Watermelon Slice Cookies (Printable view)

Vibrant slice-and-bake cookies shaped like fresh watermelon with red and green layers and chocolate chip seeds.

# What You'll Need:

→ Cookie Dough

01 - 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
02 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
03 - 1/4 teaspoon salt
04 - 3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
05 - 1 cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 large egg
07 - 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
08 - 1/2 teaspoon almond extract

→ Decoration

09 - Red and green gel food coloring
10 - Mini chocolate chips
11 - 2 tablespoons milk

# Steps:

01 - Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl until evenly combined.
02 - Beat softened butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
03 - Mix in egg, vanilla extract, and almond extract until fully incorporated into the butter mixture.
04 - Gradually add dry ingredients to wet mixture, mixing until a soft dough forms. Avoid overmixing.
05 - Split dough into two portions: larger portion (about 2/3) for red, smaller portion (about 1/3) for green. Knead red coloring into larger portion and green coloring into smaller portion until colors are evenly distributed.
06 - Roll red dough into a 10-inch long, 2-inch diameter log. Roll green dough into a rectangle and wrap it around the red log, pressing gently to seal the edges.
07 - Wrap the combined dough log in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour until firm enough to slice cleanly.
08 - Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
09 - Cut chilled dough into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Slice each round in half to create watermelon wedge shapes.
10 - Press mini chocolate chips into the red portion of each cookie slice to mimic watermelon seeds.
11 - Bake for 8-10 minutes until cookies are set but not browned. Cool on baking sheet for 2 minutes before transferring to wire rack to cool completely.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The slice and bake method means you can prep the dough ahead and bake fresh cookies whenever company drops in
  • Watching peoples faces when they realize these are actually cookies never gets old
  • The dough logs freeze beautifully so you can have summer ready cookies on demand all season long
02 -
  • Chilling the dough log is absolutely non negotiable or your cookies will spread into blobs instead of holding their slice shape
  • Work quickly with the colored dough as the heat from your hands can soften it and make the colors streak together
  • Use a sharp knife and wipe it clean between slices for the cleanest edges
03 -
  • Unflavored dental floss makes the cleanest cuts through the dough log if your knife is dragging
  • A light sprinkle of coarse sugar on the green rind before baking adds a subtle sparkle

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