Red, White, and Blue Icebox Cookies are a make-ahead dessert you’ll love for your summer parties and picnics. Decked out with star sprinkles and a sweet lemon glaze, these treats are ready for independence day!
Looking for more Fourth of July desserts? These Red White and Blue Rice Krispie Treats are perfect for nibbling while you watch the fireworks.
What Are Ice Box Cookies
Ice Box Cookies are sugar cookies baked from frozen or chilled dough. Bake the dough in advance and store in in the freezer (“ice box”) until you’re ready to slice and bake.
Keeping a tube of ice box cookie dough on hand means you can bake fresh cookies at a moment’s notice! They offer all the convenience of slice ‘n’ bake cookies with the unbeatable taste of cookies made from scratch.
Today’s Red, White and Blue Icebox Cookies are decked out for a Fourth of July celebration. I added a little lemon glaze for a summery touch and, of course, plenty of festive sprinkles!
Ingredient Notes
- Unsalted butter. Salted butter can be used instead if that’s what you have available.
- Vanilla sugar. Granulated sugar infused with vanilla bean gives these cookies an amazing flavor. Learn how to make vanilla sugar to enhance all your favorite baked goods!
- Lemon extract. It gives a tangy flavor and citrus aroma to the sweet ice box cookie glaze.
- Sprinkles. I used these star shaped sprinkles to make red, white, and blue ice box cookies with a patriotic flair.
Make the Glaze
It’s the glaze on these ice box cookies that makes them so summery and delicious!
The glaze takes just a few minutes to make, after the cookies have been baked and cooled.
Whisk together powdered sugar, milk and lemon extract. Now dip the tops of the cookies into the glaze. Spoon your sprinkles onto the glaze then let it set for a few minutes.
Tips and Tricks
- Freeze dough in a paper towel tube. Cut the tube in half and place half of the rolled up wrapped cookie dough in each one. The dough will freeze into a perfect log shape.
- Keep frozen until ready to bake. You do not need to thaw ice box cookie dough before baking. Use a sharp knife to slice the frozen dough into rounds, then bake immediately!
- Be careful not to overbake. The cookies will quickly turn from golden brown to overdone. If you like your cookies remove these cookies from the oven between 9 and 10 minutes, before turning golden brown. If you prefer a shortbread style butter cookie crumb, leave them in for about 11 minutes.
- Store at room temperature. After baking and decorating, ice box cookies can be stored in an airtight container on the counter.
Recipe FAQs
You can make these cookies with regular granulated sugar instead. Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract or a few vanilla bean seeds to replicate the delicious flavor of vanilla sugar.
You can make these without freezing the dough. Instead, chill the dough in your refrigerator or freezer for at least 30 minutes before slicing and baking.
The dough for these red, white and blue icebox cookies can be stored in the freezer for up to 2 months. Make sure to double wrap the dough in plastic wrap before freezing.
Yes, you can freeze ice box cookies after baking, if you like.
To freeze, transfer the unglazed cookies to an airtight freezer safe container. Keep frozen for as long as two months.
Dip the thawed cookies in lemon glaze and add the sprinkles before enjoying!
More Easy Dessert Recipes
- Lime Icebox Cookies are another fun version and they taste great too!!
- Speaking of Red, White and Blue. These chocolate covered pretzels are easy to make and totally cute!
- Flag Cake
- Chocolate Covered Strawberries
- Banana Pudding Recipe
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Red, White, Blue Icebox Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup vanilla sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon almond extract
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 Tablespoons milk
For the glaze:
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1 teaspoon lemon extract
- ⅓ cup milk
- sprinkles
Instructions
- For the cookies, beat butter and sugar in mixing bowl until combined (about 2-3 minutes). Add egg and extract. Beat in flour, salt baking powder and milk. Mix until fully combined and dough comes together.
- Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 12 inch log. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and place in a paper towel tube that has been cut lengthwise. Freeze for 3 hours, overnight, or up to one month.
- When ready to bake, remove from freezer and unwrap. Do not thaw. Slice frozen dough into 1/4 inch slices.
- Bake cookies in a 350 degree oven on a parchment paper lined baking sheet for 9-11 minutes. Remove and cool completely.
- For the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon extract and milk until smooth. Dip tops of each cookie in glaze, allowing excess to drip off. Add sprinkles after every dozen cookies. Allow glaze to set, about 30 minutes. Store in airtight container. ENJOY!
Notes
- You can substitute granulated sugar for the vanilla sugar, but you may want to add 1/2 vanilla bean scraped, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
- Freeze dough in a paper towel tube. Cut the tube in half and place half of the rolled up wrapped cookie dough in each one. The dough will freeze into a perfect log shape.
- Keep frozen until ready to bake. You do not need to thaw ice box cookie dough before baking. Use a sharp knife to slice the frozen dough into rounds, then bake immediately!
- Be careful not to overbake. The cookies will quickly turn from golden brown to overdone. If you like your cookies remove these cookies from the oven between 9 and 10 minutes, before turning golden brown. If you prefer a shortbread style butter cookie crumb, leave them in for about 11 minutes.
- Store at room temperature. After baking and decorating, ice box cookies can be stored in an airtight container on the counter.
Such a brilliant idea! These look so cute and delicious, and best of all, easy to make!
I have made a simular recipe but by rolling out the dough, and cutting out star shapes with star shaped cookie cutters. Or you can use a star shaped stensil and spinkle red or blue sugar, or red and blue sprinkles
Cute ideas Mary! Thank you!
Oh these look fantastic and perfect for the 4th coming up! Loving all of the festive recipes!
Wow you made these cookies super convenient, didn’t you? I think I’m going to have to make them today…I’m having a huge sweet things craving today!
I aim to please Joanne! Enjoy!
Love the paper towel roll trick!
So festive!! Love these cookies!
That is an awesome idea to keep cookie dough in shape. It is a pure genius trick! Now following you via bloglovin’
Thanks for following Victoria!
I love that! Totally going to try them
Your tube trick is genius Aimee!! And these cookies really ARE perfect for the 4th!
I’ve gotcha on Bloglovin’ and then some. I won’t be missing a recipe! I’m a sucker for red, white, and blue, not to mention good cookies. This recipe satisfies both…I love it!
Awww, thanks for following Marcie 🙂
What a handy tip! My icebox cookies always come out looking wonky. These little cookies will be present at my fourth of July party this year, they are adorable.
Thanks Nicole. I still sometimes get wonky shaped cookies. But that’s only because my kids will be digging in the freezer looking for popsicles and place a roast or something on the dough. Not cool 🙂
They would be perfect for on 4th of july table! And it is just so lovely to have cookies in the freezer so you literally just have to bake them. Lord knows we need that sometimes! 🙂
Exactly!! And you can change up the flavor of the glaze, or add different colored sprinkles. Quite versatile!
Question for you…do these taste more like a traditional sugar cookie that sort of hard and crispy? Or more like a Lofthouse-style cookie that’s more of a lighter sugar cookie and not as cripsy?
I want to make some of the Lofthouse recipes I’ve seen but they make like…5 dozen! Don’t need that many 🙂
Yeah, I have a Lofthouse recipe on the blog and it makes a million cookies. These are somewhere in-between. If you cut them a little bit thicker I think they would be pretty close. Especially if you top them with some fluffy frosting!
These are some seriously gorgeous cookies!!
Thank you 🙂
Those are too cute! I love your photos for these…not that I don’t love your other photos. Sheesh! Never mind…you know I heart all your stuff! And that paper tube trick is awesome!!!
I get ya. You think my photography stinks, but this pic is okay. Haha. Just kidding. I think. I heart you 🙂
These look so yummy!
Thanks girl 🙂
I LOVE that paper towel tube trick! Definitely trying that next time.
You totally should! Now I’m off to check out this pina colada poke cake that I’ve seen on pinterest all day….
These are adorable! I would have never thought to use a paper towel tube.
Thanks Karissa. I’m sure there is a gadget out there to do the same thing…but paper towel tubes work great!
These are just too cute! I have been wanting to make icebox cookies forever but just never have.
Oh, you need to do it soon!! This a great starter recipe 🙂
The paper towel tube trick is GENUIS! The cookies look wonderful as well 🙂
Thanks Nora. I save my paper towel tubes for many reasons, the main one being icebox cookies!