I’m sure there are plenty of great ways to eat watermelon. Chilled in a lake comes immediately to mind. But I read lots of recipes for watermelon that are, well, let’s just say interesting (watermelon with parmesan anyone?— eww). But I have a dear friend who doesn’t like watermelon. That’s right, ladies and gentlemen, she doesn’t like the official summer fruit. So, what’s she supposed to do on Fourth of July? How can you have Fourth of July without watermelon? Well, now even watermelon haters can include a little watermelon in their Fourth of July vegetarian celebration with these Faux Watermelon Cookies (they’re really just sugar cookies decorated to look like watermelon slices, but they sure are cute). I got the recipe from Fantastic Foods, and you can see pictures there, as well. Now, onto the recipe:

Faux Watermelon Cookies

Sugar Cookie Dough
3 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup butter, softened (not melted!)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoon vanilla extract
6 drops red food coloring
1 cup miniature semi sweet chocolate morsels

Glaze
1 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar, sifted
2 tablespoons water
15-20 drops green food coloring

Cookies
Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together in a medium sized bowl. Set aside. Beat butter or margarine, sugar, eggs, vanilla, and red food coloring in a large bowl with electric mixer until fluffy. Gradually add flour mixture and stir with wooden spoon until thoroughly mixed. Cover dough with plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for two hours.

Preheat oven to 400° F. On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut out circles with a cookie cutter or other round object, such as a glass or round plastic container. Place circles on ungreased cookie sheet. With a butter knife, carefully slice circle in half and separate by at least 1/2 inch to allow for expansion during baking. Gently press miniature semi sweet morsels into each semicircle. Bake for 6-8 minutes, checking after 6 minutes. Cookies will be done when edges are lightly browned. Do not allow cookies to get too brown.

Remove from oven and allow cookies to cool on cookie sheets for 5 minutes. Remove from cookies sheets to a wire rack and allow to cool completely.

Glaze
In a small bowl mix together all ingredients to form a glaze. You may add drops of water to thin glaze if it is too thick. To decorate the cookies, roll the round end of the cookie in the glaze, allow excess to drip off into bowl. Place cookies back on rack until glaze dries.