Chocolate Icebox Cookies

These chocolate icebox cookies are rich, buttery, and so soft they’ll melt in your mouth. 

They’re also fantastically easy to make — and make-ahead!

This simple recipe makes an excellent slice-and-bake dough, perfect for when a cookie craving strikes. Even if it strikes at midnight!

With this easy recipe for chocolate icebox cookies, you’ll never have to be disappointed again.

Chocolate Icebox Cookies

Chocolate icebox cookies are perfect for chocolate lovers. Besides being supremely chocolatey, they’re also soft and buttery with crisp edges.

The recipe calls for basic pantry staples. So basic, in fact, you most likely already have them in your kitchen.

It’s also the best solution for a sudden cookie craving. You make the dough once, store it in the freezer, and bake it whenever!

That’s actually how they got their name. They date back to the 1930s when people used iceboxes (instead of fridges or freezers) to store food.

Ingredients

Here’s what you’ll need to make these yummy cookies:

• All-purpose flour. To give your cookies structure.

• Cocoa powder. For that rich, chocolatey goodness.

• Cinnamon. Just a touch of spice does wonders for the cookies’ flavor.

• Butter. For super-rich and buttery cookies. Use room-temperature, unsalted butter, so that you can control how much sodium goes into the cookies. 

• Granulated sugar. For sweetness.

• Egg. Just one is enough to make the cookies ultra-rich and tender.

Tips for Making Icebox Cookies

Want to make an easy recipe even easier? Follow these tips and tricks:

• Measure the flour accurately. For best results, use a scale to measure the flour. Or use a spoon to transfer it into the measuring cup and level it with the back of a knife.

• Want perfectly round cookies? Place the dough inside the cardboard tubes of paper towel rolls. Simply empty the rolls, cut a slit down the sides, and store the dough inside. Wrap them with foil so they don’t get wet.

• Don’t over-mix the ingredients. Mix just until they are well-combined. Over-mixing will melt the butter too much, and your dough will become too soft and sticky.

• Accidentally over-mixed? Don’t panic! Instead, cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 15-30 minutes. Then, try to form the dough again.

• Chill the dough. Chill for at least 2 hours before baking to ensure soft, fluffy cookies. Also, wrap the dough with a dry, clean kitchen towel before refrigerating to prevent flattening.

• Use add-ins as desired. Chocolate chips, chopped nuts, and sprinkles all make excellent additions.

How Long Do Chocolate Icebox Cookies Last?

Baked chocolate icebox cookies will last for up to 5 days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. 

You can also store the pre-cooked cookie dough in the fridge for up to 7 days. Be sure to wrap the dough completely in plastic wrap. 

Finally, store the cookie dough in the freezer to extend its lifespan significantly. By significantly, I mean up to 3 months!

Here’s how:

1. Shape the cookie dough into a 2-inch-wide cylinder.
2. (Optional) Place it inside clean paper towel rolls for perfectly round cookies.
3. Wrap the dough in foil and wax paper.
4. Freeze.

To bake, defrost the dough at room temperature, slice it into rounds, and pop the cookies in the oven.