Make-Ahead Icebox Sugar Cookies...

The beauty of Icebox cookies (called as such because you refrigerate the dough before baking it) is that they are ideal for the hectic holidays because you can make the dough up to a month ahead, shape them into logs, freeze then thaw them when you're ready to slice and bake. I really love this basic butter-and-sugar dough by Chatelaine. You can add in whatever your heart desires, and for a little variety on something nice and sweet as teacher gifts, I am going to offer four flavours: candy cane, maple walnut, citrus fruitcake and mocha. These are also perfect as presents for busy friends- just wrap and freeze logs of homemade cookie dough and include slice-and-bake instructions.

Make-Ahead Icebox Sugar Cookies
Makes 55 to 60 cookies

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/2 tsp. salt
1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 egg
1 tsp. vanilla
3/4 cup granulated sugar

From left to right: candy cane, maple walnut, mocha and citrus fruitcake 

Bag candy canes, seal and smack with side of chef's knife.

Stir flour with baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside. Beat butter with sugar in a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium-high, until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla. Gradually beat in flour mixture, just until combined. 

For the variations I chose to make, here are the recipe adaptations:

Candy Cane: Omit vanilla. Add 1/2 cup finely chopped candy canes to flour mixture.

Maple Walnut: Omit vanilla. Add 1/2 cup finely chopped toasted walnuts to flour mixture. Add 1/4 cup maple syrup with egg.

Citrus Fruitcake: Omit vanilla. Add 3 Tbsp. each finely chopped red and green glacé cherries, and candied lemon peel, 1 tsp. cinnamon to flour mixture. Add 1 tsp. lemon extract or 1/4 tsp. lemon oil with egg.

Mocha: Add 1/3 cup cocoa powder and 1 Tbsp. instant-coffee granules to flour mixture.

Four bowls for four flavours. NOTE: I made the base recipe twice, halved to make four flavours. 
Just follow recipe to make 55-60 cookies each or/ divided to make two flavours 30 cookies each.

Gather into a ball. Divide dough in half, then roll each portion into a 2-inch wide log. Wrap logs in wax/parchment paper and twist ends. Chill until firm, 1 to 1-1/2 hours.

I like to gather my dough into logs right in their bowls.

Lightly squeeze entire log to mold an even cylindrical shape.

To roll, wrap one end of the paper over the log and use your fingers to
pull in the log while your thumbs hold it in place. Roll up and twist ends.

Chill prepared logs on a tray.

Position racks in top and bottom thirds of oven. Preheat to 350F. Line two baking sheets with parchment. Slice cookies into 1/4-inch rounds and arrange 1-inch apart on prepared sheets. Bake, switching sheets halfway through, until cookies are golden, about 12 to 15 minutes. 

Use the upper and lower thirds of your oven to bake two sheets at a time, rotating halfway.

Let cookies cool on sheets for one minute, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely. Repeat with remaining dough. Cookies will keep well, stored in an airtight container at room temperature, up to five days. Make-Ahead TIP: Keep dough in freezer up to one month. Thaw overnight in refrigerator before using.

Piling on the cooled cookies to make room for the hot-out-of-the-oven ones!

Makes for a lovely sweet treat tray to serve guests with coffee or tea.

Betcha' can't eat just one?

Matias is my cookie monster! GRRR...

If you enjoy the lovely combo of white chocolate, dried cranberries and pecans as much as I do, come back tomorrow for some delicious big-batch cookies fabulous for a large gathering such as Kris Kringle...