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Watermelon Fries
By Snejana Andreeva
on Jun 02, 2023, Updated Aug 04, 2025
These are not your average fries. These Watermelon Fries 🍉 are everything regular fries aren’t — juicy, hydrating, and unapologetically extra . No shade to our potato friends 🍟, but these just hit different. This easy summer fruit snack is cut into crisp, dippable sticks with a crinkle cutter so they look like they came out of a drive-thru staffed by garden fairies 🧚♀️. These fruit fries deliver the same snackish energy as regular fries but without the grease or regret. They’re perfect for hot days, picky eaters, and anyone needing a break from heavy meal. They may be 90% water, but they’re 100% iconic.
- Why You’ll Love These Watermelon Fries
- Ingredients
- Nonna’s Tip 🍉
- Best Served With
- Similar Recipes
- Common Questions
- Watermelon Fries Recipe
Why You’ll Love These Watermelon Fries
If you love my Watermelon Feta Salad , these fries are the perfect appetizer! They’re cold , crunchy , and so ridiculously refreshing that your soul might just sigh a little when you take a bite 🍉. The texture is everything, firm enough to hold like fries so you can dip them, spice them 🌶️, or just eat them as is. They make a perfect healthy watermelon snack for picnics 🧺, BBQs, lunches, or just an afternoon snack at home when you’re trying to escape the heat 🔥. Serve them with Tajín or dip them in yogurt or a fruit dip .
Ingredients
🍉 Watermelon : Thinly sliced into sticks with a crinkle cutter . No crinkle cutter? Slice into regular sticks – still tasty!
🌿 Mint and lemon thyme (optional) : Fancy, fragrant, and totally optional.
Nonna’s Tip 🍉
If you don’t want to deal with a whole watermelon, grab the pre-cut wedges from the store. The ones with the rind still on are perfect for slicing.
Best Served With
- Dipped in my Yogurt Fruit Dip .
- Alongside my Viral Pickle Sandwich.
- Sprinkled with Tajín or chili lime seasoning for a little kick.
- As a side dish with grilled chicken or veggie skewers.
Similar Recipes
Watermelon Sandwich
10 mins
Watermelon Shaved Ice (Viral)
10 mins
Watermelon Feta Salad
10 mins
Watermelon Carpaccio
10 mins
Common Questions
Yes! Just cut and store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Cold = crispy. Room temp = sad.
Not really. It’s more zesty and salty with a tiny kick. But go light if you’re serving kids or spice-averse people.
Technically no, but look how cute they look in crinkle form!
Pop them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days – they get soggy and lose crunch after that.
Other melons, like cantaloupe and honeydew, would probably work well too. Just needs to be something firm enough to hold shape.
Absolutely! One 1-cup serving is only 46 calories and packs vitamin C + hydration = perfect for kids!
A New Recipe Card!!
- Check off each step in instructions!
- Add ingredients to your shopping list!
Video
Equipment
- ▢ Crinkle Cutter
Ingredients
- ▢ thinly sliced watermelon
- ▢ mint and lemon thyme for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- ▢ Cut the whole watermelon in half, place the fruit cut side down and then cut thin slices.
- ▢ Take the crinkle cutter and cut across each slice making that “fry-like” shape. Please watch my video below if you are uncertain.
- ▢ Optionally, cut the rind off. Enjoy these on their own, with fruit dip, or any additional toppings listed in my notes below.
Nonna’s Notes
- Use pre-cut watermelon from the grocery store if you don’t feel like buying a whole one. You can purchase a watermelon wedge and slice it into thin slices.
- Serve these fries with anything you like on top, such as lime juice, Tajin, crumbled feta , or as is. You can make a delicious fruit dip if you wish as well.
My Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Watermelon Fries
Equipment
- Crinkle Cutter
Ingredients
- thinly sliced watermelon
- mint and lemon thyme for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Cut the whole watermelon in half, place the fruit cut side down and then cut thin slices.
- Take the crinkle cutter and cut across each slice making that “fry-like” shape. Please watch my video below if you are uncertain.
- Optionally, cut the rind off. Enjoy these on their own, with fruit dip, or any additional toppings listed in my notes below.
Video
Notes
- Use pre-cut watermelon from the grocery store if you don’t feel like buying a whole one. You can purchase a watermelon wedge and slice it into thin slices.
- Serve these fries with anything you like on top, such as lime juice, Tajin, crumbled feta , or as is. You can make a delicious fruit dip if you wish as well.
Nutrition
Watermelon Fries https://themodernnonna.com/watermelon-fries/ June 2, 2023
Home › Recipes › Cookies & Snacks
Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies
By Snejana Andreeva
on Dec 15, 2022, Updated Nov 08, 2023
My lemon cheesecake thumbprint cookies melt in your mouth . This recipe is one of those recipes that you’ll need to triple, because it’s THAT good. 🍋Whether you’re a lemon lover or simply looking for a unique and delicious cookie, these Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies are a must-try. They’re perfect for any occasion, from a casual afternoon tea to a fancy dessert spread.
- Why You’ll Love Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies
- How to Prepare
- Nonna’s Tip 🍋
- Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies Variations and Substitutions
- Other Holiday Recipes
- More Holiday Cookies
- Common Questions
- Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies Recipe
Why You’ll Love Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies
These lemon cheesecake thumbprint cookies are ideal for anyone who cannot tolerate 🥚 eggs as they are completely egg-free . The dough takes 5 minutes to whip up, so these cookies are easy enough for anyone who is not even a baker. They’re only 5 ingredients , which you probably already have on hand. I can honestly say that this is one of those cookie recipes that you cannot get enough of.
How to Prepare
🥣 Use a stand mixer with the paddle attachment or a hand-held mixer and bowl to cream butter and cream cheese for about 2 minutes until smooth.
🍋 Add sugar and lemon extract and mix until smooth . Then add flour, and mix until a sticky dough forms. Scrape down the sides to fully incorporate any remaining flour.
🧊 Cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour.
🥄 Remove dough from the refrigerator, use a small ice-cream scooper to portion the cookies, rolling each in a touch of flour to prevent sticking.
🍓 Place rolled cookies on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper . Flatten each with your thumb, creating an indent, and add a teaspoon of preferred jam/preserve to the center.
🔥 Preheat the oven to 350°F and bake the lemon cheesecake thumbprint cookies for 13-15 minutes or until the edges are light and golden brown .
❄️ Allow the cookies to cool completely and optionally dust with icing sugar. They can be stored at room temperature for up to a week.
Nonna’s Tip 🍋
You MUST refrigerate the cookie dough for at least one hour and you have to use a touch of flour to roll each one as they will stick.
Lemon Cheesecake Thumbprint Cookies Variations and Substitutions
- Try adding a decorative topping like chopped nuts or a sprinkle of coarse sugar for holiday decoration.
- I have not tried this recipe with gluten-free flour , but feel free to experiment with a gluten-free 1-1 replacement and let me know how it goes!
- Instead of lemon extract , you could try almond, vanilla, orange or another you have on hand.
- Feel free to experiment with different jams or preserves , for example, you could use strawberry, raspberry, apricot or even marmalade.
- You could try dairy-free or vegan alternatives to the butter and cream cheese if you or your guests have allergies.
Other Holiday Recipes
Antipasti Christmas Wreath
10 mins
Holiday Butter Board
20 mins
Holiday Candy Cane Prosecco
5 mins
Holiday Cheese Board
20 mins
More Holiday Cookies
Looking for an even fancier-looking cookie? Try my puff pastry cookies .
Easy Gingerbread Cookies
3 hrs 23 mins
Italian Amaretti Cookies
25 mins
3 Ingredient Sugar Cookies
20 mins
Shortbread Butter Cookies
27 mins
Common Questions
Feel free to use any jam or preserve you enjoy. I love fig or apricot but you are more than welcome to use any you have on hand.
The lemon extract is optional so don’t worry if you don’t have any on hand. You can also use pure vanilla extract, or almond extract, or leave them plain. Or, if you don’t have pure lemon extract, but still want the flavor, you can also use the zest of a lemon in the recipe.
You MUST refrigerate the cookie dough for at least one hour and you have to use a touch of flour to roll each one as they will stick.
Feel free to freeze the cookie dough tightly wrapped for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge and shape as usual.
The cream cheese and butter must be softened in order for the cookies to bake correctly.
You can use salted or unsalted butter. I have made them with both and both results are delicious.
While 1 cup of flour weighs 160g in my kitchen, it might weigh anywhere from 120 to 180g in your kitchen and there’s a few reasons for that. The weight of ingredients may vary due to the brand of ingredients, the brand and style (wet vs dry) of measuring cups and spoons, and the technique for measuring into cups: scooping and leveling versus spooning the ingredients into the cup measure. For best results, go by the weight listed in the recipe.
A New Recipe Card!!
- Check off each step in instructions!
- Add ingredients to your shopping list!
Video
Equipment
- ▢ Measuring Cups + Spoons
- ▢ Mixing Bowls
- ▢ Baking Sheet
- ▢ Parchment Paper
Ingredients
- ▢ ½ cup cream cheese , softened
- ▢ ½ cup white sugar
- ▢ 1 stick softened salted butter
- ▢ 1.5 teaspoons lemon extract , optional if you don’t have any on hand
- ▢ 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour , + 2 extra tablespoons for rolling the balls
- ▢ 18 teaspoons jam , I used fig preserve
Instructions
- ▢ In a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, cream the butter and cream cheese together for about 2 minutes or until smooth. You can also use a hand-held mixer and a bowl as well.
- ▢ Once creamy, add the sugar and lemon extract and mix until smooth. Add in the flour and mix until a sticky dough forms. If there’s any flour on the sides, you can scrape it down and mix again until fully incorporated.
- ▢ Cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for one hour. After an hour, take out the dough, remove the plastic and use a small ice-cream scooper to scoop out the cookies. I scoop each cookie, roll it in a touch of flour as it will stick to your hands if you don’t.
- ▢ Repeat this step for all 18 cookies. Place each rolled cookie onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Press each one down with your thumb to make an indent. Add a teaspoon of any jam/preserve you like to the middle.
- ▢ Preheat the oven to 350F and bake until the edges are light and golden brown. This should take 13-15 minutes depending on the oven.
- ▢ Let them cool completely and optionally dust with icing sugar. These are perfectly stored at room-temp for up to a week.
My Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
