Easy Watermelon Cookies topped with a cream cheese frosting are the perfect summer cookies recipe. These fun and tasty soft sugar cookies will remind you of a sweet watermelon and will be a perfect dessert cookie recipe to share.
Watermelon, beach balls, flip flops and sandals always make me smile. I just had to share these bun cookies for summer time. Topped with mini chocolate chip to resemble watermelon seeds these pink frosted cookies are a welcome treat.
Think about a birthday party, baby shower, or neighborhood BBQ. Everyone will want a bite!
Watermellon cookies are made with a soft sugar cookie dough that doesn't require any chilling. Using a medium size cookie scoop to form cookie dough into perfect sized scoops.
Shopping List
Dry Ingredients. All Purpose Flour, Baking Soda, Cream of Tartar, Sugar and Powdered Sugar
Butter, Vegetable Oil, Eggs and Vanilla Extract or Substitute Watermelon Flavoring
Food Coloring
Cream Cheese Pink Frosting
Powdered Sugar
Butter and Cream Cheese
Vanilla Extract and Milk
Food Coloring
How to make Watermelon Cookies
Make sure to allow butter and the egg to come to room temperature by sitting out on the counter for 1 hour prior to starting. Gather the rest of the ingredients and measure.
Here is my Quick Tip guide to measuring dry ingredients for perfect results every time.
In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer cream butter and sugar (granulated) together until light and fluffy. Scrape down sides of bowl multiple times making sure everything gets mixed together.
Cream for 2-3 minutes. You will notice the color and texture changing to a light creamy yellow color. This helps to add air into the ingredients for a lighter cookie.
Add egg, vanilla extract and continue to cream ingredients for another minute or two. Then gradually add vegetable oil and alternating with powdered sugar. Continue creaming together. Always scrape down sides of bowl as needed.
In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients of flour, cream of tartar and baking soda together. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until fully combined
Add a few drops of green food coloring to cookie dough until desired color is reached. I like a nice bright green dough color.
Using a medium size #24 cookie scoop place cookie dough on a well greased or parchment lined cookie sheet.
Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven. Cookies will turn a very light golden around edges. Do not over bake. Allow cookies to remain on cookie sheet for a couple minutes before moving to a cooling rack to cool.
How to make Pink Frosting
Making a cream cheese frosting recipe is really easy. I do recommend measuring and weighing powdered sugar for best results.
Allow butter and cream cheese to sit on counter for 1 hour before making frosting.
In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and cream cheese together. Scrape sides of bowl as needed making sure to include all ingredients.
Add powdered sugar a little at a time allowing ingredients to combine before adding more powdered sugar. Continue process until all powdered sugar is added
Frosting will be very thick. Add vanilla extract and 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk. Only add a little at a time and fully mix before adding more milk. Even a few drops of milk will go a long ways to thinning frosting.
Add a few drops of red food coloring. I love a bright vibrant pink or red color. Choose what you like!
For best results you will want a nice stiff frosting to hold its shape on cookie.
How to decorate Easy Watermelon Cookies
Place frosting into a piping bag with a large star tip, or snip off the end for a circle shaped frosting. Start in the center of the cookie and make a swirl to the outside filling entire cookie with frosting.
Sprinkle a few mini chocolate chips on top to resemble watermelon seeds.
Allow cookies to set before serving. This allows the frosting to harden just a little bit or place frosted cookies in refrigerator to chill and set. Which is my preferred way.
Storage and Freezing
Store cookies in a sealed container in refrigerator for up to a week. Cookies are best if enjoyed within 2-4 days.
Freeze cookies for up to 3 months when properly stored in a sealed container.
Pro Tips
When properly baked these cookies are a family favorite. Here are my key tips to remember
- Measure ingredients. Using the proper amount of flour and sugars will make a difference to the consistency of the cookie.
- Room Temperature Butter and Egg. It's always best to use room temperature ingredients. However, you do not want the butter to be mushy either. Allowing a stick of butter to come to temperature for 1 hour on a kitchen counter is ideal.
- Baking sheet. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or grease with cooking spray
- Cookie Scoop. I love my cookie scoops. I always know that all the cookies will be the same size and shape.
Watermelon Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ Cup Butter Softened
- 1 Egg Large
- ½ Cup Granulated Sugar 100g
- ½ Cup Powdered Sugar 65g
- ¼ Cup Vegetable Oil
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Cream of Tartar
- 2 Cup All Purpose Flour 240g
- Green Food Coloring
- ½ teaspoon Watermelon Extract Flavoring Optional - Or use Vanilla Extract
Cream Cheese Frosting
- 8 ounce Cream Cheese softened
- ¼ Cup Butter softened
- 4 Cup Powdered Sugar 520g
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 1-2 tablespoons Milk as needed
- Red Food Coloring
Instructions
- Make sure to allow butter and the egg to come to room temperature by sitting out on the counter for 1 hour prior to starting.
- In a large mixing bowl using an electric mixer cream butter and sugar (granulated) together until light and fluffy. Scrape down sides of bowl multiple times making sure everything gets mixed together.
- Cream for 2-3 minutes.
- Add egg, vanilla extract and continue to cream ingredients for another minute or two. Then gradually add vegetable oil and alternating with powdered sugar.
- In a separate bowl combine dry ingredients of flour, cream of tartar and baking soda together. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until fully combined
- Add a few drops of green food coloring to cookie dough until desired color is reached. I like a nice bright green dough color.
- Optional: Add Watermelon Extract Flavoring. This is a fun addition but purely optional.
- Using a medium size #24 cookie scoop place cookie dough on a well greased or parchment lined cookie sheet.
- Bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for 7-9 minutes. Do not overbake
- Allow cookies to remain on cookie sheet for a couple minutes before moving to a cooling rack to cool.
Cream Cheese Frosting
- Allow butter and cream cheese to sit on counter for 1 hour before making frosting.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream butter and cream cheese together. Scrape sides of bowl as needed making sure to include all ingredients.
- Add powdered sugar a little at a time allowing ingredients to combine before adding more powdered sugar. Continue process until all powdered sugar is added
- Add vanilla extract and 1 to 2 tablespoons of milk. Only add a little at a time and fully mix before adding more milk.
- Add a few drops of red food coloring and mix until color is smooth
How to Decorate Cookies
- Place frosting in a piping bag with a star tip or snip off corner for a rounded tip
- Start in the center of a cookie and swirl outwards to the edges piping frosting as you go.
- Sprinkle with a few mini chocolate chips
Notes
Pro Tips
When properly baked these cookies are a family favorite. Here are my key tips to remember- Measure ingredients. Using the proper amount of flour and sugars will make a difference to the consistency of the cookie.
- Room Temperature Butter and Egg. It's always best to use room temperature ingredients. However, you do not want the butter to be mushy either. Allowing a stick of butter to come to temperature for 1 hour on a kitchen counter is ideal.
- Baking sheet. Line baking sheet with parchment paper or grease with cooking spray
- Cookie Scoop. I love my cookie scoops. I always know that all the cookies will be the same size and shape.
Grace
These cookies are not only adorable but delicious too. Made these cookies for a summer event and they were the first ones eaten. I love the bright colors and how soft the cookies turned out. Thanks for a great recipe