American Flag Icebox Cookies |Video|

COOKIE DOUGH

Cookie dough is prepared using a standard method, creaming of butter and sugar, for about 3 minutes (steps 1-4). I like whisking the egg with the extract to help it blend more easily into the butter. Beat it in gradually, scraping the bowl in the process. (steps 5-8).

Into the butter mixture, beat the flour mixed with salt in three additions. Beat on low to medium-low speed until moist crumbs form, about 1 to 2 minutes (steps 1-4). Gather cookie dough into a disk (steps 5-7). If you have a kitchen scale, weigh the cookie dough and divide it into 4 equal parts (step 8).

DIVIDE COOKIE DOUGH

If you don’t have a kitchen scale, form an even disk and cut the dough in half horizontally and vertically (step 1). Take one-quarter of the dough and set it aside (steps 2-3). Gather the remaining 3 cookie dough pieces into a disk (steps 4-5). Divide the disk in half (steps 6-7). At this point, you should have three cookie portions (step 8).

COLOR COOKIE DOUGH

• It’s best to color cookie dough right after it’s been made.
• If you wait after chilling the cookie dough, the dough doesn’t take color well, and the cookies can bake unevenly.
• Use concentrated gel food colors. I don’t recommend liquid gel colors.
• Wear gloves.

Let’s start with the blue dough– Color the smallest portion of cookie dough with blue food color. Make a well in the dough and pour in royal blue gel food coloring. Knead the dough gently until the color is homogeneous throughout. Knead in white nonpareils (steps 4-8). Nonpareils sprinkles are optional. If you don’t have them, don’t use them.

Color red dough – Color one of the two larger portions with red gel food color (steps 1-7). You should have small blue dough, red, and uncolored cookie dough (step 8).

ROLL OUT COOKIE DOUGH

To roll out red and uncolored dough, I used ¼-inch rolling guides and an 8×8-inch template (step 1). You can use parchment, silicone mats or food wrap. Place a template under the silicone mat. Place uncolored cookie dough on the top. Flatten it with your hands (steps 2-3). Roll out the cookie dough and trim the edges as needed. Use the cut-off pieces to patch any areas that need more dough until you form an even 8×8-inch square. Roll the dough again with a rolling pin to smooth it out. Then place your template on top to check the size and adjust if necessary (see steps 4–8). Cover the dough and slide the silicone mat with rolled-out dough onto a cutting board.

Repeat with the red cookie dough (steps 1-5). I turned the rolled-out dough onto a parchment sheet (step 6). Slide the parchment with red dough onto an uncolored cookie dough square. Place the cutting board with 2 stacked cookie doughs into the fridge. Chill the dough for 15 minutes (steps 7-8).

LAYER WHITE AND RED COOKIE LAYERS

Brush a little bit of water onto the uncolored cookie dough (steps 1-3). Trim the parchment around the red dough to make it easier to handle (step 4). Carefully invert the red cookie dough square onto the uncolored dough. Peel off the parchment (steps 5-8).

ASEEMBLE RED AND WHITE STRIPED COOKIE LOG

Place the template on the top of the stacked cookie dough squares and trim the excess. Remove template (steps 1-4). Divide the square into two 2.5-inch strips and two 1.5-inch strips (steps 5-8). If cookie dough is too soft, chill it for 15 -30 minutes. It’s easier to handle when slightly chilled.

Stack two 2.5-inch strips of dough – Brush a 2.5-inch strip with a little water. Carefully lift the second 2.5-inch strip and place it on the top of the first strip. Check the profile of stacked layers; you should see a white-red-white-red cookie dough pattern (steps 1-4).

Assembling the ‘L’ Shape Cookie Log – Brush the top of the 2.5-inch strip with water (step 5). Carefully lift the 1.5-inch strip of cookie dough and place it onto the top of the 2.5-inch strip. Align it with the edge and repeat with the second 1.5-inch strip (steps 6-8). Be sure to stack layers, alternating white and red layers. You should have an “L” shape profile log.

Use a ruler to adjust the sides, keeping them straight. Avoid using your fingers for the best result. They can cause dents in the cookie dough. Cover with a food wrap and chill for 15 minutes (steps 1-4).

SHAPE BLUE COOKIE LOG

Shape the blue cookie dough into an 8-inch log (step 1). Roll it out to ½ inch thick and a little over 2 inches wide (step 2). Cut the dough in half. Brush one strip with some water and carefully lay the second piece of blue dough on the top (steps 3-8).

Trim one side and measure 1-inch with a ruler. Trim the excess dough. You should have a 1-inch by 1-inch by 8-inch blue log (steps 1-6). Chill for 10 minutes. It’s easier to handle.

COOKIE LOG ASSEMBLY

• I noticed the inner edge of the ‘L’ shaped cookie log wasn’t straight, so I trimmed it with a knife before adding the blue cookie log (steps 1-2).
• Brush the inner edges with a bit of water (step 3).
• Carefully lift the chilled blue layer and place it onto the red-white log, filling the empty ‘L’ log section.
• Use rulers or handy straight rolling guides to push the blue log into place, keeping the edges straight and avoiding making dents in the cookie dough (steps 5-7).
• Cover the cookie log well with food wrap and freeze it on a flat surface for 1 to 2 hours before slicing (step 8).
• If you are not making the cookies right away, double-wrap the frozen log in food wrap and place it in a freezer-safe Ziploc bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.

SLICE COOKIES

• Place a frozen cookie log onto a cutting board and remove the food wrap. If you find the cookie dough too hard to slice, let it sit for 5 minutes. Trim the long edge as needed to make it even (steps 1-3). Trim the ends (step 4).
• Use a ruler to divide the log into ¼-inch pieces.
• Slice cookies with a sharp knife.

BAKE

Transfer chilled cookies onto a baking sheet lined with parchment or a perforated mat. Bake in the preheated oven at 375°F (190°C) for 10 minutes. Let cool before storing. Baked cookies can also be frozen.

This post was originally published on June 21st, 2011. On May 28th, 2022, I updated this recipe post with new step-by-step pictures, written text, and video.