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Original post published June 18th, 2017. Post last updated on May 13th, 2024.
Decorated with gummy candies, licorice, and piped buttercream, these whimsical homemade sushi cookies look just like sushi rolls and nigiri. A fun dessert that looks like sushi, perfect for anyone looking for dessert sushi ideas, or any fan of Japanese food.
What Inspired These Sushi Cookies?
The first time I tried sushi was way back in 2004. I was living in New York City for the summer, on break from my costume design graduate program in Pittsburgh. I’d sublet a small studio apartment on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. The apartment didn’t have much to offer in the way of kitchen space (it didn’t even have a full-size refrigerator, just a mini fridge!), so I ended up eating a lot of takeout that summer.
One evening on the walk home from my internship in midtown, I stopped at the grocery store to pick up a few things. For some reason I decided to pick up some sushi, too. (Vegetarian brown rice rolls, if I remember correctly!) And while in retrospect supermarket sushi probably wasn’t the best way to start, it certainly did the job: I was hooked.
These days I eat sushi about once a week, and it will always be my choice when it’s my turn to choose the restaurant. So why not turn my sushi obsession into a creative cookie recipe?
Tools and Equipment for Making Sushi Cookies
To make this sushi cookie recipe, I suggest gathering the following tools:
Round metal cutters – I used a 1 3/4-inch round metal cutter to cut the round “sushi roll” cookies. If desired, you can cut slightly smaller or larger circles.
Sharp chef’s knife – For cutting the rectangular “nigiri” cookies, and for slicing the gummy candies into decorative shapes. (I cut the rectangles for the “nigiri” freehand, but you can use a rectangular cutter if you happen to own one!)
Silicone rolling mat and rolling pin – For rolling the cookie dough. If you don’t have a rolling mat you can roll directly on a floured countertop, but I love my rolling mat for quick, easy cleanup.
Small stepped palette knife – For spreading the base buttercream layer on top of the cookies. If you don’t have a small stepped palette knife, a butter knife will also work.
Disposable piping bag and small round piping tip – For piping dots of buttercream “rice.” I used a fine (about 1/8-inch) round tip, but anything up to a 1/4-inch tip will work. And don’t be afraid to take breaks if your hands begin to cramp!
Kitchen shears – For cutting the gummy candy, and snipping the licorice whips. Because no two cookies are exactly the same, I suggest holding off on cutting until after you’ve applied the licorice to the top of the cookie.
Tips for Decorating Sushi Cookies
I won’t lie, these are slightly labor intensive. All told, this recipe took me about 5 hours from start to finish (including chilling time, baking, and decorating). The decorating portion requires 1 1/2 – 2 1/2 hours, depending on how quickly you work and how intricately you want to pipe and decorate your cookies.
Decorate one cookie at a time. The first layer of buttercream will set fairly quickly, so if you wait too long to add the licorice and gummy candy, the pieces won’t stick.
I added sesame seeds to make the California rolls look more realistic. You’ll want to skip these if you’re baking for someone with a sesame allergy.
Choosing Your Candy
The types of sweets and candies available will probably differ depending on where you live—I suggest taking a stroll through the junk food aisle, and picking up anything that looks fun! Some options include fizzy straws, rainbow pencils, black licorice wheels (Flying Tiger sells these) or licorice whips, fruit pastilles, fruit wedges, power belts, and fruit slices. I also used pink strawberry Nerds candy to make “caviar” sushi rolls.
Use different types of candy to mimic different types of fish. made sushi cookies resembling tuna rolls, tuna avocado rolls, oshinko rolls (my personal fave!), avocado rolls, California rolls, salmon rolls, caviar rolls, and two kinds of nigiri, but when it comes to decorating, the sky’s the limit!
Make-Ahead and Storage Suggestions
You can prepare the cookie dough up to 24 hours in advance, then flatten it into a disc, wrap in clingfilm/plastic wrap, and refrigerate until ready to use. Alternately, you can cut the cookies into circles and rectangles and chill the cut shapes.
Baked, undecorated cookies can also be frozen, then thawed and decorated when ready to serve. I do not recommend freezing decorated cookies.
Because this recipe requires a bit of a time commitment, you can also bake the cookies and store in an airtight container overnight, and then decorate them the next day. Wait until you’re ready to decorate to prepare the buttercream frosting.
Packaging and Gifting Sushi Cookies
Present your finished sushi cookies on a large platter, accompanied by chopsticks and “soy sauce” (mine is just water with a few drops of brown gel food coloring) For gifting, try packaging your sushi cookies in plastic takeout trays or bento boxes, with a pair of chopsticks on top!
More “foods that look like other foods” recipes you might enjoy:
Corn Dog Cake Pops
White Chocolate Buttercream Deviled Eggs
Caramel Apple Lollipops
And if you do make these, or any of my recipes, don’t forget to tag me @bastecutfold or use the hashtag #bastecutfold on Instagram. I always love to see what you’re making!
Sushi Cookies
- Total Time: About 5 hours
- Yield: Approximately 35 2-inch cookies 1x
Description
Whimsical sushi cookies decorated with buttercream, licorice, and gummy candies.
Ingredients
Cookies:
215 grams all purpose flour (1 2/3 cups)
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
100 grams unsalted butter, softened (7 tablespoons)
105 grams granulated sugar (1/2 cup)
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Buttercream:
60 grams unsalted butter, softened (4 tablespoons)
400 grams confectioner’s sugar (3 cups), plus more to adjust consistency
30 milliliters whole milk (2 tablespoons), plus more to adjust consistency
1/2 teaspoon vanilla bean paste
1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
To decorate:
Black licorice whips/licorice wheels
Assorted gummy candies (fruit pastilles, fruit slices, strawberry belts, rainbow pencils)
Nerds
Sesame seeds
Instructions
In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and sea salt.
In a separate bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, mix butter on high speed until soft and fluffy.
Mix in the granulated sugar, followed by the egg and vanilla bean paste.
Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. Use your hands to finish bringing the dough together.
Flatten dough into a disc. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator until firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.
Line a large baking tray, or several smaller trays, with parchment or silicone mats. (I opted for small trays, because they fit nicely in my fridge.)
On a floured countertop or a silicone rolling mat, use a floured rolling pin to roll the chilled dough to 1/4-inch thickness.
With a 1 3/4-inch round cutter, cut the dough into circles. Transfer to prepared tray.
Re-roll the scraps. Use a sharp chef’s knife to cut rectangles, approximately 1 x 2 inches.
Transfer tray to the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350° F / 176° C.
Bake chilled cookies for 11-12 minutes, or until cookies are very lightly golden brown around the edges.
Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool. Meanwhile, prepare the buttercream.
Buttercream:
In a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer, whip butter until light and fluffy. Gradually add the confectioner’s sugar, alternating with the milk and mixing well after each addition.
Add the vanilla bean paste and sea salt and mix on hight speed for 3-5 minutes. If necessary, add more confectioner’s sugar or milk to adjust the consistency. The buttercream should be thick and creamy—soft enough to pipe, but firm enough to hold its shape.
Transfer half of the buttercream to a piping bag fitted with a 1/8 – 1/4-inch round tip.
Assembly:
Round “sushi roll” cookies:
With a small stepped palette knife, apply a layer of buttercream to the top of the cookie.
Wrap a licorice whip around outside the edge.
Add gummy candies as desired. You can make cookies resembling tuna rolls, California rolls, salmon rolls, avocado rolls, oshinko rolls, and more.
Pipe dots of buttercream “rice,” covering the entire surface of the cookie.
Sprinkle with sesame seeds, if desired.
Rectangular “nigiri” cookies:
With a small stepped palette knife, apply a layer of buttercream to the top of the cookie.
In a strawberry belt or gummy pencil, trimming the candy to fit the length of the cookie.
Pipe dots of “rice” along the sides of the candy.
Add a piece of black licorice in the middle, trimming the edges to fit the width of the cookie.
Allow cookies to sit at room temperature until the buttercream sets. Store cookies in a single layer in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
- Prep Time: 2 1/2 hours
- Chilling Time: 2 1/2 hours, divided
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Biscuits and Cookies
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Dessert