Owl Cookies:

Lubna’s Kitchen

Ingredients

  • 1 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup + 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp almond extract
  • 3 cups all-purpose flour
  • Pinch salt
  • as needed chocolate chips
  • as needed almond slivers
  • Cocoa powder for dusting
  • Parchment paper
  • as needed Whole Almonds

Directions

  • In an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter and sugar together until just incorporated. Do not over-mix at this stage, or the cookies may spread while baking. Add the egg and vanilla and almond extracts. Mix again on low speed.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Mix on low speed until dough has formed and there are no longer any streaks of butter in the mixing bowl. If your mixture does not come together and is crumbly, add ice cold-water, 1 tbsp. at a time, until the dough clumps.
  • Tightly wrap the dough in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for an hour. After 1 hour, remove the dough at sheet of parchment paper and roll dough a round shape and cut out 3-inch round shapes from the dough and transfer to the prepared baking sheet; these will become your owl bodies. Be careful not to stretch the circles or they will be distorted after baking.
  • Place the chocolate chips and almonds in a small bowl within arm’s reach. Use the reserved dough to roll small, marble-sized balls and place two at the top of each owl body. Place a chocolate chip, pointed side down, into each dough ball and gently press. Place a whole almond just below each pair of owl eyes to make owl beaks.
  • Using the 3-inch cookie cutter, gently mark wings on each side of the cookie. Be careful not to cut all the way through—you only want to make a line on the cookie’s surface. Press slivered almonds onto the bottom edges of the cookies to form talons.
  • Dab the fork in coca powder and, score cross-hatching onto the wings to mimic feathers. Refrigerate the cookies for 30 minutes. This will help the cookies maintain a crisp shape while baking.
  • Preheat the oven to 350°F / 176°C.Then bake the cookies for 15 to 20 minutes. You’ll know the cookies are done when they become fragrant and the slivered-almond talons start to turn golden brown. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy !! Serve with smile 👹😁