Butterscotch Crunch Cookies

This morning I awoke to the sad news that baking celebrity, the Pillsbury Doughboy, died as a result of a severe yeast infection and complications from repeated pokes in the belly. He was seventy-one. According to funeral attendees Cap’n Crunch and Betty Crocker, “Aunt Jemima delivered the eulogy, describing Doughboy as a man who never knew how much he was kneaded. Despite being a little flaky at times, he was considered a roll model for millions.” Poppin’ Fresh you’ll be sadly missed and to honor your memory we are baking butterscotch crunch slice-and-bake cookies a.k.a Tennessee icebox cookies.

Butterscotch Crunch Cookies

Slice-and-bake cookies also known as icebox or refrigerator cookies produce large yields, can be prepared in advance and baked when needed. After the dough is mixed and shaped into logs, it can be refrigerated or frozen. Stored in airtight, zip-top bags, logs of slice-and-bake cookie dough can be frozen for up to three months. When you’re in a baking mood, just slice off as many cookies as you think you’ll need. Any dough that you don’t use can be refrozen. These crispy butterscotch crunch cookies snap between your teeth and every bite is filled with deeply sweet, nutty, caramel flavor. This recipe is by pastry chef Nick Malgieri, published in his outstanding cookbook, Cookies Unlimited. No need to visit the refrigerator section of your supermarket to bake these beauties. Sweet dreams Doughboy.

Assemble your ingredients. In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir well to mix. Set the mixture aside. In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the butter or margarine and brown sugar on medium speed until well mixed, about a minute. Add the vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time, waiting until the mixture evens out before adding another egg. Scrape the bowl using a spatula to make sure there are no unmixed pockets. Add the flour mixture followed by the almonds.

Spread a large sheet of parchment paper on your work surface. (Plastic wrap will also work.) Eyeball the dough and divide it into three. Scrape one portion of the the dough onto the parchment paper and shape it into a rough cylinder, about 10 inches long and 1 1/2 inches in diameter, with your hands. Cover the log with the parchment paper and holding on to the edge of the paper, push against one side of the covered log with a straight edge such as a bench scraper or ruler to press tight around it, creating a uniform cylinder. (Check out this video.) Repeat with the other two portions of dough.

To keep your perfectly shaped round log from flattening out on the bottom while it chills, save a few empty paper towel rolls, cut each in half lengthwise to make cardboard troughs with rounded bottoms, and then place a log in each half for chilling. Chill the dough until firm. The well-wrapped logs of dough can also be placed in the freezer until needed.

When you are ready to bake the cookies, set a rack in the middle position in your oven and preheat the oven to 350 F. Line three large baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice the chilled log of cookie dough into disks 1/4 inch thick, rotating the log of dough as you slice so it doesn’t become squashed from the weight of the knife. Arrange the cookie slices on the baking sheet about two inches apart. Bake each sheet of cookies for ten minutes or until the cookies are light golden brown and firm to the touch. Allow the cookies to cool on a cooling rack. Once the cookies have cooled store them between layers of parchment paper in an airtight container.

Print Recipe

Butterscotch Crunch Cookies

Cookies, Cakes, Pies and Desserts

By Nick Malgieri, Cookies Unlimited – Serves: 30 (2 cookies/serving)

Prep Time: 15 minutes + chilling time – Cooking Time: 3X10 minutes – Total Time: 45 minutes + chilling time

Crispy butterscotch cookies that snap between your teeth, every bite filled with deeply sweet, nutty, caramel flavor.

Ingredients

• 3 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 16 tablespoons (2 sticks) unsalted butter or stick margarine, softened
• 2 1/2 cups firmly packed light brown sugar
• 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs
• 4 ounces (about 1 cup) coarsely chopped slivered almonds

Instructions

Prepare the dough:

1

In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, and salt. Stir well to mix. Set the mixture aside.

2

In the bowl of a stand mixer using the paddle attachment, beat the butter or margarine and brown sugar on medium speed until well mixed, about a minute. Add the vanilla. Beat in the eggs one at a time, waiting until the mixture evens out before adding another egg. Scrape the bowl using a spatula to make sure there are no unmixed pockets. Add the flour mixture followed by the almonds.

3

Spread a large sheet of parchment paper on your work surface. (Plastic wrap will also work.) Eyeball the dough and divide it into three. Scrape one portion of the the dough onto the parchment paper and shape it into a rough cylinder, about 10 inches long and 1 1/2 inches in diameter with your hands. Cover the log with the parchment paper and holding on to the edge of the paper, push against one side of the covered log with a straight edge such as a bench scraper or ruler to press tight around it, creating a uniform cylinder. Repeat with the other two portions of dough. To keep your perfectly shaped round log from flattening out on the bottom while it chills, save a few empty paper towel rolls, cut each in half lengthwise to make cardboard troughs with rounded bottoms, and then place a log in each half for chilling. Chill the dough until firm. The well-wrapped logs of dough can also be placed in the freezer until needed.

Bake cookies:

4

When you are ready to bake the cookies, set a rack in the middle position in your oven and preheat the oven to 350 F. Line three large baking sheets with parchment paper. Slice the chilled log of cookie dough into disks 1/4 inch thick, rotating the log of dough as you slice so it doesn't become squashed from the weight of the knife. Arrange the cookie slices on the baking sheet about two inches apart. Bake each sheet of cookies for ten minutes or until the cookies are light golden brown and firm to the touch. Allow the cookies to cool on a cooling rack. Once the cookies have cooled store them between layers of parchment paper in an airtight container.

Notes

Cookies can be stored in a airtight container for up to a week. They also freeze very well.