When the boy was 5 years old I came across a recipe for watermelon cookies in a magazine. He loves watermelon....so I knew he would love these cookies. He is forever asking me to make them for him...now here's the interesting thing...they are just sugar cookies with mini-chocolate chips...but in his mind they are watermelon cookies and even though they don't have one drop of watermelon flavoring in them, he swears they do! These are the boy's very favorite cookie...
The boy does not eat sugar cookies...I can make batch after batch, in all different shapes and colors, with all different sprinkles on top and he won't touch them...but these cookies? He'll eat every single one!
Wrapping the dough up in plastic and then refrigerating it is the key here...you can't slice a soft cookie. Also, try to get the green colored dough as even as possible - or else you'll have some cookies with big "rinds" - not necessarily a bad thing!
Ooops! How did that picture of Baby Max get in here?!? Max arrived yesterday (with his mom) for a week long visit and I couldn't be happier! He is such a darling - and I'm loving having him here. Caesar Beezer The Wonder Dog, however, is not thrilled...I think he sees Max as one big Snausage!
Watermelon Cookies - Adapted from Southern Living Magazine 1989
2/3's cup butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 tablespoon milk
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
red paste food coloring
green paste food coloring
1/2 cup mini-chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Combine butter in the bowl of electric mixer with sugar and beat well. Stir in egg, milk and vanilla. Combine flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture, mixing well. Remove about 1/3 of the dough to a separate bowl and set aside. Add small amount of red food coloring to color dough as desired, beating until blended. Stir in mini-chocolate chips. Shape dough into a cylinder, placing it on plastic wrap to shape, then wrap it up tightly and refrigerate for 30 minutes. To reserved dough add a drop or two of green food coloring and mix well by hand. Spread out a piece of plastic wrap on counter, place green dough on top and roll to approximately 1/4 inch thickness in a rectangle, the length of the cylinder of red dough. Remove red dough from fridge and place on top of green dough, roll green dough around red cylinder. Wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate for an additional 30 minutes.
Using a sharp knife, slice dough 1/2-inch thick into rounds. Cut the rounds in half, making two cookies. Place on ungreased cookie sheets one inch apart. Bake in 375 degree oven for 8 to 10 minutes or until desired softness/crispness. Cool on wire racks.
Optional frosting: The boy does not like his watermelon cookies frosted...and since he eats them before anyone else gets a chance I usually don't frost them - but I do like them frosted - it gives the edge a nice shine and a little extra sugar is always a good thing! To make frosting: Mix 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar, two tablespoons water and green paste food coloring together in a small bowl and mix until smooth. Dip the rounded, green edge of the cookie into the green icing, letting the extra drip off and place on wax paper until frosting is firm. Makes 3 dozen cookies.
My new watermelon table runner is now finished...oh, and so is that plate of cookies...the boy said they were..."the best tasting watermelon cookies" I've ever made! What a creature!
