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 Tbsp (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

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Instructions

In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter 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 2.5 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 logs to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then continue with step 4.
Special Tools (affiliate links): Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Rolling Pin | 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 Bar Bit-O-Brickle).
(Flavor 2) Raspberry White Chocolate: Using a food processor, grind 1 cup (25g) freeze-dried raspberries. Sift 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, and drizzle over the cooled cookies. Crush 2 more Oreo cookies and sprinkle over the chocolate.
(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.