EASY Jello Cookies (and playdough!) - I Heart Naptime (2024)

A yummy jello cookie recipe that is oh so fun and perfect for Summer. The kids will love these easy jello cookies!

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Rainbow Cookies

The kids and I love to bake all types of desserts together. Cookies are our favorite because they’re simple, quick and taste delicious. These jello cookies are perfect for baking with kids because they’re easy, colorful and double as playdough! Talk about a win-win :)

The nice thing about this recipe is that it doubles as both cookie dough and playdough! Although my famous homemade playdough recipe is still our go-to, the texture of this dough is still super soft and squishy. Wash the kid’s hands (and counter of course) and then let the kids imaginations go wild! My kids have so much fun smashing the dough and building BIG towers with all the colors.

Then once they’re done playing, simply roll it into balls, dip them in jello sugar and bake! They taste soft like a sugar cookie, but with a more tart and sweet flavor like my raspberry cookie recipe.

These cookies are also a fun recipe to make during the holidays with the kids. We love to make red and blue versions for 4th of July or red and green jello cookies for Christmas. They are also great for Cinco de Mayo. Simple, festive and delicious!

Favorite Jello Mix Flavors

Below are some of the jello mix flavors that you can use to make these cookies. Feel free to switch it up depending on the time of year or the holiday!

• Red: Strawberry, cherry, watermelon, raspberry, tropical fusion or cranberry
• Orange: Orange, apricot, mango or peach
• Blue: Berry blue
• Green: Lime
• Others: Grape (purple) and lemon or island pineapple (yellow)

How to Make Jello Cookies

Scroll down for the printable recipe.

1. Preheat oven and cream butter and sugar together.Preheat oven to 350°F degrees. In a large bowl, cream together butter and sugar with a mixer until light and fluffy. Then blend in egg and vanilla.
2. Mix dry ingredients with wet mixture. Whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and cream of tarter in a separate bowl. Gradually add flour mixture to the wet ingredients.
3. Divide into sections. Divide the dough into four sections. Sprinkle two tablespoons of jello mix into each section and then knead until combined. Add food coloring for a more vibrant color.
4. Roll into balls. Roll dough into 1-inch balls and place on baking sheet about two inches apart. Flatten the dough with the bottom of a cup to allow the cookies to cook evenly.
5. Bake and let cool. Bake for 8-10 minutes. Remove cookies from the pan and allow to cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!

TIP: For a sweeter cookie, roll your cookie dough balls into the extra jello mix powder or sugar prior to baking.

Baking Tips

Don’t these jello cookies just scream SUMMER?! I love all the bright colors! It was fun to taste all the different flavors too. The kids loved them!

• To enhance the colors, use a couple drops of food coloring in each section.
• You can use sugar-free jello mix if preferred.
• For a sweeter cookie, roll the cookie dough balls into the extra jello powder or sugar prior to baking.
• Use the bottom of a cup or bowl to flatten the cookie dough balls so that they bake evenly.
• You could use a cookie press if preferred. Or even roll the dough out and use cookie cutters.
• Freeze the dough and bake them later! Simply roll the dough into balls and place in a zip top bag in the freezer. Before baking, let them thaw out on a baking sheet.

More Easy Cookie Recipes

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