Icebox Slice & Bake Cookies (5 Flavors) Recipe
These Icebox Slice & Bake Cookies come in five delightful flavors and offer a simple recipe for buttery, tender cookies. The dough is prepared, chilled in logs, then sliced and baked, making it easy to store and slice on demand. Perfect for those who love customizable cookies with options for added mix-ins and toppings like sparkling sugar or melted chocolate.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 13-15 minutes
- Total Time: 4 hours 30 minutes (including chilling time)
- Yield: 24 cookies (2 logs x 12 slices each) 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Scale
Base Dough
- 3/4 cup (12 Tbsp; 170g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups + 2 Tablespoons (267g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Add-ins & Toppings
- Coarse sugar for rolling (such as sparkling sugar)
- Optional flavor add-ins and toppings (see Notes for full flavor measurements)
- Melted chocolate for dipping or drizzling (optional)
Instructions
- Cream Butter and Sugars: In a large bowl using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until creamy and combined, about 3 minutes.
- Add Egg and Vanilla: Beat in the egg and vanilla extract on high speed. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed, mixing until fully incorporated.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Add the flour and salt, then beat on low speed just until combined into the dough.
- Mix in Flavor Add-ins: Gently fold in your chosen mix-ins on low speed until evenly distributed. Avoid overmixing to maintain dough texture. If the dough is too sticky for rolling, add 1–2 tablespoons more flour.
- Shape and Chill Dough: Turn the dough out onto a floured surface, divide in half, and roll each half into an 8-inch log roughly 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and chill for at least 4 hours, up to 5 days.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Optional Sugar Coating: Pour coarse sugar onto a plate. After chilling, roll each dough log in sugar, pressing lightly so the sugar adheres well.
- Slice and Arrange Cookies: Slice each log into 12 evenly thick cookies and place them about 2 inches apart on prepared baking sheets.
- Bake Cookies: Bake for 13–15 minutes, or until cookies are very lightly browned around the edges. They will not brown significantly. Remove from oven and cool on the sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Optional Decoration: Dip or drizzle cooled cookies with melted chocolate and add additional toppings as desired.
- Storage: Store cooled cookies covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Add-ins vary by flavor; typical options include chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruits, or spices. Exact measurements depend on the desired flavor and quantity, generally 1/2 to 1 cup of mix-ins per batch.
- Coarse sugar coating is easier to apply after chilling the dough logs because the dough is less sticky.
- Do not overmix the dough once flour and add-ins are incorporated to prevent tough cookies.
- Ensure dough is sufficiently chilled to slice easily; warmer dough will be sticky and difficult to cut.
- Cookies will have a lightly golden edge but remain pale overall.
- For a chocolate decoration, use good-quality chocolate and allow cookies to fully cool before dipping or drizzling.
Keywords: slice and bake cookies, icebox cookies, easy cookies, butter cookies, customizable cookies, holiday cookies
