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Icebox cookies are a classic, old-fashioned cookie that get its name from chilling the cookie dough in the refrigerator (or “icebox”) before baking. Once chilled, the dough is sliced into rounds or shapes and baked until lightly golden. The result is a tender, crisp-edged cookie that just melts in your mouth. They are super buttery and perfect for any occasion.
Since this recipe is so versatile, icebox cookies truly shine on Valentine’s Day. The dough can easily be tinted pink or red, rolled in festive sprinkles, or layered to create hearts, swirls, or checkerboard patterns as seen in my Christmas Present Icebox Cookie recipe. They’re eye-catching, nostalgic, and completely customizable. This recipe is truly a choose-your-own-adventure recipe.
Table of Contents
Why Icebox Cookies Are Perfect for Valentine’s Day
Valentine’s Day can be busy, and that’s where icebox cookies really come through. The dough can be made days in advance, stored in the fridge or freezer, and baked whenever you’re ready. That makes them perfect for planning ahead, gifting, or baking in small batches throughout the week. I am a snacker so I love how I have the options of only baking what I want to eat and saving the rest of dough for when I want some more cookies.
The cookies are also incredibly versatile and you can keep them classic with vanilla and sugar, add cocoa for chocolate contrast, or mix in almond extract for a bakery-style twist.
Valentine’s Day baking doesn’t have to be complicated to be special. In fact, some of the most charming treats come from the simplest recipes—and Valentine’s Day icebox cookies are the perfect example. These slice-and-bake beauties are buttery, festive, and ideal for sharing with the people you love. I love baking them baking for kids and coworkers. I also recommend giving them as an edible gift to that special someone. Icebox cookies bring big Valentine vibes with minimal stress.
A Fun Baking Project for All Ages
Valentine’s Day icebox cookies are a wonderful baking project for kids and beginners. Rolling the dough into logs, choosing sprinkle colors, and revealing fun designs with each slice makes baking feel magical. Kids love seeing the patterns appear, and adults appreciate how foolproof the process is. I love that you can include your kids when making these cookies. You can spend quality time, introduce them to baking, and get a delicious treat at the end of all the work.
Since these cookies make such great edible gifts, you can have your children help you make them and give them to the class for school parties. The cookies can be stacked in clear bags, tied with ribbon and then given. You literally have a homemade Valentine that feels thoughtful and personal without being overly complicated or pricey.
Flavor Ideas & Festive Variations
One of the best things about icebox cookies is how easily you can adapt them:
- Classic Vanilla Butter Cookies with pink sanding sugar
- Chocolate & Vanilla Swirl Cookies for a dramatic look
- Strawberry-Flavored Dough using freeze-dried strawberries
- Heart-Pattern Cookies using layered dough techniques
- Sprinkle-Studded Edges for extra crunch and color
You can keep the flavor simple and let the design shine, or experiment with extracts and mix-ins to make them uniquely yours.
Ingredients and Tips
This is a list of some of the ingredients used in this recipe. For the full list of ingredients please see recipe card below.
Flour– This recipe uses cake flour. Cookies should be tender so using cake flour was a no brainer. Some flours have too high of a protein content which makes a cookie tough. My favorite cake flour to use is Swans Down Cake Flour.
If using my substitution method for replacing cake flour with all-purpose flour, there are a few adjustments. I usually use King Arthur unbleached all-purpose flour for all my other cookie recipes.
Butter– Since icebox cookies are essentially a form of sugar cookie, it is important use a good quality butter for the best flavor. I use Kerrygold unsalted butter when I can, but I also find that some store brands can be good. I would not use margarine or anything with a lot of artificial flavors and additives.
Cornstarch– In this recipe cornstarch is used only if doing my substitution method for replacing cake flour with all-purpose flour. Cornstarch makes the cookies more crumbly which adds to tenderness. Potato starch would also be okay to use in this recipe.
Vanilla Extract– Vanilla extract is another important ingredient in this recipe. A quality vanilla is so important for the flavor. I usually use Madagascar Vanilla Extract but a good bourbon vanilla extract deepens that flavor profile of these cookies.
Perfect for Sharing, Gifting, and Celebrating
Valentine’s Day is all about sharing love, and cookies are one of the easiest ways to do that. Icebox cookies travel well, stay fresh longer than many soft cookies, and look beautiful packaged up as gifts. They’re ideal for classroom parties, cookie exchanges, dessert tables, or a cozy night in with someone special.
There’s something comforting about baking a classic recipe and dressing it up for the season. Valentine’s Day icebox cookies strike that balance perfectly—they feel nostalgic yet festive, simple yet special.
I love the classic idea of wrapping cookies up in plastic bags with cute ribbons, but my favorite way to gift these cookies is decorative boxes. It is like giving the next person a little memorable souvenir. The person can also use the box once the cookies are all gone. This makes the gift all the more special to me.
I made these cookies for a Valentine’s Day party. Everyone loved them and asked for recipe. Since you are reading this blog, I am happy to share my recipe with you and others. See recipe card below for full recipe.
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Valentine’s Day Icebox Cookies
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Equipment
- Mini Cookie cutters
- Hand Mixer or Stand Mixer optional
Ingredients
- 2 sticks butter softened
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 3 large eggs yolks at room temperature
- 3 cups Cake flour see note for all purpose flour substitution
- 1 tsp salt
- red gel or oil food coloring
- pink gel or oil food coloring
- *6 tbsp corn or potato starch only if using cake flour substitution in notes
- 1 egg white for glue
Instructions
Dough
- To a large bowl, add butter and beat until butter is smooth and slightly paler.2 sticks butter
- Add in the powder sugar and slowly beat until combined.2 cups powdered sugar
- Add in the vanilla. Then add in 3 egg yolks one at a time, beating thoroughly between additions.1 tsp vanilla, 3 large eggs yolks
- Add in the flour and salt. Beat until a dry crumbly dough forms.3 cups Cake flour, 1 tsp salt
- Pour dough out onto work bench and begin working dough until it comes together and is no longer crumbly. Form dough into a square.
- Using your bench scraper, cut dough into three unequal parts. You should have a larger piece and two small pieces. Wrap the larger piece in cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 30mins.
Coloring dough
- Take one of the smaller pieces of dough and add a few drops of red food coloring. Massage the color in the dough. Add more food coloring until you get the desired color. Wrap in cling wrap and refrigerate for at least 30mins. (Notes: I always use a little orange food coloring as a primary when coloring paler doughs. Its helps the red appear much more vibrant.)
- For the other smaller piece of dough, repeat the previous step.
Double Heart-Shaped Pattern
- Roll out the red and pink doughs to about ¼ of an inch thick. You will need two small Heart-shaped cookie cutters. One should be bigger than the other.
- Using the larger cookie cutter, begin cutting heart shapes out of the pink dough. You will need enough to form a 13in log when placed together.
- Take one of your pink hearts and rub some egg whites on the back of it. Press another pink heart to it until they are stuck together. Repeat this until you have a 13in log of dough hearts.
- Using the smaller cookie cutter, cut enough hearts shapes out of the red cookie dough. You need enough hearts to form a 13 inch log.
- Take one of your red hearts, rub with some egg whites on the back of it. Press another red heart to it until they are stuck together. Repeat this until you have a 13in log of dough hearts. Refrigerate about 10mins if dough is getting too soft.
- Grab the pale dough from the refrigerator and cut a small amount off. Place the small amount of dough between some parchment paper and roll it out about ⅛ of an inch thick.
- Place the pink hearts log on the dough. Rub the sides of the pink heart log with eggs whites. Using the parchment, begin working the pale dough about the pink heart log, making sure to have good cohesion to prevent holes in the finish cookies. Repeat this for the red heart log. Refrigerate if needed.
- Using more of the egg whites, glue together the pink and red heart logs, making sure both hearts are facing up. Cut a bit more of the pale dough. Work it in your hands to warm it up. Fill in gaps and seams between the two heart logs using soft pale dough. Refrigerate as needed.
- Cut the rest of the pale dough in two. Work it in your hands to warm it up, then form two rough logs about the same length of the heart logs. Place pale dough logs on the opposite sides of the heart logs. Begin shaping and molding softer pale dough until the entire log of dough is an even cylinder shape. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill until firm.
Pink and Red Marble Design
- Using the rest of the pink and red dough, shape the red dough into thick disc. Then tear pieces of the pink dough, and dot it randomly on the red dough disc. Place a sheet of parchment on top of the dough and roll it into ¼ of an inch thick. Using a medium sized heart-shaped cookie cutter, cut out cookies. Repeat until scrapes are used up.
Baking Cookies
- Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Cut cookies about ¼ of inch thick. Place cookies on cookie sheet and bake for about 15-20mins or until bottom of cookies are golden.
- Cool cookies on cooling rack.
- Enjoy!!!
Notes
Nutrition
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