Homemade Slice and Bake Cookies

Skip the tubes of preservative filled cookie dough and whip up your own slice and bake cookies with Shauna Sever‘s recipe. The rolled and wrapped dough can be stored in the refrigerator for a few days or the the freezer for up to six months. The next time that cookie craving hits, slice off a few, bake them in your Kenmore toaster oven and pat yourself on the back for planning ahead.

Ingredients:

• 1 cup unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanilla paste
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour

For finishing the cookies:

• 1 large egg yolk
• Sanding sugar or other coarse decorative sugar

Directions:

In a standing mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter at medium speed until it is soft and creamy-looking. Beat in the sugars just until the mixture looks smooth again, being careful not to let it get fluffy. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl and beat in the egg yolks and the vanilla paste, mixing until well-blended. Turn the mixer to low and stir in the flour until it is fully incorporated. The dough will be very soft and not quite clear the sides of the bowl. Turn the dough out onto a work surface and divide it in half.

Shape each dough half into an even log about nine inches long and wrap each log in a sheet of plastic wrap (the plastic wrap can also help the dough-shaping process along if your dough is especially soft and sticky). Refrigerate for at least three hours.

When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Coat each log of dough with the remaining egg yolk, and coat liberally in decorative sugar. Slice each log into 24 discs and place on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, until the edges turn golden brown and the cookies are mostly firm to the touch. Cool on the baking sheets for one minute then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.