Ki’i Pohaku (Stone Image) Cookies
Petroglyphs appear across the Hawaiian Islands, with many concentrated on the Big Island. Ancient Hawaiians carved images into smooth pahoehoe lava flows, boulders, and cliffs. Some petroglyphs record stories or events; others depict people, animals, objects, or symbols.
These cookies are a playful way to recreate petroglyph designs. Adding chopped nuts or seeds gives the cookies a textured, stone-like appearance—and they taste great.
Mix the cookie ingredients until the dough is smooth.
Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop 1/4 cup portions of dough onto each sheet. Moisten your fingers with water and gently press each scoop to about 1/2″ thickness. Imperfect shapes are welcome—irregular edges help the cookies look more like natural rocks.
Bake at 300°F for 50 minutes, until the cookies are firm and browned on the bottom.
After baking, turn off the oven and flip the cookies so the bottoms face up. Return them to the cooling oven for several hours until the oven reaches room temperature; this helps dry them to a crisp, biscotti-like texture. Allow the cookies to cool completely before decorating.
There are many books and park resources that illustrate Hawaiian petroglyphs and can provide reference designs for your cookies. Study examples you like and practice drawing them on paper first to plan your designs.
Traditional petroglyph techniques include:
Pecking or Hammering – striking the surface with a hard pebble on pahoehoe lava;
Bruising or Gentle Scraping – softer scraping on glazed lava tube surfaces;
Abrading – a filing or scraping motion to remove surface material.
Some designs were simple scratches; others were made by pecking dots that were later connected—much like a connect-the-dots picture. To simplify decorating the cookies, use chocolate icing to “paint” the designs.
Use a small, food-safe paintbrush reserved for food to apply the icing. Dip just the tip of the brush into the icing to pick up a small amount. Hold the brush close to the cookie surface and let the icing drizzle off the tip as you draw the design. You can gently guide lines with the brush, but avoid pressing down hard or the design will smear.
When the icing has mostly dried, you may add a second coat to deepen the color. Let the decorated cookies air dry for several hours or overnight until the icing is fully hardened.
These cookies are lovely dunked in hot cocoa on a cool day or enjoyed with cold milk after exploring outdoors. They’re also easier to eat when broken into pieces first. Cheers!
- Cookies:
- 1/3 c. soft butter
- 1/2 c. sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1-1/2 tsp. vanilla
- 1-1/2 c. flour
- 1 tsp. baking powder
- 1/4 tsp. sea salt
- 1 c. toasted unsalted almonds, macadamia nuts, or sunflower seeds, finely chopped
- Icing:
- 1/4 c. powdered sugar
- 1 T. unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 T. warm water
- Preheat oven to 300°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar, then add eggs and vanilla. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt to form a thick dough. Mix in the chopped nuts or seeds.
- Scoop 1/4 cup portions onto the baking sheets, spacing a few per sheet. Moisten your fingers with water and press each portion to about 1/2″ thickness.
- Bake for 50 minutes until the cookies are firm and browned on the bottom. Turn off the oven, flip the cookies so the bottoms face up, and return them to the cooling oven for several hours until the oven cools. This yields crisp, biscotti-like cookies. Cool completely before decorating.
- Prepare the icing by mixing powdered sugar, cocoa, and warm water. Adjust thickness with more sugar or a little water so it reaches the consistency of thick paint.
- Using a small food-safe paintbrush, dip the tip into the icing and draw your petroglyph designs. Hold the brush close to the surface and let icing drizzle off the tip; paint gently without pressing hard. When nearly dry, add a second coat if you want a darker line. Let the cookies air dry several hours or overnight until the icing hardens.
- These cookies are easier to eat when broken into pieces first.
- Note: Omit the added salt if using salted nuts or seeds.