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Watermelon Cookie Cups

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Last Updated:August 26, 2018Published:July 26, 2018
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Turn traditional peanut butter cup cookies into adorable WATERMELON cookie cups using this simple hack! Perfect for summer party treats or party favors for a themed watermelon party. In today’s step-by-step tutorial, I’ll show you how to turn white Reeses peanut butter cups into colorful watermelon cookies using food coloring and a black food marker.

Plate of watermelon cookie cups made with Reeses white peanut butter cups

If I had to name my family’s favorite cookie, these peanut butter cookie cups would be at the top of the list. We make hoards of them every year for Christmas and let’s just say that when left unattended, these cookies vanish into thin air.

It wasn’t until last Halloween that I had the idea to turn them into decorated cookies, which eventually led to creating easy eyeball cookies, draw-your-own cookies, as well as Christmas holly cookie cups. By using the candy peanut butter cup as the “canvas” instead of royal icing, you can make easy cookies without hours of decorating.

Ingredients for Watermelon Cookie Cups - peanut butter cookie dough, food coloring, food safe paint brushes, white peanut butter cups, and black food pen.

What You Need to Make Watermelon Cookie Cups

  • Peanut Butter Cookie Dough (recipe below)
  • Miniature White Peanut Butter Cups
  • Pink & Green Food Coloring
  • Black Food Marker
  • Food-Safe Paint Brushes (you can find these at craft stores for around $3 for a pack of 3 OR check out my hack below if you don’t have one!)

Materials

Cookie Recipe (below)
Cookie Scoop (1 Tablespoon)
Food Coloring
Food Marker (Black)
Food Paint Brush
Mini White Peanut Butter Cups

Bowl of peanut butter cookie dough to make easy Christmas holly cookie cups!

How to Make Watermelon Cookie Cups

Step 1: Mix, Scoop Dough, and Bake

After mixing up the peanut butter cookie dough, scoop 1 tablespoon-sized scoops into a mini muffin tin, roll into balls and bake according to instructions in the recipe below.

Mini muffin tin with peanut butter dough balls before baking to make easy Christmas holly cookie cups!

Step 2: Press in Reeses Cup

Immediately after removing from the oven, press a miniature white peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie. Let pan cool until it’s cool to the touch.

Step 3: Refrigerate

Place pan in refrigerator for 10-15 minutes to help the chocolate re-harden.

Mini muffin tin with white chocolate peanut butter cup cookies to make watermelon cookie cups

Step 4: Cut in half

Once completely cooled and the chocolate is re-hardened, use a sharp knife to GENTLY cut each cookie cup in half. This is where the “don’t overbake” part comes in – if you baked them too long, they’ll be too crunchy and will crumble upon cutting.

Cut white chocolate peanut butter cookie in half for watermelon cookie cups

Step 5: Paint

Squeeze a few drops of pink & green gel food coloring on a plate then use food-safe paintbrushes to paint a green border around the edge and a pink in the middle. You can find food-safe paint brushes on Amazon or at craft stores like Michaels or Hobby for around $3/pack of 3 (Wilton sells them, but I’ve also seen Hobby Lobby have their own off-brand for cheap).

Paint watermelon cookie cups with food coloring

Don’t have food-safe paint brushes? Roll a paper towel (several layers) into a fine point around a toothpick then dip in the food coloring. Since the paper towel will soak up more food coloring, you will likely need to dip it more often. You could probably also use a q-tip, but I’m not sure if those are technically food-safe.

Paint watermelon cookie cups with food coloring

Step 6: Let Dry & Draw On Seeds

Once dry, use a black food marker to draw on the seeds.

Draw seeds on watermelon cookie cup with black food marker

Step 7: Eat or Gift!

Serve on a plate at a summer party or package in clear plastic bags for adorable watermelon party favors!

Watermelon Party Favor Treat Bags Thanks A Melon

I mean, can you even handle the cuteness of miniature treats? I’ve got a few more Reeses ideas coming soon (as well as the printable treat topper!), so stay tuned!

Easy Watermelon Cookie Cups

Turn traditional peanut butter cup cookies into adorable WATERMELON cookie cups using this simple hack! Perfect for summer party treats or party favors for a themed watermelon party.

Author: Melissa Rose
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Course: Dessert
Category: Cookies
Servings: 60 cookies (once cut in half)
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Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons butter, softened 3/4 stick
  • 1/2 cup peanut butter
  • 1/2 cup brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
  • 1 egg
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 30 mini White chocolate Reeses Peanut Butter cups
  • Black Food Marker
  • Pink & Green Food Coloring
  • Food-Safe Paint Brushes (or see alternative above)

Before you begin! If you make this, will you do me a huge favor and leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe? This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.

Instructions

  1. In a large bowl, cream together butter, peanut butter, brown sugar, and white sugar with an electric mixer on medium speed for 30 seconds. Add in vanilla and egg and continue to mix for 10 seconds.

  2. Add baking soda and mix on low speed for 10 seconds. Add flour and continue to mix until all flour is incorporated.
  3. Scoop & roll dough into 1 tablespoon sized balls and place each in a greased, mini muffin tin.
  4. Bake at 350 degrees for 8 minutes. This is the key to making sure the cookies are soft. After 8 minutes, you may look at the cookies and think they look too doughy and be tempted to put them back in the oven. But trust me, take them out at 8 minutes and they will finish baking on the cooling rack.

  5. Remove from oven, and immediately press one mini (unwrapped) Reeses peanut butter cup into the center of each cookie. Do not remove from pan.

  6. Once pan is cool to the touch, place in refrigerator until chocolate rehardens. 

  7. Use a spoon to gently “scoop” the cookies from the pan. This is where spraying the muffin tin before baking is crucial, otherwise, your cookies will stick to the pan. Once removed, use a sharp knife to GENTLY cut through the middle of each cookie.

  8. Squeeze a few drops of pink & green gel food coloring on a plate then use food-safe paint brushes to paint a green border around the edge and a pink in the middle. You can find food-safe paint brushes on Amazon or at craft stores like Michaels or Hobby for around $3/pack of 3 (Wilton sells them, but I've also seen Hobby Lobby have their own, for cheap).

  9. Once dry, use a black food marker to draw on the seeds.

Last Step! Please leave a review and rating letting me know how you liked this recipe! This helps my small business thrive so I can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.

Nutrition

Calories: 64kcal
Fat: 3g
Saturated fat: 1g
Cholesterol: 5mg
Sodium: 47mg
Potassium: 32mg
Carbohydrates: 7g
Sugar: 5g
Protein: 1g
Vitamin A: 40%
Calcium: 6%
Iron: 0.2%

Gift This!

Stay tuned for the coordinating printable treat bag toppers!

Plate of watermelon cookie cups

Did you make this?
Tag me on Instagram @designeatrepeat or leave a comment below to let me know how it turned out! I love seeing what you’ve made.
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I’m Melissa - a Graphic Designer & Paper Crafter creating easy-to-assemble printables, party DIY's, and food crafts for family fun.
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Melissa is a graphic designer & craft stylist living in the Midwest, specializing in easy food and paper crafts for holidays, parties, and everyday.
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