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    Home » Recipes » Cookies

    Christmas Icebox Cookies

    Published: Dec 5, 2023 · Modified: Dec 15, 2024 by Maria Doss · This post may contain affiliate links · 15 Comments

    pinterest image.

    These Christmas Icebox Cookies are buttery, crisp, and an easy slice-and-bake cookie recipe. Made using only 5 ingredients, they are a festive addition to your holiday cookie tray.

    Jump to Recipe
    a red cookie box is filled with Christmas cookies.

    This Christmas icebox cookies is a festive cookie full of candied cherries, like the Santa's whiskers cookies.

    Do you remember my brown sugar shortbread cookies? These cookies are just as easy and flavorful and perfect to be prepared ahead of time and frozen right now and then bake the day before Christmas.

    Take a moment to appreciate the beautiful cherries adorning them; they resemble precious jewels embedded in the crisp cookie.

    These slice & bake Christmas icebox cookies couldn’t be easier. The trick to perfecting them is getting the ratio of ingredients right. There are no eggs, baking soda or baking powder; we want a dense cookie with zero lift, like the cardamom cookies.

    Also known as glaced cherries, candied cherries, are cherries that have been preserved by cooking them in sugar syrup and then dried. This process gives them a glossy appearance and a sweet taste.

    They are used in Holiday baking, particularly in fruitcakes, cookies, and other desserts. Candied cherries are usually found in red and green colors and are available in either whole or chopped forms.

    Jump to:
    • Why you'll love them?
    • Ingredients
    • Variations
    • How to make?
    • How to store?
    • Helpful tips
    • Christmas Icebox Cookies

    Why you'll love them?

    1. Only 5 ingredients
    2. Crisp, crumbly yet tender.
    3. Festive colors.
    4. No rolling pin or cookie cutters needed.
    5. One mixing bowl and a spoon.
    6. Another eggless cookie recipe.
    7. Not-overly-sweet.

    Ingredients

    Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.

    ingredients needed to make Christmas cookies.
    • Flour -  I tested varying amounts of flour and found 1 cup plus 1 tablespoon of all purpose flour produces sturdy, yet tender Christmas icebox cookies.
    • Sugar - White sugar sweetens the cookie without adding any additional flavors.
    • Butter - It is the base of most homemade cookie recipes. It adds flavor and that irresistible buttery flavor.
    • Vanilla - For flavoring as in all dessert recipes.
    • Cherries - I used a mix of red and green candied cherries, typically found in the holiday section of my local grocery store. However, if you prefer, you can opt for a single color and choose either red or green instead. Looking for more recipes with festive colors? Check out this Christmas fudge.

    Variations

    Replace candied cherries with any of the following options to enjoy these Christmas icebox cookies at any time of the year.

    • Use finely chopped semi sweet chocolate instead.
    • Use jammies or rainbow sprinkles as in lemon ricotta cookies.
    • Minced walnuts, almonds or toasted pecans.

    How to make?

    You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.

    Want To Save This Recipe?

    Enter your email below, and we’ll send the link straight to your inbox. Plus, you'll get more creative recipe ideas every Sunday!

    2 photo collage of making cookie dough in a glass bowl.
    2 photo collage of making cookie dough in a glass bowl.

    1 & 2. Add butter, sugar, vanilla and salt into a large bowl. Beat using a wooden spoon until smooth and creamy, 3 to 4 minutes.

    3 & 4. Add all purpose flour and chopped candied cherries.

    Tip: I prefer to chop each cherry into 6 to 8 pieces. This ensures that the cherries are evenly distributed throughout the dough.

    2 photo collage of making cookie dough in a glass bowl.
    2 photo collage of making cookie dough in a glass bowl.

    5 & 6. Mix until the dough appears moist and crumbly. If the mixture seems excessively crumbly, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of milk and mix until well combined.

    Pro tip: To check for the correct consistency, knead approximately a tablespoon of dough into a smooth ball. It should feel soft, smooth, and neither crack nor crumble, nor should it be sticky.

    7. Knead dough with your hands to form a smooth ball. The warmth of your hands will the bring the dough together.

    8. Shape dough into a 10-inch log. Wrap with plastic wrap or parchment paper and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or up to a day.

    2 hands cutting a cookie dough log into slices using a knife.

    9. Slice log into ¼-inch slices.

    sliced cookie dough placed on a parchment lined baking sheet.

    10. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them one inch apart. Bake the Christmas icebox cookies at 350 degrees for approximately 20 to 22 minutes, or until they're slightly golden around the edges. Avoid letting them become dark brown.

    parchment lined baking sheet with baked Christmas cookies.

    How to store?

    • Storing baked cookies - Place cooled Christmas icebox cookies in an airtight container or zipper bag and store them at room temperature for up to a week.
    • Storing cookie dough - Wrapped dough log can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.
    • Freeze baked cookies - Place cookies in freezer safe zipper bag and freeze for up to two months.
    • Freeze dough - Wrap the log tightly in two layers of plastic wrap, place it in a freezer-safe zipper bag, and freeze for up to a month. Transfer the dough to the fridge the night before making cookies.

    Helpful tips

    • Thickness -I find that slicing the dough into ¼-inch thickness results in the perfect cookie texture. Slicing them too thin can make the cherries become hard to chew after baking.
    • Candied Cherries - You can find them in small transparent plastic containers in the produce section of your grocery store during the holiday season. It is also available on Amazon.
    • Bake until golden in color - Make sure to remove promptly when baking.
    2 hands breaking a cookie into two halves.

    a red box filled with Christmas icebox cookies.

    More Christmas recipes

    • chocolate vanilla pinwheel cookies.
      Chocolate Pinwheel Cookies
    • white ricotta cookies topped with sprinkles placed on a wire rack.
      Lemon Ricotta Cookies
    • white mug with mocha cake and a spoon.
      Mocha Mug Cake
    • PHOTO COLLAGE.
      38 Easy Christmas Treats
    a red cookie box is filled with Christmas cookies.

    Christmas Icebox Cookies

    These Christmas Icebox Cookies are buttery, crisp, and an easy slice-and-bake cookie recipe. Made using only 5 ingredients, they are a festive addition to your holiday cookie tray.
    4.3 from 3 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Christmas, Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 8 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes
    chilling time: 8 hours hours
    Total Time: 8 hours hours 33 minutes minutes
    Servings: 30 Cookies
    Calories: 37kcal
    Author: Maria Doss

    Ingredients

    • 1 stick unsalted butter, room temperature (½ cup)
    • ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons white sugar
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • ¼ teaspoon salt
    • 1 cup + 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
    • ½ cup candied cherries, chopped red, green or a mix of both
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Instructions

    • Add butter, sugar, vanilla and salt into a large bowl. Beat using a wooden spoon until smooth and creamy, 3 to 4 minutes.
    • Add all purpose flour and chopped candied cherries.
      Tip: I prefer to chop each cherry into 6 to 8 pieces. This ensures that the cherries are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
    • Mix until the dough appears moist and crumbly. If the mixture seems excessively crumbly, add 1 to 2 teaspoons of milk and mix until well combined.
      Pro tip: To check for the correct consistency, knead approximately a tablespoon of dough into a smooth ball. It should feel soft, smooth, and neither crack nor crumble, nor should it be sticky.
    • Knead dough with your hands to form a smooth ball. The warmth of your hands will the bring the dough together.
    • Shape dough into a 10-inch log. Wrap with plastic wrap or parchment paper and refrigerate until firm, at least 2 hours or up to a day.

    Bake

    • Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • Remove the log from the fridge and slice into ¼-inch slices.
    • Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing them one inch apart. Bake for approximately 16 to 20 minutes, or until they're slightly golden around the edges. Avoid letting them become dark brown.
    • Place pan on a wire rack to cool completely.
      Optional embellishment - If you'd like to elevate them, dip half of each cooled cookie in melted white or dark chocolate, then sprinkle a pinch of salt on top. Place them on parchment paper until the chocolate is set.

    Notes

    Thickness -I find that slicing the dough into ¼-inch thickness results in the perfect cookie texture. Slicing them too thin can make the cherries become hard to chew after baking.
    Candied Cherries - You can find them in small transparent plastic containers in the produce section of your grocery store during the holiday season. It is also available on Amazon.
    Bake until golden in color - Make sure to remove promptly when baking.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1 cookie | Calories: 37kcal | Carbohydrates: 2g | Protein: 0.05g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 20mg | Potassium: 1mg | Fiber: 0.03g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 94IU | Calcium: 1mg | Iron: 0.004mg

    Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.

    Did you make this recipe?Mention @KitchenAtHoskins or tag #kitchenathoskins!

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    All contents and images are my original work, unless and otherwise mentioned. Please do not use my recipes or images without linking back to www.kitchenathoskins.com. If you wish to republish a recipe, please rewrite in your own words and don’t forget to include a link back to the original recipe.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Patrick@looneyforfood.com

      December 14, 2017 at 7:11 pm

      You descriptions are always spot on mouth watering!

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        December 15, 2017 at 12:48 am

        Thank you so much Patrick

        Reply
    2. Kelly @ Kelly Lynns Sweets and Treats

      December 15, 2017 at 5:00 am

      These cookies look delightful! It’s like an updated version of fruitcake, but one that is YUMMY!! Xoxo

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        December 16, 2017 at 6:35 pm

        Thank you Kelly:)

        Reply
    3. Kelsie | the itsy-bitsy kitchen

      December 15, 2017 at 6:01 pm

      These are adorable! I definitely want to make a batch (or three) for my family 🙂

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        December 16, 2017 at 6:37 pm

        Thank you Kelsie:)

        Reply
    4. Ashika | Gardening Foodie

      December 15, 2017 at 9:16 pm

      These look so pretty and buttery Maria, absolutely perfect cookies to share during the festive season 🙂

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        December 16, 2017 at 6:38 pm

        Thank you Ashika

        Reply
    5. Deepika|TheLoveOfCakes

      December 18, 2017 at 3:50 pm

      Love how buttery that dough looks!! I am sure these are melt in your mouth delicious!

      Reply
    6. Ma4got

      December 21, 2020 at 4:14 pm

      Since I love fruitcake, I made a double batch of these cookies. I tested the oven temp and baking time noted on the recipe. The cookies ended up dark brown on the bottom. I tested a bit more and found the baking temp of 350 and baking time of 12 minutes was perfect. Great cookies.

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        December 22, 2020 at 5:35 am

        Thank you for your feedback, we have made necessary changes. Wishing you a happy holiday:)

        Reply
    7. Pat

      December 21, 2020 at 6:19 pm

      Could you use maraschino cherries instead?

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        December 22, 2020 at 3:44 am

        Hi Pat, I'll recommend draining the cherries really well and pat drying them before using. Hope it helps:)

        Reply
    8. Lynda

      December 12, 2024 at 1:40 am

      May I add pecans or walnuts to the recipe?

      Reply
      • Maria Doss

        December 12, 2024 at 3:52 am

        You totally could! We would suggest replacing some of the dried fruits with the chopped nuts or reducing the flour to compensate for the nuts - Maria

        Reply
    4.34 from 3 votes (3 ratings without comment)

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