These refrigerator cookies are the perfect sweet treat that you can have ready at a moment’s notice.
The dough can be made ahead, then stored in the fridge until you’re ready to bake them.
It’s always a good idea to have some on hand in case some unexpected visitors show up. Homemade cookies are one of the best ways to surprise your visitors.
They’re especially great when they’re hot out of the oven!
Serve these cookies with a glass of sweet tea, and you’re ready to host any gathering at the drop of a hat.
They also make excellent after-school snacks! Nothing makes a hard day at school better than coming home to a warm cookie.
Refrigerator Cookies
So, what are these cookies that can be ready in an instant? Refrigerator cookies are cinnamon sugar cookies, similar to snickerdoodles.
They’re the perfect combination of crispy edges and chewy centers. The flavor is a simple yet comforting blend of sweet brown sugar and spicy cinnamon.
The cookies bake to a beautiful golden brown and smell like childhood when you pull them out of the oven.
The dough is incredibly simple to whip up and can then be either frozen or refrigerated to be eaten later.
You can even double the recipe and bake half now, and then still have an entire batch to save. Or, make the cookies a few at a time so they are always warm and fresh.
Either way, these refrigerator cookies are sure to be your family’s new favorite dessert and midnight snack.
Ingredients
Now that you know how fantastic these cookies are, you need to know how to make them! These cookies come from ingredients you already have lying around your kitchen.
There is nothing that can stop you from having a batch of these cookies ready in the next 30 minutes.
Butter: Can you have a good cookie without butter? This creamy ingredient is a must for all the best recipes, so we couldn’t leave it out of this one!
White Sugar: This traditional sweetener makes these cookies the perfect dessert. The white sugar adds a good, sweet base that allows the other flavors to shine through.
Brown Sugar: Brown sugar adds a deeper sweet flavor to the cookies. It offers a molasses taste and darker color to these delicious sugar cookies.
Eggs: Eggs act as the binding agent for these cookies. Two eggs hold the cookies together and offer a cake-like texture to the center of the cookie.
Vanilla Extract: This flavor enhancer is the perfect pairing for the other subtle flavors swimming within this dough.
All-Purpose Flour: Every baker’s right-hand man, all-purpose flour is the main ingredient in almost every baked good. These cookies are no exception.
Baking Soda: Baking soda is the leavening agent for refrigerator cookies. It makes these cookies perfectly light and fluffy.
Cream of Tartar: This baking ingredient adds a softness to the dough, allowing it to come out of the refrigerator easy to work with.
Cinnamon: This spice is the perfect ingredient to flavor these cookies. Combined with the brown sugar and vanilla, cinnamon adds a little kick to round out the flavor palette.
Salt: Just a touch is all it takes! Opposites attract and a little bit of salt goes a long way in these sweet treats!
Walnuts: Optional, of course, but if you love the crunchy texture of walnuts, toss a handful into your dough to transform your cookie into something extravagant.
Tips for the Best Cookies
I’ve told you how good these cookies are, and now it’s time to see for yourself! Follow these tips to be sure your refrigerator cookies reach their full potential.
Whenever you are baking, accuracy in measurement is the most important step in making delicious treats.
Use the scoop and sweep method when measuring out dry ingredients to make sure you are getting the exact ratio of each ingredient.
When measuring, over-fill the dry measuring cups with the ingredient. Then, use your finger or a knife to level the ingredient with the brim of the cup.
This way, you are guaranteed to get the perfect amount of each ingredient.
When making refrigerator cookies, it can be tempting to over-mix the dough. Only stir until the ingredients are well incorporated, then stop.
Over-mixing can cause the cookies to be tough and unpleasantly chewy.
It can be helpful to use room temperature ingredients when baking refrigerator cookies.
When all of the ingredients are the same temperature, they blend together better.
This creates a more cohesive dough with a consistent temperature throughout.
Use softened butter instead of melted butter. This will help the cookies stick together and prevent them from spreading too much.
If you are not planning on saving the dough for later, you should still refrigerate it for about 3 hours.
How Do You Freeze/Store the Cookies?
When storing the dough, you’ll want to keep it as fresh as possible. Do this by wrapping the dough log in parchment paper and then placing the dough in a Ziplock bag.
Push the air out of the bag and then seal it before placing the dough in the freezer.
You can also use an air-tight food storage container if you would like a reusable option.
This method also works if you are storing the cookie dough in the refrigerator.
Once you have baked the cookies, you can store them at room temperature. Place the baked cookies in an air-tight container and then snack on them over the course of a week.
The dough can be kept in the refrigerator for up to a week but will last much longer in the freezer. Once baked, the cookies are best if eaten within 3-5 days.
Don’t worry, this shouldn’t be a problem!
How to Slice Frozen Dough
The frozen dough can be tricky to slice because it is hard! The following ways make the process a little bit easier.
If you have a minute, sit the dough out while you preheat the oven. This might be enough to take the hard edge off the dough.
You can also heat your knife in hot water to help it slide through the log.
Refrigerator Cookies
42
servings10
minutes10
minutes123
kcalIngredients
1 cup butter
1 cup white sugar
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
3 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cream of tartar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- In a large bowl, mix together the butter, white sugar, and brown sugar. Add in the eggs and vanilla and mix until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, cinnamon, and salt. Combine the wet and dry ingredients into one bowl. Stir in the nuts.
- Divide the dough into 3 equal portions. Form each piece into a log approximately 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap each log in plastic wrap and chill for 3 hours. Or refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Cut dough into 1/4 inch slices and place them on ungreased cookie sheets, about 1 inch apart.
- Bake for 8 to 10 minutes, or until lightly golden around the edges.
- Allow cookies to cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet and then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
