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.

• 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.

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.

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.

9. Slice log into ¼-inch slices.

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.

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.