Looking for a simple, delicious icebox cookie recipe? This versatile dough works beautifully for slice-and-bake cookies, classic checkerboard icebox cookies, and many other designs.
I use this recipe as the base for many slice-and-bake designs, including holiday shapes like Santa, boots, wreaths, reindeer, gift boxes, and trees — all from one batch of dough.
Why We Love This Icebox Cookie
- The dough holds detailed slice-and-bake patterns well through baking.
- The finished cookies are buttery with a pleasant crunch.
- The dough is quick and simple to make — you can finish it in about 15 minutes.
VIDEO: Watch How To Make the Icebox Cookies!
Follow the slice-and-bake tutorial to see each step and technique in action — it’s helpful for shaping and assembling designs.
Don’t forget to subscribe to the channel for more baking videos.
What’s in the Icebox Cookie Dough?
- Unsalted butter: Use softened butter so it blends smoothly.
- Powdered sugar: Powdered sugar helps create a tender, slightly crumbly texture compared with granulated sugar.
- Salt
- Whole egg
- Egg yolk: Reserve the white for an egg wash if needed.
- Cake flour
- Almond flour: Adds crumbly, tender texture and reduces overall crunchiness.
6 Steps to Make Icebox Cookies
Step 1: Mix softened butter, powdered sugar, and salt
Aya’s Tips 💡
- Start with properly softened butter so the mixture emulsifies easily.
- Mix at low speed at first to prevent powdered sugar from scattering, then increase speed until smooth.
Step 2: Add a whole egg and an extra yolk, mix until smooth
Aya’s Tip 💡
The mixture may look separated at first — that’s normal. Stop occasionally to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl; it will come together quickly.
How long should you whip the butter?
The more you whip, the more air is incorporated, which yields lighter cookies that expand more in the oven. Stop when the mixture looks smooth or mix longer for a lighter texture — either is fine depending on the result you want.
Step 3: Add cake flour and almond flour, then mix
Aya’s Tips 💡
- Clean any butter or flour that clings to the paddle and bowl to ensure an even dough.
- This recipe yields just over 850 g of dough per batch.
Step 4: Color the dough and shape it
Divide, color, and shape the dough as you like — have fun creating patterns and layers for slice-and-bake designs.
On food coloring
Paste or gel food colorings are best. Thin liquid colorings can change the dough’s consistency if you add a lot.
Step 5: Freeze or chill the dough, then slice
Chilling the shaped log makes it much easier to slice without squashing the design. Freezing briefly gives the best results for clean slices.
Step 6: Bake
Keep the slices chilled until just before baking so they spread minimally. I often freeze the slices briefly to preserve the shape.
Bake at 340–350°F (about 170–176°C) for 7–10 minutes, then reduce to 330°F (165°C) and bake another 7–10 minutes or until the edges show a light golden caramelization.
- Adjust baking time and temperature based on your oven and the cookie size and thickness.
- For a light, crispy texture, bake until you see a gentle golden color along the edges.
Design Ideas for Icebox Cookies
This dough is a great base for custom cookies for birthdays, holidays, or celebrations. I’ve demonstrated many slice-and-bake patterns on my channel; let those videos inspire your next cookie project.
Frequently Asked Questions
Wrap the dough tightly and refrigerate for up to 4 days, or freeze for several months for longer storage.
Keep baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 4 days at room temperature or up to 2 weeks in the fridge. For the crispiest result, eat them sooner; adding silica gel packets to the container can help keep them crisp.
Yes — you can add extracts, citrus zest, spices, or other flavorings to customize the dough.
No; because the dough contains raw eggs, store it refrigerated or frozen for food safety.
More Basic Cookie Recipes
If you enjoy this recipe, try other classic cookies featured on Pastry Living for more techniques and ideas.
- Shortbread cookies
- Butter cookies
- Tuiles
- Cut-out sugar cookies
Did you try the recipe?
Please share honest feedback in the comment section below — I’d love to hear how the cookies turned out for your special occasion.
Thank you! – Aya
Icebox Cookies (for slice-and-bake cookies)
Pin Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 226 g (1 cup) Butter, softened
- 160 g (1 1/3 cups) Powdered sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1 Whole egg
- 1 Egg yolk
- 350 g (3 cups) Cake flour
- 70 g (3/4 cup) Almond flour
NOTE: For best results, weigh ingredients. Cup measures are provided for convenience.
Equipment
- Stand mixer with paddle (or bowl, whisk, and spatula)
- Whisk (to mix flours)
- Rubber spatula
- Plastic wrap (to wrap dough)
Method
- Mix softened butter, powdered sugar, and salt until evenly blended.
- Add the whole egg and yolk, scraping the bowl as needed, and mix until smooth.
- Add cake flour and almond flour and mix until incorporated, cleaning the paddle and bowl to ensure even dough.
- Color and shape the dough as desired. Freeze or chill the log, then slice. Chill the slices fully (preferably in the freezer) before baking to prevent spreading.
- Bake at 340–350°F (170–176°C) for 7–10 minutes, then reduce to 330°F (165°C) and bake another 7–10 minutes or until the edges are lightly toasted. Adjust time and temperature for cookie size and oven. Bake until a gentle golden caramelization appears at the edges for a light, crispy texture.
Notes
How to store the cookies: Keep baked cookies in an airtight container up to 4 days at room temperature or up to 2 weeks in the fridge. For best texture, eat sooner; silica gel packets can help keep cookies crisp. The recipe yields just over 850 g of dough.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 36 g
Protein: 8 g
Fat: 21 g
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it went!