Christmas is coming and that means it's time to start baking! These Christmas Ice Box Cookies are easy to make and so festive with their sprinkles and powdered sugar glaze.
This classic slice and bake cookie recipe is decorated with red, green and white sprinkles, but there are endless variations; so don't be afraid to experiment.
Home-baked cookies always make a great gift and they're sure to sweeten up your holiday season!
Check out all the other Christmas Cookies to bake for your family this holiday season.
This recipe for slice and bake cookies or Christmas Icebox Cookies is a simple cookie, but it's perfect for when you want something sweet to snack on.
A few variations of this basic cookie dough are my Refrigerator Cookies, Shortbread Christmas Cookies or my Christmas Refrigerator Cookies.
The dough comes together fast! Once the dough is combined, simply form it into logs and refrigerate for a couple of hours to firm it up. Then slice and bake...cookies are baked in just a few minutes.
You can also wrap the Christmas Icebox Cookies dough and freeze it for a later time which makes baking for the holidays easy! The dough freezes well for up to 3 months!
These cookie recipes will be great for hosting a cookie exchange, give away cookies as gifts or just bake for your own family, Check out my Amazon Christmas Shop for ideas on how to package food gifts.
Table of Contents
- What are icebox cookies and why are they perfect for Christmas?
- Some delicious variations on the classic recipe?
- 🛒Helpful Kitchen Tools
- 📋Main Ingredients Needed
- Step-by-Step Instructions
- Before You Begin!
- Substitutions and Variations
- Storage Tips
- Freezing Tips
- ❄️How to Freeze Cookie Dough
- Top Tip
- 📖 Recipe Card
- 💬 Comments
What are icebox cookies and why are they perfect for Christmas?
Christmas Icebox Cookies are enjoyed by many bakers because they're not only easy, but delicious. As the name suggests, ice box cookies are made by chilling the dough in a refrigerator or freezer before baking.
This helps to firm up the dough, making it easier to slice into uniform pieces. Ice box cookies often have a richer flavor than other types of Christmas cookies, as the chilling process allows the flavors to develop more fully.
In addition, chilling the dough makes these cookies less likely to spread during baking, resulting in a more attractive finished product.
Some delicious variations on the classic recipe?
Try adding dried fruit like raisins or cranberries to the dough. You can also add your favorite chopped nuts or even mini chocolate chips.
Or you can make them into thumbprint cookies and fill the centers with melted chocolate like my Shortbread Thumbprint Cookies.
You can also dip the baked sliced cookies in melted chocolate and then in crushed peppermint or crush walnuts. A fun recipe I love to bake that are dipped in melted chocolate are my shortbread cookies.
🛒Helpful Kitchen Tools
Wilton Christmas Sprinkles
2-Pack Cooling Racks for BakingStacking Christmas Tree Measuring CupsStainless Steel Fine Mesh Strainer
📋Main Ingredients Needed
Here's a quick overview of the ingredients for this recipe. Find the exact amounts and click the Instacart button to easily add them to your cart – all in the printable recipe card below!
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Step 1: Using an electric mixer, blend together the sugar and butter. Add the sprinkles to the flour mixture.Then slowly add the flour/sprinkles to the butter mixture.
- Step 2: Form the dough into two long logs. Wrap the cookie dough in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator. You can also freeze the cookie dough at this point. Place into a freeze-safe bag, label and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Step 3: Slice the cookies and place on a baking sheet that's been lined with parchment paper. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes and transfer the cookies to a baking tray to cool completely.
- Step 4: Prepare the powdered sugar glaze and drizzle it on top of the cooled cookies. If you add the glaze too soon, it will melt right into the warm cookies. Add a few more sprinkles on top to decorate.
Before You Begin!
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Substitutions and Variations
- You can bake these cookies are year long simply by switching out the color of sprinkles you use.
- How about mixing in mini chocolate chips into the dough? Those would be so delicious!
- Check out this other recipe fun recipe for Grinch Cookies that are also a slice and bake refrigerator cookies.
Storage Tips
- To store icebox cookies, place them in an airtight container and store them in the refrigerator for up to two weeks.
- Be sure to let the cookies come to room temperature before serving, as they will be quite hard straight from the fridge.
Freezing Tips
- You can also "flash freeze" the baked cookies first by laying them on a baking sheet in a single layer. Then place the baking sheet in the freeze and allow the cookies to harden for about 30 minutes. Then place the cookies in a plastic storage container with parchment baking sheets or waxed paper in between each layer.
- Frozen cookies should remain fresh in the freezer for up to three months.
❄️How to Freeze Cookie Dough
- Wrap the Christmas Icebox Cookies dough logs tightly in plastic wrap and then place the wrapped logs in a plastic storage bag.
- Press as much air as you can out of the bag.
- Label the bag with the date and the name of the cookie recipe.
- Cookie dough can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Top Tip
Make sure you chill the dough in the refrigerator before baking. This helps to prevent the cookies from spreading too much during baking and results in a denser, more flavorful cookie.
My Favorite Baking Trays: 3-piece nonstick cookware set includes the small, medium, and large size. These are non-stick carbon steel bakeware set with red silicone handles.
📖 Recipe Card
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Christmas Icebox Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup red green, and white Christmas sprinkles
- 1 cup unsalted butter room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon milk
Instructions
- In a medium-sized bowl, combine together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add sprinkles and combine with the flour mixture.
- In a mixing bowl with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium-high until fluffy. Gradually beat in the egg and vanilla.
- Beat in the flour mixture until just combined.
- Form the dough into a ball and then divide into half, rolling each ball into a 2 inch wide log. Wrap the logs in wax paper or plastic wrap and chill for about an hour.
- You can also freeze the cookie logs at this point.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Remove the dough from the refigerator and slice into ¼ inch rounds.
- Place them on a parchment lined baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden.
- Transfer to a baking sheet to cool.
- Combine the powdered sugar together with the milk until smooth.
- Drizzle the glaze on top of the cookies.
Kerryanne says
I'll be giving these a try this weekend Lois.
Thank you for sharing this recipe at Create, Bake, Grow & Gather this week. I'm delighted to be featuring your icebox cookies at the party tonight and pinning too.
Merry Christmas,
Kerryanne