Mom’s Icebox Cookies

Day 1 of My 12 Days of Christmas Baking compilation. 

Every year, I do this 12 days of cookies compilation on this blog and this year, I asked my mom to send in her icebox cookies recipe. Typically, she agrees, but then I don’t actually get the recipe, or pictures. To my surprise, mom came through with the recipe AND three photos she took while making/baking the cookies! How about that cool shot of the cookies with the well-positioned glass of milk – yeah mom!!

When I was growing up, I loved eating the raw dough from this recipe. Of course, nowadays that would likely be considered child endangerment but I’m so glad I have that memory seared in my brain.

The best thing about these cookies is that you can freeze one (or more) or the logs for about a month and just slide off what you’re ready to bake and eat – perfect for those holidays unannounced visitors or for the kids and their friends after school!

Ingredients:

• 1 cup of butter (2 sticks), softened
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg
• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp. baking soda
• ¼ tsp. salt
• ½ tsp. pure vanilla extract

Directions:

1. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream the butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar and the egg until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
2. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking soda and the salt.
3. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in three additions just until incorporated – don’t overbeat or you’ll end up with tough cookies.
4. Add the vanilla.
5. Lay two long pieces of cling wrap on your counter and divide the dough onto them. Using the cling wrap, form long, uniform logs about 2 inches in diameter. Tie the ends or make a knot with the cling wrap. At this point, the logs can be refrigerated for an hour before baking or frozen for up to a month.
6. When ready to bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees. Slice the cookies and bake on greased cookie sheets for 8 – 10 minutes.

Yields 2 dozen cookies.