Summer dessert idea: Make watermelon cookies, decorated cookies for summer parties, BBQs, 4th of July, pool parties and more.
Summer cookie idea: Watermelon cookies
I should clarify from the start that these watermelon cookies are watermelon decorated cookies, not watermelon flavored cookies. But if you have a recipe for the latter, feel free to pass it along! Do they make watermelon extract? I made these to bring to a BBQ party.
more summer cookie ideas
For a different kind of watermelon cookie, try these slice and bake watermelon cookies. Mini popsicle cookies are cute, too.
how to make watermelon cookies
ingredients you need:
cut out cookie dough
royal icing
3 inch (or greater) circle cookie cutter
sharp knife
food coloring (Americolor soft gel pastes used here, Super Black, Electric Pink, Electric Green, Leaf Green and Bright White)
5 disposable, 12″ decorating bags
5 couplers
5 decorating tips (1 size “5”, 2 size “4”, 2 size “3”)
5 rubber bands
squeeze bottle or spoon
*For tips on finding supplies, click HERE.
step one: bake your cookies
Chill your cookie dough and roll out on a floured surface. Cut circles with the cutter, then slice in half with the knife to make semi-circles. Bake on a parchment paper-lined cookie tray according to recipe and let cool completely.
step two: make your royal icing
Prepare 5 decorating bags with couplers and tips, and make a batch of royal icing (which should be thick enough to hold its shape when piped).
You will need 5 colors: green, white, hot pink, lime green and black. A half cup of each should be plenty, but make at least double of the hot pink.
Mix colors and fill icing bags, reserving half of your pink frosting. Black and lime green should have a 3 tip, white and hot pink should have a 4 tip, and green should have a 5 tip.
step three: decorate your watermelons
Pipe the rind with the size 5 green. (I piped two lines for a thicker rind). Let set a few minutes.
With white 4 tip, pipe a line inside rind. Let set a few minutes.
Then use the hot pink 4 tip to pipe semicircle outline.
Thin remaining pink frosting with a few drops of water at a time until the consistency of glue. Use an empty decorating bag or use a spoon to pour the icing in the center of the watermelon. Let flood to the sides, encouraging with a small knife or spatula as needed until entire semicircle is filled.
Let set well, about fifteen minutes. When set, pipe wavy stripes on green rind with the lime green 3 tip and pipe seeds with the black 3 tip (I piped a dot, then moved the tip a bit in one direction to make a little point.).
Dry overnight if wrapping.
fun summer food ideas
Need more summer fun food ideas?
- Check out these red, white and blue sparkly marshmallow pops.
- Or try my Poppin’ Rockin’ marshmallow pops.
- Starfish cookies are so easy to make.
- Some cupcakes painted to red gingham with a li’l ant on top.
printable how-tos
This post was original published on May 27, 2009 and updated in June 2020.
watermelon cookies | the decorated cookie
Watermelon cookies, a fun summer dessert idea.
Ingredients
- cut out cookie dough
- royal icing
- 3 inch (or greater) circle cookie cutter
- sharp knife
- frosting color (Americolor soft gel pastes used here, Super Black, Electric Pink, Electric Green, Leaf Green and Bright White)
- 5 disposable, 12" decorating bags
- 5 couplers
- 5 decorating tips (1 size "5", 2 size "4", 2 size "3")
- 5 rubber bands
- squeeze bottle or spoon
Instructions
Chill your cookie dough and roll out on a floured surface. Cut circles with the cutter, then slice in half with the knife to make semi-circles. Bake on a parchment paper-lined cookie tray according to recipe and let cool completely.
Prepare 5 decorating bags with couplers and tips, and make a batch of royal icing (which should be thick enough to hold its shape when piped).
You will need 5 colors: green, white, hot pink, lime green and black. A half cup of each should be plenty, but make at least double of the hot pink.
Mix colors and fill icing bags, reserving half of your pink frosting. Black and lime green should have a 3 tip, white and hot pink should have a 4 tip, and green should have a 5 tip.
With green 5 tip, pipe the rind (I piped two lines for a thicker rind). Let set a few minutes.
With white 4 tip, pipe line inside rind. Let set a few minutes.
With hot pink 4 tip, pipe semicircle outline.
Thin remaining pink frosting with a few drops of water at a time until the consistency of glue. Use an empty decorating bag or use a spoon to pour the icing in the center of the watermelon. Let flood to the sides, encouraging with a small knife or spatula as needed until entire semicircle is filled.
Let set well, about fifteen minutes. When set, pipe wavy stripes on green rind with the lime green 3 tip and pipe seeds with the black 3 tip (I piped a dot, then moved the tip a bit in one direction to make a little point.).
Let set overnight if wrapping.
Chocolate Shavings says
Those are the cutest summer cookies ever!
lisa (dandysugar) says
These are the most adorable cookies I’ve seen! I love them!
Sara says
These are too cute! Awesome–I love them! 🙂
Carrie says
These are adorable! Love them!
Janetlynn says
Very Creative! I’d like to try and make these!
Jennifer says
Meghan, so cute. You need (meaning I want) for you to have host (to a few select bloggers-ahem) us at your house for exclusive lessons.
Amanda says
How very cute!! I made these several years ago https://www.familycorner.com/family/kids/recipes/watermelon_cookies.shtml I love how yours turned out. Hmmm, a watermelon flavored cookie?? I wonder how that would be 🙂
Jenny says
Those are so cute!
Elizabeth says
Too cute and oh so perfect for the season!
Chic Cookies says
awww, you are all the bestest for building my ego so nicely. Cute watermelons at family corner Amanda! Probably much quicker to make, too, and very kid-friendly. Alas, Jennifer, I’ve had such requests, especially from former customers, for years and years! I got so far as planning a class and never followed through. Something on my to-do list for sure (for all who come through the DC area!) now that you reminded me…
Room design studio says
Just found your blog.. LOve it… so much inspiration!and now Im following it 🙂
apparentlyjessy says
Wwaaaa! These are so COOL! I love the colours of water melons, they look great on a cookie! Hope you are feeling better now! x
Ginger says
Meaghan,Would you mind sending a couple my way? (KIDDING) Your watermelon cookies are beyond incredible! Thanks for sharing all the cool pictures!
cookies and cups says
SOO cute! I can’t wait until I have a BBQ to make these!
Susan says
SO cute, just found your blog on tastespotting, I will definitely be following you!
Food Recipes Made Easy says
Hi,I was wondering since we have the same niche, it would really help our rankings as well as increase our hits by exchanging links. I love your blog and would like to share it to my readers. Title: Food Recipes Made EasyURL: https://foodrecipesmadeeasy.blogspot.com/Please drop me a comment once you have added my link so that I can do the same for you site. Please provide me with the title of the link as well as the url.Thanks,Jenny
Jo says
These cookies are absolutely cute. How I would love receiving a jar of these.
Lynne says
I just had an artificially flavored, mass produced store bought watermelon flavored and decorated cookie the other day. It was horrible! I almost spit it out immediately. I mean, I love watermelon, and I love cookies, but together? Those are two flavors that just should not mix. However yours are adorable! I may have to try a batch just to purge my memory of the bad ones. And so perfect for summer! Very cute!!
Chic Cookies says
Thanks everyone! I love comments, because it also helps me find great blogs like all of yours.
Bridget says
Oh, those are adorable!!! I actually gasped when I saw them. 🙂 Love them all tied up with the ribbon!