These Watermelon Sugar Cookies are soft, colorful, and full of fun summer vibes. Topped with cream cheese frosting and black gel "seeds," they're a sweet treat everyone will love.
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If you're craving a playful, fruity-inspired dessert, these watermelon shaped cookies are the way to go. Made with a buttery sugar cookie base and topped with smooth cream cheese frosting dyed in watermelon red and green, they look just as fun as they taste.
We made these for a summer BBQ, and they disappeared fast. Both the kids and adults could not stop grabbing them! If you loved these cookies, you'll want to try more summertime cookie recipes that are just as fun, like Orange Creamsicle Cookies, and these Crumbl copycat Cotton Candy Cookies.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Fun and festive: These cookies look like mini watermelons, making them perfect for summer parties, picnics, or themed events.
- Kid-approved: The bright colors and sweet flavor make them a hit with kids, both to decorate and to eat.
- Soft and buttery: The sugar cookie base is tender, rich, and holds its shape beautifully when baked.
- Budget-friendly: Made with pantry staples and food coloring, these watermelon cookies are an affordable way to impress a crowd.
Ingredients
- Granulated Sugar: This sweetens the cookies and helps create a soft, tender texture. Be sure to measure accurately for consistent results.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter so you can better control the salt in the recipe. Let it come to room temperature for easier creaming and a fluffier dough.
- Eggs: Large eggs help bind the ingredients and add richness. Let them sit out for about 30 minutes before baking so they mix more evenly.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds warm, sweet depth to both the cookies and frosting.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure for the cookies. Start with 4½ cups and only add more if the dough feels too sticky.
- Milk and Heavy Cream: These liquids help soften the dough, creating a tender cookie. Make sure both are cold when added to the dough for proper mixing.
- Cream Cheese and Powdered Sugar: Used for the frosting, cream cheese gives a tangy richness while powdered sugar keeps the texture smooth. Let the cream cheese come to room temperature for easy blending and lump-free frosting.
- Food Coloring and Black Gel Frosting: Use gel food coloring for vibrant red and green frosting. The black gel frosting is ideal for adding watermelon "seeds" and is easy to find in most stores.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Gluten-free: Substitute the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend that includes xanthan gum to maintain the cookie's texture.
- Fruit mix-ins: Add finely chopped strawberries or raspberries into the dough for an extra fruity twist that complements the watermelon theme.
- Lemon zest: Add 1 teaspoon of lemon zest to the dough for a bright citrus note that pairs well with the watermelon colors.
- Sprinkles or sugar crystals: Instead of piping seeds, decorate with black sprinkles or sanding sugar for a simpler but still fun look.
How to Make Watermelon Sugar Cookies
This watermelon cookie recipe is simple and fun to make, perfect for adding a pop of color to any summer gathering. Follow these easy steps to create soft cookies with creamy frosting.
- Step 1: Mix Ingredients. Cream together the butter, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth in a large bowl.
- Step 2: Add Dry Ingredients. Add the baking soda, baking powder, and salt, then gradually mix in the flour, milk, and cream until the dough comes together in a soft clump. Cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least one hour.
- Step 3: Shape and Bake. Roll half the dough on a floured surface to about ½ inch thick. Cut into circles, then slice each circle in half to mimic watermelon slices. Bake for 8-10 minutes until the bottoms are lightly golden.
- Step 4: Cool Completely. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let them cool fully before frosting.
- Step 5: Prepare the Frosting. Beat together the cream cheese, butter, and vanilla until creamy. Slowly add powdered sugar, adding heavy cream as needed to reach a spreadable consistency.
- Step 6: Color the Frosting. Divide the frosting into two bowls. Tint one red and the other green using gel food coloring, adjusting for your preferred shade.
- Step 7: Frost the cookies. Pipe or spread green frosting along the curved edge to create the rind, then cover the rest with red frosting for the "watermelon flesh."
- Step 8: Add the seeds. Use black gel frosting to pipe small seed shapes over the red frosting, finishing the look.
Hint: Roll Evenly for Consistent Cookies
Rolling the dough to an even thickness ensures all cookies bake uniformly and look great.
Expert Tips
- Chill the dough well: Refrigerate the dough for at least an hour before rolling to make it easier to handle and prevent the cookies from spreading too much while baking.
- Use gel food coloring: Gel colors give vibrant frosting without thinning it out, helping you achieve bright watermelon shades.
- Don't overbake: Remove cookies when the bottoms are just lightly golden to keep them soft and tender.
- Cool cookies completely before frosting: Frosting warm cookies can cause it to melt and slide off, so patience pays off here.
Storage Directions
- Storing: Store leftover watermelon sugar cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. For longer storage, keep them refrigerated for up to 5 days.
- Freezing: Both plain and decorated sugar cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. Make sure the frosting is fully set before stacking the cookies with parchment paper between layers in an airtight freezer-safe container. To thaw, let them sit in the refrigerator or at room temperature until soft.
Serving Suggestions
These vibrant watermelon sugar cookies are a fun and festive addition to any celebration or casual get-together.
- Make these cookies for kids' birthday parties alongside classic Fruity Pebbles marshmallow treats and fresh fruit pizza for a colorful dessert table.
- Serve them at holiday picnics or potlucks with a side of Hawaiian macaroni salad and ham and cheese tortilla roll ups for a balanced spread.
Recipe FAQs
Yes! You can shape the dough into the watermelon "log," wrap it tightly, and refrigerate for up to one week. You can also freeze the dough for several months. Thaw out the dough on the counter for an hour or two and then shape and cut the cookies as directed.
Make sure to chill the dough thoroughly before rolling and cutting. Using room temperature butter helps, but overly soft dough can cause spreading.
Use piping bags with small round tips for precise lines, and chill the frosting slightly if it's too soft to hold its shape
More Delicious Cookie Recipes
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Watermelon Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
- 1½ cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup butter room temperature
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4½-5 cups all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ cup milk
- ½ cup heavy cream
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounce cream cheese room temperature
- ¾ cups butter room temperature
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 6-6½ cups powdered sugar
- 2-3 tablespoons heavy cream
- red food coloring
- green food coloring
- Store-bought black gel frosting.
Instructions
- Cream together butter, eggs, sugar, and vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- Next, add salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix until well combined.
- Alternate adding flour, milk, and heavy cream. Mix until the dough sticks to the whisk forming a clump.
- Cover the bowl with a tight layer of plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350℉-line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- Evenly sprinkle a layer of four over a clean, flat surface. Roll half the dough out until it is about ½ an inch thick. Cut the dough into circles. Cut the circles in half to make the shape of a watermelon.
- Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes. The best way to tell if they are done is to carefully lift the corner of one with a spatula to see if the bottoms are slightly golden brown. If you start to see a golden brown color on the outside/top of the cookies, they will not be as soft.
- Immediately remove the cookies from the baking sheet and place them on a cooling rack. Cool completely before frosting
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Cream together butter, vanilla extract, and cream cheese in the bowl of a stand mixer.
- While the mixer is on low, slowly add in the powdered sugar. Mix until well combined. If the frosting is too thick, add one tablespoon of heavy cream at a time until you get the desired consistency.
- Divide the frosting into two separate bowls. Add red food coloring to one bowl and mix well. Add more food coloring if you desire a darker color. Add green food coloring in the other bowl and mix well. Add more food coloring if you desire a darker color.
- Using a piping bag with a round tip, pipe the some green frosting onto the outer curved layer of the cookie. Continue to do this on each cookie. Next, pipe the red frosting above the green layer. Use a knife to spread the frosting a little more if needed. Use the black gel frosting and create seeds on the watermelon.
- Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- Chill the dough thoroughly before rolling to prevent cookies from spreading too much during baking.
- Use gel food coloring for vibrant frosting colors without thinning the texture.
- Let the cookies cool completely before frosting to avoid melting the cream cheese frosting.
- Store frosted cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for longer freshness.
Nutrition
*All nutrition information provided is automatically calculated and is an estimate and will vary based on ingredients, brands, and changes in cooking methods listed in the recipe. If you need exact numbers on your ingredients, I would recommend calculating them with your prefered nutrition calculator.
Ryan Allen
They turned out so soft and will be a fun addition to my next summer party.