Watermelon Cookies

Dough ready to be made into watermelons

Ready for the oven

my decorating station

In honor of Memorial Day weekend I wanted to make something that reminded me of summer. These cookies are from my childhood, my mom used to make these for my birthday which is also in the summer so they hold happy memories for me. The recipe is from the June 1988 edition of Better Homes and Garden... yes 1988. Good news is that they still have it posted on their website, even though I prefer to use my old photocopied version from my moms magazine tear out :-)

They don't have any watermelon in them, they are meant only to look like watermelon slices. Kids love these, and so do adults since they aren't overly sweet. They are somewhere between a sugar cookie and a shortbread cookie in disguise. Great to bring to a summer party or for a kids birthday party... Enjoy!

Ingredients:

1/3 cup butter (no substitutes)

1/3 cup of shortening

3/4 cup sugar

1 1/2 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp salt

1 egg

1 tablespoon orange juice or milk

1 tsp vanilla

2 cups of all purpose flour

red food coloring

1 egg white

1 tablespoon of water

Green coarse sugar

Miniature semisweet chocolate chips

Directions:

1. Stir together flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and set aside. Beat butter and shortening in a large mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add sugar - beat till fluffy. Beat in egg, orange juice or milk, and vanilla until combined. Add in your food coloring (takes about 8 drops to get the red) Slowly mix in the flour mixture till combined. Divide dough in half. Cover and chill dough for 3 hours or until easy to handle.

2. Stir together egg white and water. Roll each half of dough on a floured surface until 1/4 inch thick. Cut with a floured 3-inch round cookie cutter. Cut cookies in half. place on an ungreased cookie sheet lined with parchment paper. Press a few chocolate pieces into each.Bake in a 375 degree F oven for 5 to 7 minutes or until bottoms begin to brown; do not allow to brown on top.

3. Transfer to wire racks and cool. In a small shallow bowl stir together egg white and water; brush the edge of each cookie. Sprinkle sugar on edges. dry on your wrack then transfer to your dish. Makes about 30 cookies.