Meet your forever recipe for icebox slice & bake cookies: a versatile, buttery base cookie dough ready for endless flavor adaptations. Whether you’re craving mint chocolate, raspberry, cookies & cream, maple pecan, or a buttery sugar cookie dipped in caramel and chocolate, this one dough has you covered.
Choose your own flavor adventure with this cookie recipe! Think of this as your mix-and-match playground for holiday cookie trays, gifting, or easy make-ahead baking.
Why You’ll Love Them
- Simple, basic ingredients
- Easy-to-follow 1-bowl recipe
- Buttery shortbread texture
- Soft and thick in the centers, crispy around the edges
- A great make-ahead cookie recipe
- No rolling individual dough balls—just slice into rounds
- Infinitely adaptable!
I love the slice-and-bake cookie method and you can find more variations on my website, including coconut-y Santa’s whiskers cookies, colorful sprinkle slice-and-bakes, cranberry orange icebox cookies, brown sugar shortbread cookies, and toasted hazelnut slice-and-bake cookies.
They Are Also Known as Icebox Cookies
They’re sometimes called “icebox cookies” for a reason: chilling the cookie dough logs is essential. Like pinwheel cookies (another slice-and-bake cookie), the cookie dough is very buttery and, without time in the refrigerator, will bake into greasy puddles.
Think of the chill time as built-in convenience rather than delayed gratification—perfect for planning ahead.
The cookie dough logs can hang out in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or you can freeze them for even longer. Simply thaw in the refrigerator for an hour or two before slicing and baking. Having some cookie dough in the freezer is such a time-saver during the busy holiday season!
6 Ingredients for the Base Cookie Dough
All very basic baking staples:
- Butter: Make sure it’s proper room-temperature butter to start.
- Sugar: We’re sweetening these cookies with both brown and white granulated sugar.
- Egg: 1 egg serves to bind all the ingredients together.
- Vanilla: Key for flavor.
- Flour: The base of our cookies.
- Salt: To balance the sweet.
And, as an optional coating on the cookies, use coarse sugar such as sparkling sugar sprinkles or something like Sugar in the Raw. It provides a little extra sparkle and crunch.
Let Me Show You the Process
This is all very easy. Make the cookie dough all in 1 bowl, and then divide it in half. It’s quite creamy, so have a little extra flour on hand. If your dough seems too sticky to roll, beat in another 1–2 Tbsp of flour.
Shape each portion into a log (just roll it) that’s about 8 inches long, and then wrap up tightly and refrigerate for at least 4 hours… but preferably longer. Overnight is great, or they can chill in the refrigerator for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for even longer.
After that, roll the dough logs in the coarse sugar. Slice each of the dough logs into 12 discs. They’re about 8 inches long, so each cookie will be a little thicker than 1/2 inch.
Arrange on your lined baking sheets and bake.
5 Slice and Bake Cookie Flavors
Each flavor variation below, and in the recipe Notes, lists the add-ins and toppings you need for the entire batch of dough (both logs). If you’d like to make more than one flavor, prepare a second batch of the base dough and customize each batch separately.
- Chocolate Caramel Toffee: Make the base cookie dough; no add-ins! After the cookies cool, dip them in thickened salted caramel, then melted semi-sweet chocolate, and garnish with toffee bits.
- Raspberry White Chocolate: To the base dough, you’ll add ground freeze-dried raspberries (after sifting out the seeds). After the cookies cool, drizzle them with melted white chocolate.
- Cookies & Cream: To the base dough, you’ll add crushed Oreo cookies. After the cookies cool, drizzle them with melted white chocolate and semi-sweet chocolate, and garnish with more crushed Oreos.
- Mint Chocolate Chip: To the base dough, you’ll add peppermint extract, finely chopped dark chocolate, and a drop of green gel food coloring (if desired). After the cookies cool, dip them in melted dark or semi-sweet chocolate.
- Maple Pecan: Use dark brown sugar in the dough (instead of light). Then add maple extract, cinnamon, and finely chopped pecans. Feel free to drizzle the cooled cookies with the maple icing we use on these maple brown sugar cookies!
Can I make more than 1 flavor from 1 batch of dough? Yes! Divide the dough in half in step 2 below and add half the flavor add-ins to each portion. Do the same with any toppings.
This recipe is part of my annual cookie countdown called Sally’s Cookie Palooza. It’s the biggest, most delicious event of the year! Browse dozens of cookie recipes over on the Sally’s Cookie Palooza page.
Icebox Slice & Bake Cookies (5 Flavors)
- Prep Time: 5 hours (includes chilling)
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Total Time: 5 hours, 30 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These easy slice-and-bake icebox cookies start with 1 versatile base dough that you can turn into 5 delicious flavors: chocolate caramel toffee, raspberry white chocolate, cookies & cream, mint chocolate chip, and maple pecan. The dough mixes up in one bowl, chills into neat logs, and bakes into buttery cookies with soft centers and crisp edges. Perfect for gifting, holidays, or make-ahead baking!
Ingredients
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
- Add-ins & toppings (see Notes for full flavor measurements)
Optional
- coarse sugar for rolling, such as this sparkling sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed until combined and creamy, about 3 minutes. (Here’s a helpful tutorial if you need guidance on how to cream butter and sugar.) Beat in the egg and vanilla extract on high speed. Scrape down the sides and up the bottom of the bowl as needed, and continue to beat until fully combined. Add the flour and salt and beat on low speed until combined.
- Finally, beat in the chosen flavor add-ins (see Notes) on low speed until just combined. Avoid overmixing—blend only until the mix-ins are evenly distributed. The cookie dough will be thick and slightly sticky. If it seems too sticky to roll into logs, beat in 1–2 Tbsp more flour.
- Turn the dough out onto a floured work surface and, with floured hands, divide or cut in half. Roll/shape each half into an 8-inch log, about 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter. The measurements don’t have to be exact. Tightly wrap the dough logs in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours and up to 5 days.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- Optional rolling in sugar: Pour enough coarse sugar on an 8-inch or larger plate to cover it. Roll the logs in the sugar. You may need to really press the dough logs down into the sugar if it’s not really sticking. (I find coating the dough logs in sugar after chilling much easier, as the dough is too sticky to neatly roll in sugar right after mixing.)
- Slice each dough log into 12 equally thick cookies and arrange cookies on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Bake the cookies for 13–15 minutes or until very lightly brown around the edges (they won’t brown much). Remove from the oven and allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Dip or drizzle with melted chocolate and add toppings, if desired. See Flavors in the recipe Notes below.
- Cookies will stay fresh covered at room temperature for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make-Ahead Instructions: Baked cookies, with or without melted chocolate or caramel topping, freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator and bring to room temperature before serving. You can make the cookie dough logs, wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for up to 5 days (step 3). Cookie dough logs freeze well too, up to 3 months. Allow the wrapped logs to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then continue with step 4.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Coarse Sugar | Cooling Rack
- (Flavor 1) Chocolate Caramel Toffee: For this variation, follow step 2 exactly as written with no add-ins. As the cookies bake, prepare one batch of salted caramel sauce and let it thicken for about 1 hour, until it’s no longer liquid. In step 8, dip each cooled cookie halfway into the caramel, allow the excess to drip off, and place the cookies on a lined tray. Refrigerate or freeze for 10–15 minutes so the caramel sets. Melt 4 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate, dip the caramel-coated half into the chocolate, and finish with flaky sea salt or toffee bits (such as Heath Bits O’ Brickle).
- (Flavor 2) Raspberry White Chocolate: Using a food processor, grind 1 cup (25g) freeze-dried raspberries. Sift out and discard the seeds. You should have about 14g of raspberry powder left after sifting out the seeds. In step 2, beat the ground raspberry powder into the dough. In step 8, melt 4 ounces of white chocolate, and drizzle over the cooled cookies.
- (Flavor 3) Cookies & Cream: In step 2, beat 6 crushed Oreos (70g) into the dough. In step 8, melt 2 ounces of white chocolate and 2 ounces of semi-sweet chocolate (separately), and drizzle over the cooled cookies. Crush 2 more Oreo cookies and sprinkle over the chocolate while it’s still wet.
- (Flavor 4) Mint Chocolate Chip: In step 2, beat 3/4 teaspoon peppermint extract, 4 ounces (113g) finely chopped bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate, and 1 drop green gel food coloring such as Americolor Leaf Green (optional), into the dough. In step 8, melt 4 ounces of bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate. Dip each cookie into chocolate.
- (Flavor 5) Maple Pecan: In step 1, use dark brown sugar instead of light brown. In step 2, beat 1 teaspoon maple extract, 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon, and 1 cup (100g) finely chopped pecans into the dough.
- How to Melt Chocolate / Best Chocolate for Topping: Finely chop baking chocolate bars (typically 4 ounces/113g each). I prefer Ghirardelli or Baker’s. Place in a heat-proof bowl or glass measuring cup. Microwave in 20-second increments, stirring after each, until smooth. Or use a double boiler.
- Can I Make More Than 1 Flavor With 1 Batch of Dough? Yes! Divide the dough in half in step 2 and add half the flavor add-ins to each portion. Do the same in step 8 with any toppings.
- Be sure to check out my top 5 cookie baking tips AND these are my 10 must-have cookie baking tools.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Easy to make, very customizable and tastes great!
These are great! Have only tried the Oreo so far but they were a big hit with my Oreo-loving family. Like an Oreo and a chocolate chip cookie had a delicious baby
I did the first two, making caramel sauce was really fun, I definitely want to try that again.
The second option was the freeze dried raspberries, which I did not have, but I did have freeze dried peaches, and using that, I feel the flavor didn’t stand out as much as raspberry would’ve.
Next time!
These were easy to make!
Great recipe! I made the caramel chocolate version and sprinkled flaked salt on top to finish. Very classy and polished looking! I cut the dough into 1cm thick slices, that was perfect thickness for me.
So easy and a huge hit at the cookie swap!
If the raspberry flavor, do I use one cup freeze dried raspberries, then grind or grind first and then measure one cup of the raspberry powder?
Hi Deb! Measure 1 cup before grinding. Weight (25g) is the most accurate here if you have a kitchen scale!
I’m not a fan of raspberry and I had freeze dried strawberries on hand so that’s what I used. I made a strawberry crunch that I dipped them in after the white chocolate. Was a hit! Nice little cookie.
I had a question I forgot in my comments. Do you think I could use Ghirardelli salted caramel sauce in that version instead of making my own?
Hi Linda! We haven’t tried it, but worry that sauce would be too thin and not set up on the cookies.
Super easy recipe! And great for getting lots of cookies made in variety for the holidays. I just added peppermint bits and mini chocolate chips to the batter and it worked out so well! Excited to try different add ins.
A winner for me. Easy and tasty
Question- if I want to enter the contest, can I create my own flavor variation or do I need to do one of the five listed here? I like these flavors but have made a lot of things in these flavors already and would prefer even more variety if possible. Thanks!
Hi Emily, that would be fine as long as you are using this base recipe!
Great, thank you!!
I ended up making them lime green and adding lime extract; then I coated them in leaf green coconut and green sugar. After I baked them, I realized they looked like grinch cookies so I added a little red frosting heart to each one to complete the look. I was really happy with how cute they turned out!
These were so tasty! Like a cross between a sugar cookie and shortbread. I love the slice and bake method!
Quick and easy
Super easy recipe to follow! Loved that I could choose whatever flavor I wanted but process was easy and the same.
These were so easy and fun to make! I honestly could eat them without any toppings but we added the caramel/chocolate/heath bars and they are delicious! We did a few with just caramel and sea salt and then I started to experiment and did one with pb and j. Honestly the possibilities are endless because the cookie is such a great base.
Loved these. Did my own twist and ground up pecans and rolled the dough logs in them before baking.
We had fun making the chocolate caramel toffee cookies, including the caramel sauce – which was a first for me. We will be adding this recipe to our Christmas cookie rotation. Delicious!
We had fun making the chocolate caramel toffee cookies, including the caramel sauce – which was a first for me. We will be adding this recipe to our Christmas cookie rotation. Delicious!
We made the Oreo version. These were great cookies if you’re wanting something not super sweet. These texture was very nice, soft and a little crumbly. Soo easy, too!
I make the caramel and chocolate and the coolies and cream. The chocolate and caramel were very good. And the caramel made enough that I have leftover to make something else. I changed the cookies and cream because my tasters have had a lot of Oreo’s lately. So I did a Biscoff instead. I put Biscoff cookies chucks in the cookies and dribbled butterscotch over them. The basic cookie is a very good vanilla cookie and adapts to other add in’s very good!
I recently tried the salted caramel and chocolate slice and bake cookie recipe, and it was a hit! The instructions were so easy to follow, making the baking process a breeze. The combination of salted caramel and chocolate is simply divine, delivering the perfect balance of sweet and savory with each bite. These cookies have definitely earned a spot on my official Christmas cookie rotation. Can’t wait to make them again!
I made the raspberry version and they were delicious! I love that it’s one base that can be interchanged with mixins to alter flavor. These were tasty and so incredibly easy to make!
Can this recipe be doubled or tripled?
Absolutely!
These were super easy to make and they are DELICIOUS! I made two flavors (cookies and cream and chocolate caramel sea salt) and they are both to die for. I’m excited to try them again with other add ins. Thanks for another fabulous recipe.
Me and my daughter had so much fun making these and we had a blast choosing our own way to flavor our cookies!
I made these with white chocolate chips, dried cranberries and roasted pistachios and they were absolutely delicious. Perfect texture, beautifully short.
I loved this recipe! It was super easy to follow and it turned out great! I did the mint chocolate chip version and everyone in my house absolutely loves them.
The mint version is so good! I did not dip in chocolate bc I felt like it would overpower the mint. It’s on the subtle side. I also did chocolate caramel but I could not get mine to be pretty lol. They’re good but out of the two flavors I’ve tried, I prefer the mint
I love this recipe, easy to follow and delicious! I like being able to make the dough and keep it refrigerated until I can bake.
I made the chocolate dipped with Heath bits and they were delicious. Next time I’ll add Heath bits to the dough as well. I love that I can keep this dough in the freezer for cookie give away over the holidays.