one of the bowls, add 2 teaspoons of watermelon flavored jello, and 2 drops of hot pink food coloring gel. 
  5. In another bowl, add several drops of lime green food coloring gel. 
  6. In the next bowl, add a few drops of the dark green food coloring gel.
  7. In the last bowl, add a few drops of the black food coloring gel.
  8. Place the Icing in a plastic pastry bag, (You'll have FOUR bags, one Hot Pink, one Lime Green, one Dark Green, and one Black), and snip off the very end of the bags. 
  9. Pipe the Lime Green Frosting in two lines, on the Rounded side of the Cookie, one on the outside, and one right at the Pink color, leaving just enough room to pipe a thin strip of the Dark Green Icing between the Lime Green piping.
  10. Pipe the Watermelon colored/Hot Pink Icing around the inside of the Cookies and fill in the Cookies with the Watermelon colored Icing. 
  11. Pipe small dots of the Black Icing all around the Rounded side of the Cookie, and using a Cookie Scribe pull the Black Icing down on the body of the Cookie, which will resemble Watermelon Seeds. 
  12. Allow about 1 hour for Icing to completely set. 
  13. Serve and Enjoy!
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 327Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 30mgSodium: 168mgCarbohydrates: 62gFiber: 1gSugar: 49gProtein: 2g

*Nutrition facts are an estimate and not guaranteed to be accurate. Please consult with a registered dietitian for dietary advice. You may read our Nutritional Disclaimer here: https://www.simplisticallyliving.com/nutritional-disclaimer/

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