I have made the owl cookies several times, especially when I had children visiting or wanted to have something fun and simple on the table. They are not complicated, but they do require a bit of care at the end when you make the eyes and beaks. For me, the most practical part is that the dough can be prepared in advance and kept in the fridge. Additionally, the ingredients are readily available, without any special techniques.
Quick Info
Total Time: about 1 hour and 30 minutes (includes one hour in the fridge)
Preparation Time: 15-20 minutes (plus shaping, depending on speed)
Baking Time: 15 minutes
Servings: varies, but around 30 cookies (depending on the size of the cutouts)
Difficulty: easy to medium
Recipe Type: homemade cookies, suitable for children or festive platters
Ingredients
2 eggs
250 g butter at room temperature
300 g granulated sugar
400 g flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons cocoa powder (optional, for the chocolate version)
a lemon (zest and juice)
flavors to taste: vanilla, rum, or orange essence
2 tablespoons coconut oil (or another flavor, to taste)
whole almonds (with or without skin)
chocolate chips (or another small candy for eyes)
Instructions
1. Sift the flour together with the baking powder. If you want chocolate cookies, add the 3 tablespoons of cocoa now.
2. In a large bowl, beat the soft butter with the sugar until creamy. There’s no need to overmix, but it should be well blended.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time. Mix after each addition.
4. Add the lemon zest and juice, plus your preferred flavors. I also added two tablespoons of coconut oil for a slightly different taste, but it’s not essential if you don’t have it.
5. Pour the dry ingredients over the creamy mixture and gently fold in with a spatula or spoon. Don’t overmix, just until combined. The dough will be quite crumbly at first.
6. Turn the dough onto a work surface and knead a few times by hand, just enough to gather it into a compact ball. Wrap it in plastic wrap.
7. Place the dough in the fridge for at least an hour. It can be left longer, it won’t spoil.
8. Roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1 cm. Do not add flour to the surface to avoid changing the texture of the cookies.
9. Cut out the cookies with a glass or round cutter. The scraps can be gathered and rolled out again.
10. For the eyes, roll two small balls of dough for each cookie. Place them on top, press lightly in the center, and put a chocolate chip in the middle of each ball.
11. The beak is made from an almond. For "white" cookies, use almonds with skin, and for "black" ones, use blanched almonds.
12. Score the edges of the cookies with a fork and the edge of a teaspoon for details. It doesn’t have to be perfect; the important thing is that they resemble owls.
13. Place the cookies on a tray lined with baking paper.
14. Bake at medium heat for about 15 minutes. They should not brown too much.
15. Let them cool on the tray for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack or plate.
Why I make this recipe often
I like that I can make the dough in advance and that the cookies keep well for a few days without losing their texture. The kids always love them, and shaping the owls is fun for adults too, not just for the little ones. They are not too sweet, and you can adjust the taste based on the flavors you use.
Tips and Variations
Tips
Do not add extra flour when rolling out, as this will make the cookies dense.
If the dough is too soft after taking it out of the fridge, leave it for another 10-15 minutes in the cold.
For details on the eyes and beak, use the recommended ingredients – the eyes turn out best with small candies or chocolate chips, and the almonds give the desired look.
Do not bake too long, or they will dry out.
Substitutions
You can use another type of flavored oil instead of coconut oil or skip it if you don’t have it.
If you can’t find chocolate chips, any small chocolate candy or edible decorative pearl will work.
For the cocoa-free version, omit the 3 tablespoons of cocoa from the dough.
Almonds can be replaced with other whole nuts, but the shape and appearance will differ.
Variations
The plain dough is suitable for light-colored owls, and if you add cocoa, you get "chocolate" owls.
You can combine half of the dough with cocoa and half without to get bicolor owls.
Change the main flavor to your taste – orange, rum, or even almond.
Serving Ideas
You can place them on platters for children’s parties or festive tables.
They go well with a glass of cold milk or tea.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I do if the dough crumbles too much?
If it’s too crumbly, knead it a little with your hands on the work surface. Don’t add liquid; it will come together after you compact it and let it chill in the fridge.
Can the cookies be frozen?
The dough can be frozen before rolling out. After thawing, let it soften slightly at room temperature. I do not recommend freezing the baked cookies, as the texture will not be the same.
Can I use margarine instead of butter?
Theoretically yes, but the taste and texture will be different. Butter gives a better flavor.
What can I replace the lemon with?
If you don’t want a lemon flavor, you can just use vanilla or rum.
How long do the cookies last after baking?
They keep well for 3-4 days in a sealed container at room temperature.
Nutritional Values
Approximately, for a medium cookie:
Calories: 110-130 kcal
Fats: 6-7 g
Carbohydrates: 14-15 g
Proteins: 1.5-2 g
Values depend on the size of the cookie and how much dough you use for the eyes/beak. They are only indicative.
Storage and Reheating
The cookies keep well in a sealed container at room temperature for 3-4 days. There’s no need to reheat them. If you want to keep them longer, you can put the container in the fridge, but they will become a bit harder. I do not recommend freezing baked cookies.
Quick Info
Total Time: about 1 hour and 30 minutes (includes one hour in the fridge)
Preparation Time: 15-20 minutes (plus shaping, depending on speed)
Baking Time: 15 minutes
Servings: varies, but around 30 cookies (depending on the size of the cutouts)
Difficulty: easy to medium
Recipe Type: homemade cookies, suitable for children or festive platters
Ingredients
2 eggs
250 g butter at room temperature
300 g granulated sugar
400 g flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 tablespoons cocoa powder (optional, for the chocolate version)
a lemon (zest and juice)
flavors to taste: vanilla, rum, or orange essence
2 tablespoons coconut oil (or another flavor, to taste)
whole almonds (with or without skin)
chocolate chips (or another small candy for eyes)
Instructions
1. Sift the flour together with the baking powder. If you want chocolate cookies, add the 3 tablespoons of cocoa now.
2. In a large bowl, beat the soft butter with the sugar until creamy. There’s no need to overmix, but it should be well blended.
3. Add the eggs, one at a time. Mix after each addition.
4. Add the lemon zest and juice, plus your preferred flavors. I also added two tablespoons of coconut oil for a slightly different taste, but it’s not essential if you don’t have it.
5. Pour the dry ingredients over the creamy mixture and gently fold in with a spatula or spoon. Don’t overmix, just until combined. The dough will be quite crumbly at first.
6. Turn the dough onto a work surface and knead a few times by hand, just enough to gather it into a compact ball. Wrap it in plastic wrap.
7. Place the dough in the fridge for at least an hour. It can be left longer, it won’t spoil.
8. Roll out the dough to a thickness of about 1 cm. Do not add flour to the surface to avoid changing the texture of the cookies.
9. Cut out the cookies with a glass or round cutter. The scraps can be gathered and rolled out again.
10. For the eyes, roll two small balls of dough for each cookie. Place them on top, press lightly in the center, and put a chocolate chip in the middle of each ball.
11. The beak is made from an almond. For "white" cookies, use almonds with skin, and for "black" ones, use blanched almonds.
12. Score the edges of the cookies with a fork and the edge of a teaspoon for details. It doesn’t have to be perfect; the important thing is that they resemble owls.
13. Place the cookies on a tray lined with baking paper.
14. Bake at medium heat for about 15 minutes. They should not brown too much.
15. Let them cool on the tray for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack or plate.
Why I make this recipe often
I like that I can make the dough in advance and that the cookies keep well for a few days without losing their texture. The kids always love them, and shaping the owls is fun for adults too, not just for the little ones. They are not too sweet, and you can adjust the taste based on the flavors you use.
Tips and Variations
Tips
Do not add extra flour when rolling out, as this will make the cookies dense.
If the dough is too soft after taking it out of the fridge, leave it for another 10-15 minutes in the cold.
For details on the eyes and beak, use the recommended ingredients – the eyes turn out best with small candies or chocolate chips, and the almonds give the desired look.
Do not bake too long, or they will dry out.
Substitutions
You can use another type of flavored oil instead of coconut oil or skip it if you don’t have it.
If you can’t find chocolate chips, any small chocolate candy or edible decorative pearl will work.
For the cocoa-free version, omit the 3 tablespoons of cocoa from the dough.
Almonds can be replaced with other whole nuts, but the shape and appearance will differ.
Variations
The plain dough is suitable for light-colored owls, and if you add cocoa, you get "chocolate" owls.
You can combine half of the dough with cocoa and half without to get bicolor owls.
Change the main flavor to your taste – orange, rum, or even almond.
Serving Ideas
You can place them on platters for children’s parties or festive tables.
They go well with a glass of cold milk or tea.
Frequently Asked Questions
What do I do if the dough crumbles too much?
If it’s too crumbly, knead it a little with your hands on the work surface. Don’t add liquid; it will come together after you compact it and let it chill in the fridge.
Can the cookies be frozen?
The dough can be frozen before rolling out. After thawing, let it soften slightly at room temperature. I do not recommend freezing the baked cookies, as the texture will not be the same.
Can I use margarine instead of butter?
Theoretically yes, but the taste and texture will be different. Butter gives a better flavor.
What can I replace the lemon with?
If you don’t want a lemon flavor, you can just use vanilla or rum.
How long do the cookies last after baking?
They keep well for 3-4 days in a sealed container at room temperature.
Nutritional Values
Approximately, for a medium cookie:
Calories: 110-130 kcal
Fats: 6-7 g
Carbohydrates: 14-15 g
Proteins: 1.5-2 g
Values depend on the size of the cookie and how much dough you use for the eyes/beak. They are only indicative.
Storage and Reheating
The cookies keep well in a sealed container at room temperature for 3-4 days. There’s no need to reheat them. If you want to keep them longer, you can put the container in the fridge, but they will become a bit harder. I do not recommend freezing baked cookies.