WATERMELON SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Watermelon Shortbread Cookies

Who doesn’t love melt-in-your-mouth almond shortbread cookies, but even more so with a little bit of summer fruits thrown in for magic?  Watermelon Shortbread Cookies are perfect for summer parties, garden teas or baby & bridal showers!  Tender, buttery shortbread with a touch of summer fruit jams...sweet and simple with a touch of vanilla and sweet watermelon make these perfectly delightful - and loved by all of the cookie lovers in the world!

Watermelon Shortbread Cookies

I recently discovered Stonewall Kitchen Watermelon Jelly, and have been desperately trying to find some way to incorporate it into some of my recipes.  Have you tried it yet?  TO DIE FOR!  Fresh watermelon flavor, and nothing fake or artificial about it.  If you close your eyes you almost can feel the watermelon juice dripping down your chin!

Our newest grandbaby has more potential food allergies than we have ever experienced before, and it's causing me to look at some of our family favorite recipes in new ways.  He's allergic to eggs, so trying to find something that would appeal to his sweet tooth and hold up to a toddler was the newest challenge!  

Creating Watermelon Shortbread Cookies was a no-brainer, and the newest treat we've been loving!

WHAT IS THE SECRET TO JAM-FILLED SHORTBREAD?

Because shortbread cookies have so few ingredients, the quality of your ingredients really does make a difference!  Use good quality butter and pure vanilla extract.  If you're worried about nut allergies, leave out the pure almond extract usually used in shortbread.  And definitely use your favorite summer jams, fruit spreads and jellies for these.  Stonewall Kitchen jams and jellies are just loaded with pure and sweet fruit flavor!

But the REAL SECRET is to chill your dough overnight so that the flavors meld together, and then chill again after rolling and before baking. This will help your cookies keep their shape.

One bite and you'll know why these are our new favorite!  

Watermelon Shortbread Cookies

WATERMELON SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Who doesn’t love melt-in-your-mouth almond shortbread cookies, but even more so with a little bit of summer fruits thrown in for magic?  Watermelon Shortbread Cookies are perfect for summer parties, garden teas or baby & bridal showers!  Tender, buttery shortbread with a touch of summer fruit jams...sweet and simple with a touch of vanilla and sweet watermelon make these perfectly delightful - and loved by all of the cookie lovers in the world!
​

Watermelon Shortbread Cookies

INGREDIENTS:
Shortbread Cookies:
 1 cup unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
2/3 cup (134g) granulated sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon almond extract
2 cups + 2 Tbsp (264g) all-purpose flour (sifted & spooned – not scooped!)
1 cup Watermelon jam or jelly
 
Favorite Summer Fruit Preserves & Jams: (You’ll need 1 cup of your choice for this recipe)
Watermelon Jelly
Raspberry Peach Champagne Jam
Apricot Jam
Raspberry & Key Lime Jam
Rhubarb Raspberry Jam
Strawberry Rhubarb Jam
Peach & Amaretto Jam
 
Vanilla Almond Glaze:
1 cup powdered sugar
3-4 tablespoons cream or half & half
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon light corn syrup   
2-3 drops Americolor Electric Green gel food coloring
2-3 drops Americolor Watermelon gel food coloring    
OPTIONAL:  Watermelon Sprinkles
 
HOW I MAKE THESE:

1. Beat the butter on high speed with a handheld or stand mixer until creamy, about 1 minute. Switch mixer to medium speed and add the sugar, vanilla and almond extracts, scraping down the sides and the bottom of the bowl as needed. Turn the mixer off and add half of the flour; turn the mixer on low and slowly beat just until combined.  Add remaining flour and again mix slowly just until a very soft dough is formed.  Press the dough down into bowl, tightly cover with plastic wrap to chill overnight.
2. The next day, remove the cookie dough from the refrigerator an hour before you intend to start baking.
3. Preheat oven to 350F degrees.  Line baking sheets with parchment paper (parchment paper seems to work better than silicone mats for these shortbread cookies). 
4. Roll the cookie dough into 1-inch balls, making sure they're nice and smooth. Make an indentation with your thumb into each ball.  The dough may crack slightly when you press your thumb into it, but you can pinch the dough back together gently.  Fill each impression with a scant 1/2 teaspoon of jam.  Place prepared cookies in the refrigerator for 30 minutes or freeze for 10 minutes – this step is MANDATORY!
5. Bake the shortbread thumbprint cookies for 12 to 14 minutes, or until very lightly browned on the edges. The cookies will puff up and spread slightly. Do not overbake! 
6. Remove from oven and immediately spoon an additional ½ teaspoon of Sugar Plum jam into each cookie, smoothing it around to fill the indentation evenly.   Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet.  Cool to room temperature before glazing.
7. To make the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, cream/half & half, vanilla and almond extract and corn syrup until smooth.  Add more liquid to thin out or add more powdered sugar to thicken to your desired consistency.  Divide glaze in half, adding green food coloring to one and watermelon food coloring to the other.  Carefully drizzle over cooled cookies and allow glaze to set (you can refrigerate to speed this process up).  Top with watermelon sprinkles (optional) before glaze sets.
8. Store cookies covered at room temperature for 3 days or in the refrigerator for 5 days.  Baked cookies can be frozen up to 30 days – thaw overnight in the refrigerator. 

YIELD:  Makes 36 cookies

Originally posted December 2010, revised and reposted August 2020.
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