Wayne Gisslen

Types and Makeup Methods: Icebox Cookies

Appears in
Professional Cooking: 10th Edition
Professional Cooking

By Wayne Gisslen

Published 2025

  • About
The icebox method, or refrigerator method, is ideal for operations that wish to have freshly baked cookies on hand at all times. The rolls of dough may be made up in advance and stored. Icebox cookies can easily be cut and baked as needed.
  1. Scale dough into pieces of uniform size, from 1½ pounds (700 g), if you are making small cookies, to 3 pounds (1400 g), for large cookies.

  2. Form the dough into cylinders from 1 to 2 inches (2.5 to 5 cm) in diameter, depending on the size cookie desired.

    For accurate portioning, it is important to make all the cylinders of dough the same thickness and length.

  3. Wrap the cylinders in parchment or waxed paper, place them on sheet pans, and refrigerate overnight.

  4. Unwrap the dough and cut into slices of uniform thickness. The exact thickness required depends on the size of the cookie and how much the dough spreads during baking. The usual range is from 1/8 to 1/2 inch (3 to 12 mm).

    A slicing machine is recommended for ensuring even thickness. Doughs containing nuts or fruits should be sliced by hand with a knife.

  5. Place the slices on prepared baking sheets, allowing 2 inches (5 cm) of space between cookies.