Chocolate and almond owl eye cookies

Disclosure: This post and recipe was created for #HalloweenTreatsWeek. I was sent samples by the sponsor company, but as always opinions are my own.

Sugar cookies, chocolate cookies, almond extract, chocolate chips, and almonds all come together to make these adorable owl eye cookies that are perfect for a Halloween time treat!

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My husband and I are both nature nerds and our backgrounds are in the fields of environmental science and ecology. We love animals, wildlife, nature, and being outdoors. Owls and "spooky" owl calls are often associated with Halloween.

I also love Halloween and fall time, and these chocolate and almond owl eye cookies really cover all of those things. I am so happy with how they turned out and excited to share them as part of #HalloweenTreatsWeek!

These owl eye cookies may look intimidating, but they aren't too difficult to make. They do take some time and a little bit of precision to make sure you roll out the dough to fit, but otherwise they are pretty easy and fun to make. 

Owl eye cookies make for a different Halloween dessert or party treat. They are terrific for kids, too. My four year olds had a blast with helping to make them, and, of course, with eating them! They were able to put on the chocolate chips and the almonds.

The cookies are flavored with a bit of almond extract which pairs nicely with the chocolate and then I use an almond to make the owl's beak to compliment the flavor even more. The cookies are simple sugar cookies which I made with Dixie Crystals. 

The photo below shows some of the steps in rolling the dough and preparing the cookies for baking. I did use a measuring tape to ensure that the dough would be the correct size and shape to make the eyes. 

Once the cookie dough is chilled and sliced, they are simple to shape and decorate. They are such a fun autumn treat and project.

Yield: about 30 cookies

Author: Amy (Savory Moments)

Print

Chocolate and Almond Owl Eye Cookies

Sugar cookies, chocolate cookies, chocolate chips, and almonds all come together to make these adorable owl eye cookies that are perfect for a Halloween time treat!

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup (1-1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 teaspoon almond extract
• 2 cups all purpose flour
  
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips
• 1 cup whole raw almonds

Instructions

1. Place butter, sugar, and brown sugar in a large bowl (or in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment). Beat with a mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, vanilla, and almond extract until combined.
2. Slowly beat in the flour, baking powder, and salt.
3. Divide the dough into thirds, leaving 1/3 in the bowl. Stir in the cocoa powder until combined. Then divide the chocolate dough in half. Roll each half into a 10-inch log and set aside.
4. On a lightly floured surface, roll out the two remaining white dough pieces into a 10"x4" inch rectangle. Place one chocolate log at the edge of each white dough and roll the white dough completely around the chocolate. Gently press the seam together and leave the ends uncovered.
5. Wrap each dough log in plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least two hours or until firm.
6. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment or a silicone mat.
7. Cut the logs into 1/4" slices. Take two slices and place them next to one another so they are touching on the baking sheet. Gently push them together. Use your fingers to pinch up the dough on the top of each cookie to form the tufts. Place a chocolate chip in the center of each chocolate circle. Press an almond into the center to create a beak.
8. Repeat until all dough has been used. Bake 9-12 minutes Cool on the cookie sheet for 5 minutes and then carefully remove to a wire rack to cool.
9. Let the cookies cool completely. Store in an airtight container.

Notes:

You can use any chocolate chips you want for the eyes. I used a mix of white and semi-sweet, but you can use all one kind or other flavors as well.

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I hope you give these owl eye cookies a try! Let me know in the comments below.

Recipe adapted from Land O' Lakes. 

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This post was originally posted in 2020 and was updated in 2024 to correct an omission in the recipe.

  Take a look more spooky Halloween recipes from our #HalloweenTreatsWeek Bloggers today:   

Halloween Cookies & Bars:

• Peanut Butter Spider Cookies from BigBearsWife
• Chocolate Almond Owl Eye Cookies from Savory Moments
• Halloween Sugar Cookies from House of Nash Eats
• Mini Mallowmar Candy Corn Cookies from Sweet ReciPEAS
• Chocolate Chip Spider Cookies from Fresh Coast Eats
• Black Cat Whoopie Pies from Strawberry Blondie Kitchen

Halloween Cakes & Cupcakes:

• Pumpkin Spice Layer Cake from The Flour Handprint
• Flying Purple People Eater Cake Balls from The Spiffy Cookie

Halloween Brownies:

• Cream Cheese Brownies with Pumpkin from Back To My Southern Roots

Halloween Bread:

• Pan de Muerto (Day of the dead bread) from Lemon Blossoms

Halloween Drinks:

• Eye of Newt Halloween Milkshake from It's Shanaka

Sweet Halloween Treats:

• Halloween Marshmallow Pops from Devour Dinner
• Monster Mouths from Hezzi-D's Books and Cooks
• Spooky Peanut Butter Balls from Tastes of Homemade
• Spider Web Ice Cream Pie from An Affair from the Heart
• Halloween Fudge from Sweet Beginnings
• The Best Halloween Muddy Buddies Mix from Family Around the Table
• Halloween Treat Popcorn Balls from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Halloween Charcuterie Board from I am a Honey Bee

Savory Halloween Recipes: 

• Air Fried Bat Wings from A Kitchen Hoor's Adventures

Happy Halloween!

Spooky Season is here and it is time for 2020's #HalloweenTreatsWeek event! #HalloweenTreatsWeek is a yearly Halloween blogging event that is hosted by Angie from Big Bear’s Wife  & its a creepy and haunting week-long event is filled with some amazingly wicked Halloween treats, recipes and some frightfully fun giveaways.

“When witches go riding, and black cats are seen, the moon laughs and whispers ‘tis near Halloween.”