Vanilla icebox cookies are simple, buttery slice-and-bake rounds with crisp edges and a tender, vanilla-scented centre. The dough rolls into logs, chills until firm, and slices into forty-eight neat cookies ready for the oven. They're the quiet star of the cookie tin — plain in the best possible way.
MAKES 48 COOKIES
Ingredients
2¼ cups almond flour
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup (240 ml) coconut oil, softened
1¼ cups palm sugar
2 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
Preparation
1.В В Whisk flour and salt together in a medium bowl.
2.В В In a separate large bowl, beat the coconut oil and palm sugar together using an electric mixer on medium-high speed for about 30 seconds or until well combined. Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla until combined (about 30 seconds), scraping down the bowl and beaters as needed. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture, beating until combined (about 30 seconds).
3.В В Transfer the dough to a clean counter and divide into two equal pieces. Roll each piece of dough into a six-inch-long log about two inches thick. Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about two hours.
4.В В Twenty minutes before baking time, adjust the oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 325°F (165°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
5.В В Working with one log at a time, slice the dough into quarter-inch-thick cookies. Lay the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spaced about ¾ inch apart. Bake the cookies until edges begin to brown (12 to 15 minutes), switching and rotating baking sheets halfway through baking.
6.В В Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Pro Tips
- Use good vanilla extract here since it's the main flavour — imitation vanilla leaves these cookies tasting flat and sugary.
- Chill the logs a full two hours until genuinely firm. The clean slice is what gives icebox cookies their signature neat round shape.
- Slice to a quarter-inch thickness and space the cookies three-quarters of an inch apart; they spread just enough to thin at the edges.
- Bake until the edges just begin to brown. They firm as they cool and go hard quickly if left in a minute too long.
Frequently Asked Questions
How far ahead can I make the dough?
The wrapped logs keep three days in the fridge and two months in the freezer. Slice and bake straight from the fridge for best results.
Can I flavour them differently?
Yes — add lemon zest, a pinch of cinnamon, or a tablespoon of poppy seeds to the dough. The vanilla base welcomes all of them.
Why are my cookies too crisp?
They overbaked. Pull them the moment the edges colour — they'll seem soft on the sheet but firm up perfectly as they cool.
How should I store them?
Airtight at room temperature for a week. A slice of bread in the tin keeps them tender in the middle if you like them softer.
Recipe Card
Ingredients
Method
- 1. В В Whisk flour and salt together in a medium bowl. 2. В В In a separate large bowl, beat the coconut oil and palm sugar together using an electric mixer on medium-high speed for about 30 seconds or until well combined.
- Beat in the egg yolks and vanilla until combined (about 30 seconds), scraping down the bowl and beaters as needed.
- Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture, beating until combined (about 30 seconds). 3. В В Transfer the dough to a clean counter and divide into two equal pieces.
- Roll each piece of dough into a six-inch-long log about two inches thick.
- Wrap the dough tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate until firm, about two hours. 4. В В Twenty minutes before baking time, adjust the oven racks to the upper-middle and lower-middle positions and heat the oven to 325°F.
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. 5. В В Working with one log at a time, slice the dough into quarter-inch-thick cookies. Lay the cookies on the prepared baking sheets, spaced about ¾ inch apart.
- Bake the cookies until edges begin to brown (12 to 15 minutes), switching and rotating baking sheets halfway through baking. 6. В В Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
