Ice Box Sugar Cookies

It's been three years to the day since I shared this recipe on my blog and I still make it all the time! My sweet sister-in-law, Maria, gave me this personalized rolling pin that says “baked by pam”. For it’s inaugural use I had to make my grandmother’s sugar cookie recipe that she wrote on a plain piece of stationery. You make the dough, put it in the fridge, or “ice box” as she called it, roll out, cut, and bake.

Ice Box Sugar Cookies  

1 ½ cups of butter (softened to room temperature)

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup white granulated sugar

3 eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

pinch of salt

4 ½ cups all-purpose flour

{1 cup chopped pecans – optional}

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Mix butter and both sugars in a large bowl with a mixer. Slowly add eggs, one at a time, mixing as you go. Add in vanilla and salt and mix again.

Add flour slowly in ½ cup increments mixing on low speed until all flour is incorporated. Mix for 30 seconds on medium until smooth. {stir in nuts by hand if using them}.

Tear off a large piece of tin foil and place dough in the middle. Shape into a “log” and wrap up tightly. Place in fridge for about 30 minutes. Remove from fridge and unwrap. Using a knife, cut off a large slice of dough and roll out onto a floured cutting board surface until ½ inch thick. I’m not an expert at rolling out dough so whatever thickness you have is probably fine. 

Flour the rolling pin on all sides and roll onto dough.  

Using cookie cutters, cut out shapes of dough and place on an ungreased cookie sheet. 

Sprinkle cookies with white granulated sugar. Continue until all dough is used.

Bake at 350 degrees for 12 to 15 minutes. Let cool on pan for two minutes then remove to a wire cooling rack.