Cinnamon Owl Shortbread Cookies

These little cinnamon owl cookies are almost too sweet to eat! A buttery brown sugar shortbread with a hint of cinnamon, decorated using just cookie dough, chocolate chips and almonds. I love recipes like this where you don’t need any icing - just a few simple details turn a round cookie into the cutest little owl.

They’re perfect for autumn baking, Halloween or a cosy afternoon bake with the kids.

Ingredients

Cinnamon Shortbread

• 313 g (2 ½ cups) all-purpose/plain flour

• Pinch of salt

• 1 tsp ground cinnamon

• 227 g (1 cup) unsalted butter, softened

• 110 g (½ cup packed) light brown sugar

To Decorate

• Chocolate chips, for the eyes

• Whole skin-on almonds, cut in half, for the beaks

• Extra ground cinnamon, for decorating the wings

Method

1. Make the cinnamon shortbread

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, salt and cinnamon. Set aside.

In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the softened butter and brown sugar on medium-low speed for 2–3 minutes, until smooth and creamy.

Gradually add the flour mixture and mix on low speed until the dough is almost combined.

Turn the dough out onto a clean work surface and gently bring it together with your hands to form a smooth, compact dough. Avoid over-kneading.

Flatten into a disc, wrap in cling film/plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Roll and cut the cookies

Preheat the oven to 160°C / 325°F. Line 1–2 large baking trays with baking paper.

On a lightly floured work surface, roll the chilled dough to approximately 6 mm / ¼ inch thick.

Using a 5–6 cm / 2–2½ inch round cookie cutter, cut out approximately 24 cookies. Transfer them carefully to the prepared trays, leaving a little space between each one.

Re-roll the scraps as needed, keeping a small amount of dough aside for the owl eyes.

3. Create the owl wings

Using the same round cookie cutter, gently press a curved line into each side of the cookie, approximately one-third of the way in, to create the outline of the wings.

Do not press all the way through the dough.

Pour a little ground cinnamon into a small bowl. Dip a small U-shaped fondant/modelling tool into the cinnamon, then gently press repeated indentations inside each wing to create a simple feather pattern.

4. Add the eyes, beak and feet

Cut out 1cm rounds for the eyes and place side by side towards the top of the cookie to create the eyes.

Press a chocolate chip into the centre of each eye.

For the beak, gently press half a skin-on almond into the dough directly underneath and between the eyes, with the pointed end facing down.

Finally, use the tips of a fork to gently press small markings into the bottom of each cookie to create the owl’s feet.

5. Bake

Bake for 13–15 minutes, or until the cookies are set and the edges are just beginning to turn lightly golden.

Leave the cookies on the baking tray for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!