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Owl Cookies Recipe

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4.3 from 11 reviews

Owl Cookies are delightful, buttery shortbread treats that are easy to make using a simple round cookie cutter. These tender, melt-in-your-mouth cookies are decorated to resemble cute owls with dark chocolate chip eyes and almond beaks, making them perfect for a fun dessert or snack.

Ingredients

Cookie Dough

  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ¼ cup + 1 tablespoon sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg yolk
  • 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour

Decorations

  • 22 dark chocolate chips (for the eyes)
  • 6 whole raw almonds, cut in half (for the beaks)

Instructions

  1. Cream Butter and Sugar: In a medium bowl, combine ½ cup unsalted butter, ¼ cup plus 1 tablespoon sugar, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, and ¼ teaspoon salt. Beat with an electric mixer for 2 to 3 minutes until the mixture is light and fluffy, scraping down the sides once or twice.
  2. Add Egg Yolk: Add 1 egg yolk to the creamed mixture and beat for another 30 seconds until fully combined.
  3. Finish Dough: Add 1¼ cups all-purpose flour and gently beat until just combined. Turn the dough onto a work surface and knead it twice briefly, then form into a smooth ball and flatten into a disc.
  4. Roll and Chill: Roll the dough between two sheets of parchment paper to about ¼-inch thickness. Place the dough, still between the parchment sheets, on a baking sheet and chill in the refrigerator for 1 to 2 hours.
  5. Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
  6. Cut Circles: Using a 3-inch-diameter round cookie cutter, cut out 11 cookies from the chilled dough. Reroll scraps as needed. Transfer the cookies to the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
  7. Create Wings: Press the cookie cutter gently into each cookie’s sides about one-third of the way in to create an outline of the wings without cutting all the way through.
  8. Make Feather Pattern: Using the wide end of a small piping tip, hold it at a 45-degree angle and gently press a series of small indentations along each wing to mimic feathers.
  9. Shape Feet: Use the tips of a fork to gently press small markings into the bottom of each cookie to form the owl’s feet.
  10. Make Eyes: Roll leftover dough scraps into two small pea-sized balls per cookie. Flatten them slightly and place near the top of each cookie as eyes.
  11. Finish Eyes: Press a dark chocolate chip into the lower center of each dough eye ball to complete the eyes.
  12. Add Beak: Press half an almond into the dough just below and between the eyes with the pointed end facing down to form the beak.
  13. Bake Cookies: Bake for 18 to 22 minutes until the edges are golden brown.
  14. Cool: Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and let the cookies cool completely before serving.

Notes

  • Use room temperature butter for proper creaming and best texture.
  • If doubling the recipe, use two egg yolks instead of whole eggs to maintain dough consistency.
  • Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week.
  • You can freeze the shaped cookies for up to two months before baking, or freeze baked cookies for the same period.

Find it online: https://bitezly.com/owl-cookies-recipe/