Owl Cookies -- Nora Made These, and That Was Enough

January for real. The decorations came down Tuesday. Liam dragged the tree to the curb and left a needle trail through the living room I will be vacuuming for a month.

Clinic was cold-weather damage. Two slips on ice (one wrist sprain, one ankle), four URIs, one kid with chickenpox (yes, in 2026 — his parents had not vaccinated him, and now he had it, and now they will. The conversation was awkward). I did not lecture. I gave him calamine and the parents the schedule. They thanked me. I think they will follow through.

Group Tuesday. The room felt different in January. Heavier. Bernadette is good at January. She had us name what we were carrying into the new year that we did not want to. I said the weight of being the only one in the kids' lives who remembers their dad. Henry said his wife's birthday in February. Lila said the way her mother-in-law treats her — like the absence of her son is Lila's fault. Kathleen said the weight of starting over, period. The room held all of it.

Henry walked me to my car after. He did not say much. He said you are doing more than most people. I said you are too. We laughed. We drove home.

Wednesday Kettle. Second week at the parish. Ten quarts. I figured out the burners. The kitchen is loud and warm and smells right.

Liam is reading a book about World War II. Sean would have approved. Liam asked me Friday night what a chaplain was. I told him. He nodded. He went back to reading. He is small and serious and full.

Nora wants to bake. I said okay. She made cookies Saturday after pancakes. Sugar cookies. They were small and uneven and delicious. She iced them with five colors. Liam ate seven. The kitchen was a disaster. I left it.

Saturday pancakes. Burned the first. The new year holds the same pattern as the old one. I am not bored by this. I am steadied.

Sunday dinner at Ma's. Pot roast. Standard. The carrots were perfect.

Food of the week: Nora's sugar cookies. They were the food of the week because they were hers.

Nora didn’t need a reason to bake — she just needed me to say yes. The owl cookies were hers from start to finish: small, lopsided, iced in five colors, and absolutely the best thing I ate all week. If your kids are pulling at your sleeve on a Saturday morning, this is the recipe to hand them. The mess is worth it. I promise you, the mess is worth it.

Owl Cookies

Prep Time: 25 min | Cook Time: 10 min | Total Time: 35 min | Servings: 24 cookies

Ingredients

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 tsp almond extract
• 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted
• 3–4 tbsp milk
• Assorted food coloring gels
• Chocolate chips or candy eyes (for owl eyes)
• Candy-coated chocolates or sprinkles (for decoration)
• Small candy pieces or orange candy melts (for beaks)

Instructions

1. Make the dough. Whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl. In a large bowl, beat butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add egg, vanilla, and almond extract; beat until combined. Gradually mix in the flour mixture until a soft dough forms.
2. Chill. Divide dough into two discs, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or overnight.
3. Preheat and roll. Preheat oven to 375°F. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Cut into rounds or owl shapes using a cookie cutter or a round cutter for the body.
4. Bake. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart. Bake 8–10 minutes, until edges are just set and bottoms are lightly golden. Do not overbake. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. Make the icing. Stir together powdered sugar and milk, 1 tablespoon at a time, until a smooth, spreadable consistency forms. Divide into small bowls and tint with food coloring as desired.
6. Decorate as owls. Spread or pipe icing over cooled cookies. Press two chocolate chips or candy eyes onto each cookie for the owl’s face. Add a small candy piece or triangle of orange candy melt for the beak. Use sprinkles or candy-coated chocolates for feather details or wing accents. Let icing set completely before stacking or storing.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 210 | Protein: 2g | Fat: 8g | Carbs: 33g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 95mg