Red, White, and Blue Icebox Cookies are a make-ahead dessert you'll love for your summer parties and picnics. Decked out with star sprinkles and a sweet lemon glaze, these treats are ready for independence day!
Prep Time30 minutesmins
Cook Time9 minutesmins
Additional Time3 hourshrs
Total Time3 hourshrs39 minutesmins
Course: Cookies
Cuisine: American
Keyword: fourth of july, icebox, patriotic, red white and blue, sugar cookies
For the cookies, beat butter and sugar in mixing bowl until combined (about 2-3 minutes). Add egg and extract. Beat in flour, salt baking powder and milk. Mix until fully combined and dough comes together.
Divide dough in half. Roll each half into a 12 inch log. Wrap dough in plastic wrap and place in a paper towel tube that has been cut lengthwise. Freeze for 3 hours, overnight, or up to one month.
When ready to bake, remove from freezer and unwrap. Do not thaw. Slice frozen dough into 1/4 inch slices.
Bake cookies in a 350 degree oven on a parchment paper lined baking sheet for 9-11 minutes. Remove and cool completely.
For the glaze, whisk together the powdered sugar, lemon extract and milk until smooth. Dip tops of each cookie in glaze, allowing excess to drip off. Add sprinkles after every dozen cookies. Allow glaze to set, about 30 minutes. Store in airtight container. ENJOY!
Notes
You can substitute granulated sugar for the vanilla sugar, but you may want to add 1/2 vanilla bean scraped, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.
Freeze dough in a paper towel tube. Cut the tube in half and place half of the rolled up wrapped cookie dough in each one. The dough will freeze into a perfect log shape.
Keep frozen until ready to bake. You do not need to thaw ice box cookie dough before baking. Use a sharp knife to slice the frozen dough into rounds, then bake immediately!
Be careful not to overbake. The cookies will quickly turn from golden brown to overdone. If you like your cookies remove these cookies from the oven between 9 and 10 minutes, before turning golden brown. If you prefer a shortbread style butter cookie crumb, leave them in for about 11 minutes.
Store at room temperature. After baking and decorating, ice box cookies can be stored in an airtight container on the counter.