Gluten-Free Icebox Cookies

These gluten-free icebox cookies studded with cranberries and pistachios are the ultimate make-ahead holiday cookie; just slice and bake!

The holiday season has finally arrived and it’s time to get baking.  Like many of you, I have my favorites that I come back to again and again every year and these cranberry pistachio icebox cookies are one of them.

It’s a classic cookie and a holiday favorite for a number of reasons not the least of which is how easy they are to make ahead of time and how well they store; but it’s their crisp, buttery texture and not too sweet flavor that wins me over every time.

Also called slice-and-bake cookies or refrigerator cookies, they are particularly great for baking during the holiday season since the easy to make dough can be made ahead of time and stored in the fridge until needed. When you are ready to bake simply slice off the number of cookies you need and you have a fresh batch of homemade cookies ready in a matter of minutes. 

It’s the kind of recipe that everyone should have in their repertoire, regardless of whether you consider yourself a baker or not.  In fact these would be great to get the kids involved with since the dough can be mixed by hand.

The texture is firm like a rolled sugar cookie but more buttery and delicate, like a shortbread cookie.  These vegan slice and bake cookies are speckled with dried cranberries, pistachios and a hint of orange zest, but feel free to play around with the add-ins and come up with your own combinations. 

How to Make Gluten-Free Icebox Cookies:

1. The concept is simple:  First you stir together the dough.  All you need is one bowl and a few minutes to create your basic dough. 
2. Then you add in your dried fruit, nuts and flavorings.  The dough at this point will be quite soft so you’ll place it onto a piece of parchment, roll it into a log and pop it in the fridge to chill.  Let the dough chill until firm enough to slice or leave it in the fridge until ready to bake.
3. When you are ready to bake un-wrap the log and slice the dough into ¼ inch slices before placing the rounds onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and baking them off in a 325 degree F oven.
4. Perfect for family gatherings, gift boxes or as an afternoon treat these may quickly become one of your favorites for the holidays and beyond.

Happy baking!

More Gluten-Free Cookies to Try:

• 20 Gluten-Free Cookies and Bars

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Yield: 24 cookies

Gluten-Free Ice Box Cookies with Cranberries and Pistachios (Paleo, Vegan)

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 14 minutes

Additional Time: 3 hours

Total Time: 3 hours 29 minutes

These gluten-free cranberry pistachio icebox cookies are the ultimate make-ahead holiday cookie; just slice and bake!

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Ingredients

• 3 Tablespoons/45g palm shortening (or room temperature butter for a non-vegan version)
• 3 Tablespoons/45ml maple syrup
• Zest of ½ an orange (optional)
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ¾ cup/84g almond flour
• ½ cup/48g tapioca flour
• ¼ teaspoon baking soda
• Pinch of fine sea salt
• 2 Tablespoons/20g cranberries (naturally sweetened)
• 3 Tablespoons/26g chopped pistachios

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
   
2. In a large bowl combine shortening, maple syrup, orange zest (if using) and vanilla extract. In another bowl stir together the almond flour, tapioca, baking soda and salt.  Add the flour mixture to the shortening mixture and stir until a soft dough forms. Stir in cranberries and pistachios. 
3. Turn dough out onto a piece of parchment paper. Roll into a log, about 6 inches in length. Wrap in parchment and chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours until firm or for up to a week.
   
4. To bake, preheat oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Slice the cookies ¼-inch thick (re-shape if needed) and space on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart.
   
5. Bake until the edges are golden around the edges (about 12-14 minutes). Transfer baking sheet to a wire rack and let cool completely before eating or storing.
   
6. Serve immediately or store an airtight container at room temperature.

Notes

Dough can be prepared ahead of time and kept in the fridge for up to a week or frozen. If freezing, transfer dough from freezer to fridge to thaw before slicing.

Variations: Substitute your favorite dried fruit and nuts for the cranberries and pistachios. Use almond extract instead of vanilla. Substitute lemon zest for orange.

Recipe can be doubled to make 2 logs.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Arrowhead Mills Flour Tapioca, 18 oz
• 
  Eden Organic Dried Cranberries, 4 oz Pouches
• 
  Nutiva Organic Shortening, Original, 15 oz

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

24

Serving Size:

1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 79Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 22mgCarbohydrates: 6gFiber: 1gSugar: 4gProtein: 1g

Nutritional information for recipes contained on this website, such as calories, fat, carbs, etc. are only estimates and are not guaranteed to be accurate.

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Sylvie

Sylvie Shirazi is the recipe developer and food photographer behind Gourmande in the Kitchen. For the last 10 years she's been making eating more healthfully easy and accessible with gluten-free, grain-free, paleo and vegan recipes that are free from processed ingredients.