Icebox Cookies are filled with colorful sprinkles and buttery vanilla flavor. Make these ahead of time and store in your refrigerator or freezer until ready to bake! Delicious cookies fresh from the oven.
Sprinkle refrigerator cookies are as delicious as they are eye-catching. Like Funfetti Cookies, these are packed with beautiful color! Our soft ricotta cookies are topped with fun sprinkles too!
Why this Recipe Works
Wondering what refrigerator cookies taste like? They’re similar to a butter cookie or a shortbread cookie with a melt-in-your mouth crumb.
The secret to perfectly shaped slice-and-bake cookies is chilling the dough well.
- With this recipe, you can make the dough ahead of time and stash it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Slice the chilled dough, bake and eat!
- There’s no frosting or decorating required, since the sprinkles are baked right in!
- Or store the dough in freezer for longer storage, up to 60 days.
That said, if you prefer a softer cookie, you can reduce the baking time a bit. The texture will be more similar to sugar cookies, but not as chewy.
It’s so easy to adapt these cookies for your preferences–and they’re perfect for any occasion. Try our cinnamon roll cookie recipe for a unique slice and bake treat!
Ingredient Notes
- Butter. Use unsalted butter for best results. These cookies are all about the butter and vanilla flavor, so don’t skimp!
- Sugar. These icebox cookies are unique with a combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar. Take them to the next level by using vanilla sugar!
- Vanilla. A pure vanilla extract is best. You can use my homemade vanilla extract or another great quality vanilla for delicious results.
- Sprinkles. I used rainbow Jimmies here. Any color combination of Jimmies (the long rectangular sprinkles) works. Avoid nonpareils as they tend to bleed into the dough.
How to Make Icebox Cookies
STEP 1. Combine wet ingredients
Beat butter and sugars together in a large bowl. Add eggs and vanilla.
STEP 2. Add dry ingredients
Mix baking powder, kosher salt and flour, then fold in sprinkles until just combined.
STEP 3. Chill
Divide the dough into 3 portions and wrap in plastic wrap, shaping into a log. I make my refrigerator cookies about 2 inches in diameter.
Place the dough logs in the fridge and chill for at least 4 hours.
STEP 4. Bake
Preheat the oven to 375.
Slice the chilled dough into slices a quarter inch thick. Place the slices on a parchment lined baking sheet. Bake for 9 – 11 minutes.
Let the cookies cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet. Then transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
Tips and Tricks
- Substitutions: Swap out the granulated sugar for Vanilla Sugar for a richer vanilla taste. Or try substituting other extracts like almond or lemon to change up the flavor!
- Add zest. Adding lemon zest or orange zest to the cookie dough brightens up the flavor! Try our lime swirled iceboox cookies for a delicious twist.
- Watch baking time: These cookies turn from golden to brown quickly. If you like a “shortbread” style butter cookie, remove them when lightly browned–around 11 minutes. For a softer cookie, remove them from the oven between 9 and 10 minutes.
- Sprinkles: Mix up the sprinkles colors for different holidays! I love rainbow colors for birthday parties.
- Add icing. Make a batch of red white and blue icebox cookies by adding a thin glaze with sprinkles on top!
- Freeze Cookies. Use my tips on how to freeze cookie dough for later.
Recipe FAQs
Yes, you can transfer baked cookies to freezer bags and keep in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Yes, you can freeze the dough for up to 2 months. Unbaked dough should be wrapped in plastic, then placed in freezer bags before freezing. Let thaw in the fridge before slicing and baking OR bake from frozen. You’ll need a very sharp knife to slice frozen dough. You will also need to add several minutes of baking time, if baking the cookies from frozen.
Yes, ice box cookies can be made with or without sprinkles! You can even swap the sprinkles for mini chocolate chips or finely chopped nuts.
You should chill this dough for at least 4 hours for best results. It’ll keep well in the fridge for up to 3 days.
More Cookie Recipes
- Chocolate Oatmeal Cookies
- 3 Ingredient Peanut Butter Cookies
- Chocolate Covered Oreos
- Lofthouse Cookies
- Smores Cookies
- Snickerdoodle
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Icebox Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar packed
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup rainbow sprinkles
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter with both sugars. Add in eggs and vanilla extract, beat until fully combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add in flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix just until combined. Add sprinkles, do not overmix.
- Lay three long pieces of plastic wrap (or the Press and Seal version) on your counter (if using press and seal, make the sticky side down). Divide the dough into three portions, dropping it into the center of each piece of plastic wrap.
- Using your hands, make dough into a ball, then form into a log. Roll up into the plastic wrap and keep pressing dough until log is about 2 inches in diameter throughout. Repeat for each portion of dough.
- Place cookie dough in refrigerator for at least 4 hours (or up to 3 days).
- When ready to bake, preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Remove plastic wrap from cookie dough and slice the dough into 1/4-inch slices. Place on prepared baking sheet about 2-inches apart. Bake for 9-11 minutes.
- Allow to cool 5 minutes on cookie sheet, then remove and cool completely on a wire rack.
Notes
- STORAGE- store baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- FREEZE DOUGH- freeze the unbaked cookie dough, wrapped in plastic wrap then in an airtight container or ziploc freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in refrigerator overnight before baking. Or slice while frozen with a sharp knife. You will need to add several minutes to your baking time.
- FREEZE COOKIES- to freeze baked cookies, store in airtight freezer safe container for up to 3 months.
- Butter- use unsalted butter for best flavor and results
- Vanilla Extract- use a PURE vanilla extract for best flavor. These simple cookies are all about the butter and vanilla, so don’t skimp. Use my homemade vanilla extract for delicious results.
- Sprinkles- use any color combination, but try to choose Jimmies as they tend to not bleed into the cookie dough.
- Substitutions- Swap out the granulated sugar for vanilla sugar to give your cookies even more depth of flavor. Or use another type of extract, such as lemon or almond for a unique twist.
- Baking Times- Be watchful on these cookies. They can go from "light" to "brown" in a minute. I preferred mine at the 11-12 minute mark, so after cooling they are more the texture of shortbread and butter cookies. If you prefer a soft texture, stay under 10 minutes.
Nutrition
Simple to make with delicious results! Refrigerator Cookies are just like your favorite store bought slice and bake cookies–but better because they’re made from scratch!
Delish! This recipe brings back many memories. My Mom always had frozen cookie dough.
Thanks for sharing.
Aimee, I’m really enjoying these scrumptious cookies! So good! I did half a dozen cookies a while ago in varying thicknesses and I think the half inch was a little bit too much it’s a little gummy on the inside still. But great recipe I love it!!
Sorry about the punctuation!! 😃
Aimee, these are great little cookies! I made the dough last night with red and green sprinkles and baked them this morning while my kids were at school – which meant, of course, that I could taste-test them alone. Wink, wink. They are delicious and super easy. Thank you for a great recipe!
Glad you enjoyed the cookies!
These are so flavourful and look extremely pretty! I love straightforward recipes like this one, especially easy ones that my teen can easily bake on her own.
Thanks a lot for this amazing and super easy to make ice box cookies recipe! It’s really tasty and very flavorful! Will surely have this again! Highly recommended!
These cookies were amazing and so easy to make we loved them! I made them with 2 toddlers and it was so fun!
Hi Aimee
Made a batch of your Icebox cookies. I brought to work for the staff, and realized had just enough for everyone…
They all love it a d brought memories…
Thks again Joanne
SO happy to hear it 🙂