Hamburger Cookies

These no-bake cookies look like tiny hamburgers and kids absolutely lose their minds over them. Two vanilla wafers act as the bun, a chocolate mint cookie stands in as the patty, green-tinted coconut becomes the lettuce, vanilla frosting is the condiment, and sesame seeds on top seal the illusion.

The assembly is simple enough for kids to do themselves, which makes these a perfect party activity. Set out bowls of each ingredient and let them build their own. Fifteen minutes of work gets you six mini burgers, and the recipe scales up easily for bigger groups.

Brushing the top “bun” with warm honey before sprinkling on sesame seeds is the finishing touch that sells the whole thing. The honey acts as glue so the seeds actually stick instead of rolling off onto the plate.

Kitchen Tips

• Tint the coconut in a sealed plastic bag with one or two drops of green food coloring. Shake until the color is even. Start with less coloring than you think, because it’s easy to go too dark.
• Warm the honey slightly so it brushes on thin and even. Cold honey is too thick and drags the frosting off the wafer.
• Use frosting as the glue between every layer. Without it, the cookie slides off the coconut and the whole burger falls apart.
• Let assembled burgers sit for 10 to 15 minutes so the frosting firms up slightly and everything holds together.

Variations

• Add a small dot of red frosting or a dab of strawberry jam for a “ketchup” layer.
• Use yellow-tinted frosting squeezed from a corner-cut bag for a “mustard” drizzle.
• Swap the chocolate mint cookie for a thin chocolate-covered graham cracker for a different “patty” texture.