Mermaid Shortbread Bites: Mini Under the Sea Cookies
These shimmery little mermaid shortbread bites are here for your summer pool parties, mermaid-themed birthdays, ocean movie watch parties, and so much more.
If you love mini magical treats as much as I do, you will love these teeny tiny cookies that are packed with flavor and fun.
Mini Mermaid Shortbread Bites
I think I repeat myself in every mermaid dessert recipe, but anything mermaid brings me back to childhood. The magical days when I believed that I could transform into a siren of the sea one day.
These days, I think I’ve watched too many years of Shark Week. I respect, appreciate, but also FEAR the mysterious creatures of the ocean. I think I’ll stick to the kitchen and watch them from the screen!
I absolutely love how these mermaid shortbread cookies turned out. The slightly irregular look gives them a natural, organic vibe that belongs in the ocean. I think they are pretty for any type of under the sea themed event.
If you need a different theme, be sure to check out these galaxy shortbread bites and these fairy shortbread bites for more ideas.
Reasons to Love these Mermaid Bites
- Whimsical: These pretty little bites are shimmery and vibrant and sure to impress both kids and adults.
- Tasty: The buttery shortbread with a touch of sweetness will have you coming back for more.
- Customizable: It’s so easy to change the colors and get creative to match your theme and make them unique.
- Easy: If you take it step-by-step, this recipe is relatively easy to make.
- Mini: Everyone loves loads of mini desserts at a party! These little bites are perfect for goody bags or in bowls on a dessert table.
Mermaid Shortbread Bites Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make this mermaid cookie recipe. The measurements are in the recipe card below.
- All-purpose flour
- Granulated sugar
- Butter (cold and cut into chunks)
- Water
- Royal blue, violet, rose, and teal color gels
- Mermaid sprinkles
- Gold edible spray glitter
Mini Mermaid Cookies Directions
Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set it aside.
In a bowl, combine the flour and sugar, mixing well. Add the cold butter chunks to the bowl and use a pastry blender to cut the butter into the flour and sugar until the mixture gets crumbly.
Add water to the mixture, and use a spoon to bring the dough together. Once it starts to come together, remove the dough from the bowl and knead it a few times with your hands until it becomes smooth.
Kneading helps ensure the dough is well combined.
Divide the dough into thirds. To create the mermaid colors you want, use the color gels to dye one portion royal blue, another portion teal, and the remaining portion a mix of violet and rose to get a beautiful shade of purple.
Place the differently colored dough portions next to each other and gently flatten them with your hand, allowing them to stick together. Transfer the flattened dough onto the parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Use a rolling pin to roll the dough into a thickness of about 1/4 inch (0.6 cm).
Sprinkle the mermaid sprinkles over the rolled-out dough and gently press them into the surface. This adds a touch of magic and texture to the cookies.
Using a pizza cutter or a pastry cutter, cut the dough into 1/2-inch (1.3 cm) squares. Then, cut each square into a triangle shape. Spread the cookies apart on the baking sheet by lifting and separating them, making sure they have enough space to expand during baking.
Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 12-14 minutes, or until the bottoms begin to turn a delicate golden brown. Once baked, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool completely before serving.
Just before serving, give the mermaid shortbread bites a touch of enchantment by spraying them with edible gold glitter. This adds a shimmering finish to the cookies, bringing the magic vibes to another level.
Enjoy these delightful treats with family and friends! This recipe makes approximately 100 cute and creative cookies, perfect for little mermaid lovers.
Mermaid Dessert Table Additions
If you are throwing a mermaid party, here are some more ideas to include on your dessert table.
- Mermaid popcorn: For another crunchy munchie option, this mermaid popcorn is a sweet and salty treat.
- Icy drink: These mermaid slushies are a must for any hot pool party. The layers of colored lemonade are tasty and refreshing.
- Mermaid cupcakes: Swirly ocean colors in the form of cupcakes is always a crowd pleaser.
- Mermaid bark candy: Another fun to make recipe, crunchy chocolate bark candy in the colors of the sea is another way to load up a goody bag or your magical party table.
- Ice cream: Is it even a party without ice cream? This no-churn mermaid ice cream is easy to make and really gets little fins flipping.
Recipe Swaps and Variations
- Sprinkles: Feel free to use any type of sprinkles you want. You can also skip them and just use edible glitter or luster dust.
- Chocolate drizzle: You can dip the shortbread cookies into chocolate or create a chocolate drizzle. Just melt chocolate or white chocolate chips to do so.
- Shapes: You can use cookie cutters to create shapes instead of cutting them into triangles. Use a mermaid tail, seashell, or fish-shaped cookie cutters to get fun shaped cookies.
- Colors: Of course, the colors are entirely up to you, as well. Create whichever shades you choose using the color gels.
Kitchen Tools Needed
To make these mermaid shortbread bites, it’s best to have the following kitchen tools.
- Mixing bowl
- Pastry blender
- Rolling pin
- Pizza or pastry cutter
- Baking sheet
- Cooling rack
Storage
To store the mermaid shortbread bites, place the cooled cookies in an airtight container and keep them in a cool, dry place for up to a week.
Recipe Notes and FAQ
Can I make these shortbread bites ahead of time?
Absolutely! These Mermaid Shortbread Bites can be made in advance. Once cooled completely, store them in an airtight container at room temperature. They should remain fresh for up to a week.
Can I freeze the dough or baked cookies?
Yes, you can freeze both the dough and the baked cookies. If freezing the dough, wrap it tightly in plastic wrap or place it in a freezer-safe bag. Thaw the dough in the refrigerator before making the cookies. For freezing baked cookies, make sure they have cooled completely, then store them in a freezer-safe container or bag. Thaw the cookies at room temperature before serving.
How can I get a more uniform look?
The irregular and organic appearance of these cookies pictured adds to their charm and reminds me of the natural beauty of the ocean. If you prefer a more uniform shape, flour your dough and try rolling the dough on a surface other than parchment paper.
Mermaid Shortbread Bites
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Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup flour
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup butter cold, cut into chunks
- 2 tbsp water
- Royal blue food coloring gel
- Violet food coloring gel
- Rose food coloring gel
- Teal food coloring gel
- Mermaid sprinkles
- Gold edible spray glitter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325°F (163°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, mix the flour and sugar. Add cold butter and use a pastry blender to cut it into the flour mixture until crumbly.1 ¼ cup flour, ¼ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup butter
- Add water to the mixture and stir until the dough comes together. Transfer the dough to a clean surface and knead a few times until smooth.2 tbsp water
- Divide the dough into thirds. Color one portion royal blue, one portion teal, and one portion violet and rose to create a purple color.Royal blue food coloring gel, Violet food coloring gel, Rose food coloring gel, Teal food coloring gel
- Place the differently colored dough portions next to each other and gently flatten with your hand, allowing them to stick together. Transfer the dough to the parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Use a rolling pin to roll the dough to a thickness of 1/4 inch (0.6 cm). Sprinkle mermaid sprinkles over the dough and gently press them in.Mermaid sprinkles
- Use a pizza cutter or pastry cutter to cut the dough into 1/2-inch (1.3 cm) squares. Then, cut each square into a triangle shape.
- Spread the cookies apart on the baking sheet by lifting and separating them.
- Bake for 12-14 minutes or until the bottoms just begin to brown. Remove from the oven and let them cool completely.
- Before serving, spray the cooled cookies with edible gold glitter for a magical touch.Gold edible spray glitter
Nutrition
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Please share this recipe with your merpeople. And, if you bake up your own tiny treats, please tag me on Instagram @jensoltys, so I can see your creations!
