A slice of convenience with refrigerator cookies

When it comes to home baking, the idea of convenience has been kidnapped by well-meaning manufacturers who have created a culture of prerolled pie crust, shrink-wrapped cookie mix and frozen cudgels of bread dough.

Granted, the pie crusts do save time, and the bread dough might serve as training wheels for those tentative about dealing with yeast. (Come on, you can do it!)

But the convenience of refrigerated cookie dough is hardly modern. Our great-grandmothers knew this with their recipes for icebox cookies, as they once were called. These mostly humble treats got a boost in the 1930s when electric refrigerators became more affordable. Manufacturers trying to drum up business created recipes that required refrigeration, and icebox cookies were rechristened as refrigerator cookies.

When cookies became even more convenient — already baked and packaged! — the appearance of dough in our grocer's dairy case seemed positively homespun. All well and good, but making your own gives you greater control over ingredients, and can be more fun, depending on what ingredients you want to stir in.

Even better, a tube of refrigerator cookies lets you bake as many or as few as you desire. Treat your kids to a half-dozen warm cookies when they walk in the door after school. Or show them how to bake themselves a quick snack. Best of all, involve them in the mixing so they can create their own personal tube of dough, waiting in the fridge. Great-Grandma would be proud.

RECIPES

This buttery shortbread is great plain but can be jazzed up with additional ingredients. This recipe, adapted from Martha Stewart, may be refrigerated for up to four days or frozen for up to three months.

Refrigerator shortbread cookies

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

¼ teaspoon salt

2 cups flour, plus more for rolling out dough

Mix-ins (see list below)

With an electric mixer, beat together butter, sugar, vanilla and salt on medium speed until smooth and fluffy. Reduce mixer to low speed and add flour, mixing until dough forms. If desired, stir in any of a variety of mix-ins.

Divide dough in half. Working on a lightly floured surface, gently roll each piece of dough into a log about 1½ to 2 inches wide. (You might need to flour your hands a bit as well.) If desired, roll each log in a decorative coating such as finely chopped nuts, candy sprinkles, coconut, etc., pressing in gently. You'll need ¼ cup to 1⁄3 cup of coating to cover both logs.

Wrap logs tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour, or place in freezer.

To bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap log and, with a sharp knife, slice into ¼-inch slices. (If using a frozen log, let sit at room temperature 15 minutes before slicing.)

Place slices 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet and bake 13 to 15 minutes or until golden around the edges. Gently transfer to wire rack to cool. Makes 3 dozen.

Mix-in options: 1⁄3 cup chopped dried cherries or other dried fruit, grated zest of 2 lemons or limes, ½ cup finely chopped walnuts, peanuts or pecans, ½ cup mini-butterscotch or other flavored chips

Pinwheel refrigerator cookies

1¼ cup unsalted butter (2½ sticks), at room temperature

1½ cup powdered sugar

1 egg

3 cups flour, plus more for rolling out dough

½ teaspoon salt

¼ cup unsweetened baking cocoa powder (not cocoa drink mix)

With an electric mixer, beat together butter, sugar and egg on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed and add flour and salt, mixing until dough forms. (You might need to use your hands to shape it into a ball.)

Remove dough from bowl and divide in half; return half to mixing bowl. On low speed, beat in cocoa powder until evenly mixed.

Divide each flavor of dough in half. On a floured surface, roll half of plain dough into a rectangle about 8-by-10 inches. Shape the edges to make all sides straight. Repeat with half of chocolate dough, then place it on top of plain dough and roll up tightly. (You might need to run a knife or metal spatula under the dough to loosen it from the counter.)

Repeat with remaining dough.

Wrap logs tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour, or place in freezer. To bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap log and, with a sharp knife, slice into ¼-inch slices. (If using a frozen log, let sit at room temperature 15 minutes before slicing.) Place slices 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet and bake 13 to 15 minutes or until golden around edges. Gently transfer to wire rack to cool. Makes 4 dozen.

From The Betty Crocker Cookbook

Chocolate chip refrigerator cookies

¾ cup unsalted butter (1½ sticks), at room temperature

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1½ cup flour

½ teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon salt

½ cup mini-semisweet chocolate chips

½ cup finely chopped walnuts, if desired

With an electric mixer, beat together butter, sugars, egg and vanilla on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed and add flour, baking soda and salt, mixing well. Stir in chips and, if desired, nuts.

Divide dough in half and shape each piece into a log about 2 inches wide. Wrap logs tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour, or place in freezer.

To bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap log and, with a sharp knife, slice into ¼-inch slices for crisp cookies. For a slightly softer cookie, cut 1-inch slices, then cut into thirds. (If using a frozen log, let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before slicing.) Place nuggets or slices 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet and bake 10 to 12 minutes or until golden around the edges. Gently transfer to wire rack to cool. Makes 4 dozen.

Adapted from Taste of Home Cookbook

This story was originally published October 20, 2011 at 12:00 AM with the headline "A slice of convenience with refrigerator cookies."