Icebox (or refrigerator) cookies are a true time-tested favourite.
They’ve been around for as long as there have been iceboxes to store them in. At this busy time of year, having a stash of pre-made cookies on hand, ready to slice and bake, is like having money in the bank. And a frozen log of cookie dough wrapped in cellophane and tied with festive ribbons (along with baking instructions) makes a great hostess gift.The rolls of dough will keep in the refrigerator for three to four days, or you can freeze them for up to three months; let frozen dough stand at room temperature for fifteen minutes or so before slicing - if the dough is too hard it tends to break into pieces. If you’re feeling really creative, roll the logs before slicing in crushed nuts, coloured sugar, poppy seeds or finely chopped candied fruit (crystallized ginger is particularly good).
Cranberry Lemon Icebox Cookies
1 cup butter, room temperature
1 cup icing sugar
1 tsp vanilla
½ tsp salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
½ cup dried cranberries (or dried blueberries), snipped or chopped into small pieces
Zest of 2 small lemons
With an electric mixer on medium speed, beat together the butter, icing sugar, vanilla and salt until smooth. On low speed, add the flour, mixing until dough forms a ball. Stir in the cranberries and lemon zest by hand. Form the dough into a ball and divide in half.
One half at a time, place dough on a lightly floured surface and form it into a log about 1½ inches in diameter. Wrap the log tightly in waxed or parchment paper and refrigerate until firm, one to two hours. (If not using logs right away or freezing them, wrap them again in plastic wrap). To bake, preheat oven to 350° F. Let dough sit at room temperature for a few minutes, then cut dough into slices about three-eighths of an inch thick, using a very sharp serrated knife. If dough crumbles a bit just press it lightly back together. Bake on lightly greased baking sheets for 15 to 20 minutes until lightly golden around the edges. Let cool on the baking sheets for a couple of minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Makes about three dozen cookies.
Triple Ginger Snaps
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1½ tsp ground ginger
1½ tsp cinnamon
¼ tsp nutmeg
½ tsp salt
¾ cup butter, room temperature
1 cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup molasses
1½ Tbsp grated, peeled fresh ginger root
1 large egg
½ cup finely chopped crystallized ginger
1⁄3 cup sanding sugar (a coarse crystal sugar available at baking supply stores) or turbinado sugar (“sugar-in-the-raw”)
Combine flour, baking soda, ground ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. In a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium speed, combine butter, brown sugar, molasses and grated ginger root until fluffy, two to three minutes. Add the egg and beat until smooth. Gradually add the flour mixture on low speed until just incorporated. Stir in crystallized ginger by hand.
Form dough into a ball and divide into two portions. Shape each portion into a log approximately seven inches long and two inches in diameter. Wrap the dough as advised in recipe above and refrigerate until firm, about two hours.
To bake, preheat oven to 350° F. Place the sanding or turbinado sugar in a small bowl. Cut dough into rounds about one-third of an inch thick. Press one side of each round into the sugar and place cookies sugar side up about two inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake until cookies are set around the edges but still soft on top, about 10 to 12 minutes. Slide them, still on the parchment paper, onto wire racks to cool. Makes about 40 cookies.
Almond Espresso Triangles
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 Tbsp instant espresso powder (available in large supermarkets or Italian food stores)
½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp salt
½ cup plus 2 Tbsp butter, room temperature
½ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ cup granulated sugar
2 large eggs
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup finely chopped unblanched almonds
4 ounces milk or dark chocolate, chopped
Combine flour, espresso, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl and set aside. Combine butter and sugars in a large bowl and cream with an electric mixer on medium-high until fluffy, two to three minutes. Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until smooth. Gradually blend in the flour mixture on low speed until just incorporated. Stir in the nuts by hand. Form dough into a ball and divide into two portions. Place one portion on a piece of waxed paper and form it, inside the paper, into a log about eight inches long and two inches in diameter.
Press the log against the counter, flattening it on three sides to form a triangle. Repeat with second half of dough. Wrap waxed paper-covered triangles in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least two hours. To bake, preheat oven to 350° F. Cut dough carefully into one-third-inch slices, rotating log often so it doesn’t get flattened out of the triangle shape. Place slices on lightly greased baking sheets and bake until pale golden around the edges, about 10 to 12 minutes.
Let cookies stand on baking sheets for a couple of minutes, then remove to wire racks to cool completely. When cookies have cooled, melt the chocolate in a microwave and stir until smooth. Dip one tip of each cookie triangle into melted chocolate, scraping bottom of cookie against bowl rim to remove excess. Transfer to a parchment-lined baking sheet and let stand until chocolate has set. Makes about four dozen cookies.
Angela Shellard is aself-described foodie. She has done informal catering for various functions. Contact: [email protected].
