Make holiday baking effortless with these festive icebox—or “refrigerator”—cookies! The magic is in the make-ahead method: roll the dough into logs, chill until firm, then slice and bake whenever you want a fresh, warm treat. The dough keeps in the refrigerator for up to a week and freezes beautifully for months. For a touch of holiday sparkle, brush the chilled logs with egg wash and roll them in decorative sugar before slicing.
Here are some pro cookie baking tips to keep your spirits (and your cookies) bright:
1) Read the recipe carefully so there are no surprises.
2) Measure and prep your ingredients with precision.
3) Use parchment paper or silicone mats—they’re the secret to even baking and easy cleanup.
4) Rotate those pans halfway through baking for golden perfection.
5) Stick to the recipe for baking time and temperature but keep an eye on your cookies.
6) Let cookie sheets cool between batches for flawless results every time.
Pistachio Cranberry Slice and Bake Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter softened
- 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon finely grated orange zest
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup shelled pistachos roughly chopped
- 1/3 cup dried cranberries roughly chopped
- 1 large egg lightly beaten -optional
- 1/4 cup decorative sugar such as Turbinado sugar- optional
Instructions
Making the Dough
- Stir the flour and salt together in a bowl and set aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar and orange zest on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and vanilla and mix for 1 minute more. Reduce the speed to low and add the flour in three additions, mixing just until the dough begins to come together in clumps. Mix in the pistachios and cranberries.
- Gather the dough and divide it into two equal portions. Using plastic wrap or wax paper to help shape it, form each portion into a log about 1½ inches in diameter. Press the long sides of each log to create a squared-off bar shape. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until very firm, at least 2 hours or overnight.
Baking the Cookies
- Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350°F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Brush the egg over all sides of the bars, avoiding the ends. Spread the decorative sugar on a sheet of parchment or wax paper, then press the bars into the sugar to coat them evenly. Cut each bar crosswise into 1/4-inch slices, rotating the bar after each cut to help keep the slices square. If the dough becomes too soft, briefly freeze the bars until firm enough to slice. Arrange the cookies about 1/2 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake, switching the sheets between racks halfway through, until the edges are pale golden, 15–18 minutes. Transfer the cookies to racks to cool completely.
- The dough bars can be refrigerated for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 1 month when wrapped in plastic and then foil. Before slicing, thaw frozen dough in the refrigerator just until it becomes firm but sliceable. Baked cookies can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days.