With their simple, homespun charm, these icebox cookies are just the nibble you'll want to have on hand as you do your Christmas gift wrapping. The thinner you can slice the dough, the crisper the cookies will be, so we freeze the dough for a bit (after chilling it in the fridge) before slicing. Plus, it will be much easier to cut through the almonds and get nice, neat rounds.
•Dough can be chilled up to 3 days or frozen, wrapped in plastic wrap, then foil, 1 month (thaw in refrigerator just until dough can be sliced).
•Cookies keep in an airtight container at room temperature 1 week.
Recipe information
Total Time
6 hr
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt. Beat together butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, then beat in egg and vanilla. At low speed, mix in flour mixture until a dough just forms. Stir in whole almonds. Divide dough in half. Using a sheet of plastic wrap or wax paper as an aid, form each piece of dough into a log 9 to 9 1/2 inches long (about 1 1/4 inches in diameter). Chill, wrapped in plastic wrap, until very firm, at least 4 hours. Freeze 30 minutes to facilitate slicing.
Step 2
Preheat oven to 350°F with racks in upper and lower thirds. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper. Cut 1 log of dough crosswise into slices less than 1/8 inch thick with a thin sharp knife, rotating log after each slice to help keep round shape. (If dough gets too soft to slice through nuts easily, freeze briefly.) Arrange cookies about 1/2 inch apart on baking sheets.
Step 3
Bake cookies, switching position of sheets halfway through, until golden brown all over, 12 to 15 minutes total. Transfer cookies on parchment to racks to cool.
Step 4
Repeat with remaining dough (cool baking sheets and line with fresh parchment).
