Slice/Bake

Craving a holiday season full of freshly baked cookies that can be snacked on warm, served at parties, and shared as gifts? Take a cue from home bakers of yore, who turned to icebox cookies for simplicity and ease. As far back as 1915, the Larkin Housewives’ Cookbook advised readers to forgo the rolling pin and cookie cutters, and instead shape any cookie dough into a log, chill, then slice, because it “saves a good deal of time and is very satisfactory.” We’ve applied the old-fashioned technique to some thoroughly modern recipes for an unforgettable selection of holiday treats.