Easy Christmas Icebox Cookies (Slice and Bake Cookies)

Whether you’re making treats for gifting, a Christmas cookie platter, a Holiday Cookie Exchange party, or a quick treat that’s just plain delicious, I think you’ll love these!

What I Love About Icebox Cookies

There are so many reasons to love slice and bake cookies, but here are a few of the reasons I always make icebox cookies during the holidays:

• Few Ingredients: Cookies that only require a handful of ingredients are so helpful during the holidays. You will only need 4 ingredients for these simple cookies, plus salt and nonpareils, which is what makes them fun!
• Easy Make Ahead Cookies: Because there are so few ingredients, you can whip up the ingredients in no time. Once rolled into logs, the dough can then be chilled or even frozen for a quick, festive Christmas cookie, ready when you are.
• They’re Delicious: If you love the flavor of vanilla during the holidays (as I do!), these simple butter cookies with festive dashes of color are perfect for any Christmas cookie platter or holiday cookie exchange!

Slice and Bake Christmas Cookies Ingredients

You can find ingredient measurements in the recipe card at the bottom of this post, but here are the few simple pantry ingredients needed:

• Unsalted butter: Soften the butter to room temperature, and if using salted butter, reduce the salt to 1/2 teaspoon.
• Granulated sugar for that sweet cookie flavor
• Vanilla extract for the holiday flavor
• All purpose flour plus salt (see notes if you’re using “salted butter”).
• Holiday nonpareils in any colors you like
• Sparkling sugar for the edges of the cookie for a holiday flair.

How to Make Christmas Icebox Cookies

Step-by-step instructions are also in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Step 1: Make the dough

In the bowl of a stand mixer, cream the butter and granulated sugar until creamy, 2 to 3 minutes. Scrape down the bowl as necessary, and then beat in the vanilla extract. Then, gradually add the flour and salt and mix until combined and then fold in the nonpareils.

Step 3: Slice and bake the Christmas cookies

When you’re ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Then, working with one dough log at a time, cut into 1/4-inch slices. Dip the edges of the cookies in a bowl with sparkling sugar if desired, and transfer to the prepared baking sheet.

Bake until lightly golden around the edges, about 12- 15 minutes. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. The cookies will keep stored in an airtight container for about one week.

How to Make Icebox Cookies Round

To keep your cookies round, without a flat side as they chill in the refrigerator, there are a couple of tricks I like to use.

First: I like to shape the dough into a log, and then place it on one long end of a sheet of parchment paper or wax paper. Wrap the paper around the log, leaving an overhang of several inches.

Then, take the flat side of a ruler and push it toward the dough and tightly pull the bottom of the parchment away from you as you press the ruler into the crease. This will give you a nice rounded shape. Then wrap the dough in the parchment paper for chilling.

Second: To keep the rounded shape, cut an empty paper towel roll down the center lengthwise. Refrigerate the parchment-wrapped cookie dough in the paper towel roll until firm.

To be more clear, here is a video that might be helpful: