These chocolate icebox cookies are rich, buttery, and so soft they’ll melt in your mouth.
They’re also fantastically easy to make — and make-ahead!
This simple recipe makes an excellent slice-and-bake dough, perfect for when a cookie craving strikes. Even if it strikes at midnight!
With this easy recipe for chocolate icebox cookies, you’ll never have to be disappointed again.
Chocolate Icebox Cookies
Chocolate icebox cookies are perfect for chocolate lovers. Besides being supremely chocolatey, they’re also soft and buttery with crisp edges.
The recipe calls for basic pantry staples. So basic, in fact, you most likely already have them in your kitchen.
It’s also the best solution for a sudden cookie craving. You make the dough once, store it in the freezer, and bake it whenever!
That’s actually how they got their name. They date back to the 1930s when people used iceboxes (instead of fridges or freezers) to store food.
Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make these yummy cookies:
- All-purpose flour. To give your cookies structure.
- Cocoa powder. For that rich, chocolatey goodness.
- Cinnamon. Just a touch of spice does wonders for the cookies’ flavor.
- Butter. For super-rich and buttery cookies. Use room-temperature, unsalted butter, so that you can control how much sodium goes into the cookies.
- Granulated sugar. For sweetness.
- Egg. Just one is enough to make the cookies ultra-rich and tender.
Tips for Making Icebox Cookies
Want to make an easy recipe even easier? Follow these tips and tricks:
- Measure the flour accurately. For best results, use a scale to measure the flour. Or use a spoon to transfer it into the measuring cup and level it with the back of a knife.
- Want perfectly round cookies? Place the dough inside the cardboard tubes of paper towel rolls. Simply empty the rolls, cut a slit down the sides, and store the dough inside. Wrap them with foil so they don’t get wet.
- Don’t over-mix the ingredients. Mix just until they are well-combined. Over-mixing will melt the butter too much, and your dough will become too soft and sticky.
- Accidentally over-mixed? Don’t panic! Instead, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes. Then, try to form the dough again.
- Chill the dough. Chill for at least 2 hours before baking to ensure soft, fluffy cookies. Also, wrap the dough with a dry, clean kitchen towel before refrigerating to prevent flattening.
- Use add-ins as desired. Chocolate chips, chopped nuts, and sprinkles all make excellent additions.
How Long Do Chocolate Icebox Cookies Last?
Baked chocolate icebox cookies will last for up to 5 days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
You can also store the pre-cooked cookie dough in the fridge for up to 7 days. Be sure to wrap the dough completely in plastic wrap.
Finally, store the cookie dough in the freezer to extend its lifespan significantly. By significantly, I mean up to 3 months!
Here’s how:
- Shape the cookie dough into a 2-inch-wide cylinder.
- (Optional) Place it inside clean paper towel rolls for perfectly round cookies.
- Wrap the dough in foil and wax paper.
- Freeze.
To bake, defrost the dough at room temperature, slice it into rounds, and pop the cookies in the oven.
Chocolate Icebox Cookies
55-60
servings10
minutesThese chocolate icebox cookies are rich, buttery, and so soft they’ll melt in your mouth. They’re also fantastically easy to make — and make-ahead!
Ingredients
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/3 cup cocoa powder
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, mix flour, cocoa powder, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat butter and sugar with an electric mixer at low speed for 30 seconds. Increase speed to high and beat for 3 minutes until the mixture is fluffy.
- Reduce mixer speed to low and add the egg and vanilla. Beat for about 20 to 30 seconds, just until combined.
- Add the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Stir gently until combined.
- Divide the dough in two and roll each into a 2-inch-wide cylinder. Wrap the cylinders in wax paper, twisting the ends to seal them. Chill the dough until firm, at least 2 hours.
- Place baking racks at the top and bottom thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line two sheet pans with parchment paper.
- Slice the dough into 1/4-inch rounds. Place the cookies on the sheet pans 1 inch apart.
- Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 5 to 6 minutes. Switch the sheet pans so that the top pan is now at the bottom, and vice versa. Bake for another 5 to 6 minutes, until the cookies are golden brown around the edges.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the sheet pans for 1 minute. Transfer them into a wire rack and let them cool completely.
- Enjoy! Store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Notes
- Be sure to measure the flour accurately, with a scale if possible.
