Icebox Cookies

When my mom was little, ice was delivered to your house by the iceman. The ice was transported in a horse-drawn wagon. The huge block of ice in the back of the wagon was covered with straw to insulate it from the sun. The iceman would stop the horse in front of your house and get out to chip a chunk of ice off the block to fit your icebox. In the heat of summer, children would chase the wagon hoping to catch an ice chip. A cookie dough like this would be placed in your wooden icebox for awhile, today you chill it in the fridge.

Cherry Icebox Cookies

This adaptation by Southern Living magazine uses a modern stand mixer.

• 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup white granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp. almond extract
• 2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for surface
• 1/2 tsp kosher salt
• 3/4 cup red and green candied cherries, patted dry and roughly chopped
• red and green sanding sugars

1. In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes.
2. Add egg, vanilla and almond extract and beat on medium speed until just combined, 15-30 seconds.
3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together flour and salt.
4. With mixer speed on low, add flour  mixture in 3 additions, beating until just combined, 1-2 minutes.
5. Add cherries and beat on low speed just until evenly distributed, about 15 seconds.
6. Divide dough in half on a lightly floured surface. Shape each half into a 12-inch log about 1-1/2 inches in diameter. Wrap each log in plastic wrap.
7. Chill in freezer a minimum of 2 hours or up to 24 hours.
8. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
9. Place red and green sanding sugars in 2 separate large shallow dishes.
10. Unwrap 1 dough log and let stand at room temperature  20 minutes or until slightly softened.
11. Roll log in red sanding sugar to adhere.
12. Cut log crosswise into 3/8 inch thick slices. Place slices on parchment paper-lined baking sheets at least 1-1/2 inches apart.
13. Bake in preheated oven, 1 baking sheet at a time, until centres are just slightly soft, 10 to 12 minutes.
14. Let cool on baking sheets 5 minutes then transfer cookies to wire racks and cool completely, about 30 minutes.
15. Repeat steps 10 through 14 with remaining dough and green sanding sugar.
16. Store baked cookies in a sealed container at room temperature up to 5 days.

Chocolate Refrigerator Cookies

Makes about 7 dozen cookies. This recipe is easily halved to make 1 roll of refrigerator cookies.

• 1 cup softened butter OR 1/2 cup butter + 1/2 cup shortening, softened
• 2-1/4 cups sifted all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts (optional)
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
• 2 large eggs, well-beaten
• 9 Tbsp cocoa powder plus 3 Tbsp melted butter OR 3 oz. unsweetened chocolate, melted
• about 48 milk or semi-sweet chocolate chips  OR glazed cherry halves OR nut halves for garnish (optional)

1. In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir in nuts if desired.
2. In bowl of electric mixer, cream butter (or butter and shortening) until fluffy.
3. Mix in vanilla.
4. Gradually add brown and white sugars, mixing until creamy.
5. Add beaten eggs and mix in well.
6. In small microwavable bowl, melt butter in microwave. Stir cocoa powder into butter until smooth.
7. Add chocolate mixture to cookie batter while mixing.
8. When chocolate is combined, gradually add flour mixture, combining thoroughly.
9. Chill dough 1/2 to 1 hour.
10. Shape chilled dough into rolls 2 inches in diameter and wrap in parchment paper.
11. Chill wrapped dough rolls overnight or at least 8 hours in refrigerator.
12. Using a sharp knife, cut cold dough into 1/8 inch slices.
13. Arrange cookie slices on ungreased baking sheet, leaving space between cookies to allow for spreading.
14. If garnishing with glazed cherry or nut halves (optional), press a pieces onto centre of each cookie before baking.
15. Bake in preheated 375 degree F (moderately hot) oven, 8-10 minutes.
16. Remove pan from oven and quickly place 1 chocolate chip in centre of each cookie (optional)
17. Remove cookies from pan with a flat spatula and place on a wire rack to cool.