Aquarium Cookies
Aquarium Cookies are the perfect treat when you want a fun, eye-catching dessert that’s just as delicious as it is creative—especially if you’re planning a themed party, birthday, or special family baking day.
This cookie recipe starts with a soft, buttery sugar cookie base that’s lightly sweet and melts in your mouth, then get topped with smooth vanilla frosting and colorful candy “sea creatures” that bring the whole aquarium scene to life.
If you love desserts that are playful, customizable, and guaranteed to make people smile, this is the perfect treat!
How to Make Aquarium Cookies
- Start by baking round sugar cookies until the edges are lightly golden. A soft cookie pairs best with the icing and candy toppings.
- Let them cool completely.
- Tint white icing with blue food coloring. Use more or less blue food coloring to create light or deep “ocean” water. You can even swirl two shades of blue for depth.
- Then spread it over each cooled cookie to create an “underwater” look.
- Crush vanilla wafers to make sandy crumbs, then add them to the bottom portion of each cookie.
- Finish by placing goldfish crackers above the “sand” and topping with white pearl sprinkles or Nerds candies to look like bubbles.
- Once decorated, the cookies are ready to serve or display for a fun, ocean-themed treat.
- Learn how to keep cookies fresh so they stay soft, flavorful, and bakery-delicious long after they’ve cooled.
Don’t Forget To…
- Scroll down to print the full recipe with step-by-step instructions and exact measurements.
- Check out my Kitchen Essentials for the pans, mixing bowls, and baking tools I use to make this recipe a breeze.
- Save or share this recipe on Pinterest!
Yes! Bake the cookies 1–2 days in advance and store them undecorated in an airtight container. Decorate the day you plan to serve them for the best texture.
You can swap in fish-shaped gummies, shark gummies, or other ocean-themed candies for a fun twist.
Americolor Soft Gel Paste Food Color, Electric BlueNordic Ware Naturals 3 Piece Set – USA Made Aluminum Commercial Quality Sheet Pan for Baking or Roasting, Encapsulated Galvanized Steel Rim Prevents Warping; Half Sheet, Jelly Roll and Quarter Sheet
Reynolds Kitchens Pop-Up Parchment Paper Sheets, 10 x 13 Inches, 30 Count
Biscuit Cutters Set, Round Cookie Cutters, Stainless Steel Dumpling Cutters,Cake Pastry Cutters,Scone Cutters Molds for Cooking Baking (3Pcs, Plain Edge)
You’ll definitely want to check out these fun, ocean-inspired treats that are perfect for parties, themed celebrations, or a little extra baking fun at home.
- Mermaid Cupcakes and Mermaid Cookies add a magical, under-the-sea touch with colorful frosting, shimmering details, and sweet flavors everyone loves.
- Beach Ball Cookies are bright, playful, and perfect for summer parties, pool days, or any beach-themed celebration.
- Beach Themed Desserts bring all the coastal vibes with fun colors, creative decorations, and sweet treats that feel like a day at the shore.
- Shark Themed Snacks are a hit with kids and make an exciting addition to ocean or beach parties with bold designs and fun flavors.
How to Make Aquarium Cookies
Ingredients
- Sugar Cookie Dough
- 1 tub of White Icing
- Blue Food Coloring
- Gold Fish Crackers
- Nerds
- Vanilla Wafers
- White Sprinkles I chose the small pearl kind.
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Sprinkle flour on your work surface.
- Roll out each portion of dough to about ¼ inch thickness on a floured surface using your rolling pin.
- Use a circle cookie cutters to cut out circlesfrom the dough.
- Place the cookie dough onto the parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 8-10 minutes or until lightly golden around the edges.
- Add 5 drops (more if you desire) of blue food coloring to your tub of icing, and mix well.
- Once your sugar cookies are baked and cooled, cover the tops with prepared blue icing.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely before decorating to prevent the icing from melting.
- Next place roughly 10 vanilla wafers in a food processor, and grind them up until fine.
- Add crumbs to the bottom 1/4 of each cookie.
- Next add two gold fish crackers to each cookie, just above your wafer crumbs.
- Finally, add 3 to 4 sprinkles just above your gold fish, for "bubbles".
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