Brown Butter, Oat & Pecan Ice Box Cookies

Ice Box or Refrigerator Cookies are a carry over from earlier times and have reappeared as the commercial "slice and bakes" available in the refrigerator section of grocery stores.

This homemade version of “slice and bakes” is an updated version of an old-fashioned oatmeal ice box cookie.

Note: This recipe is based on The Pioneer Woman's Brown Butter Crispies - her recipe browns both sticks of butter used in the recipe. I browned just one and creamed the other with the sugars. I also increased the amount of pecans.

Brown Butter, Oat & Pecan Ice Box Cookies

1 stick brown butter (instructions provided in step #1) at room temperature

1 stick butter softened.

1 cup packed brown sugar 

1 cup granulated sugar 

2 large eggs 

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

3 cups old fashioned oats 

3/4 cup pecans, chopped 

1. To brown the butter — Add the butter to a medium skillet over medium heat. Allow it to melt and bubble up, swirling the pan to keep the butter moving around, for 3 to 4 minutes. When the butter is a medium golden brown, remove the pan from the heat (it will continue browning in the pan over the next 30 seconds or so!). Allow it to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
2. Cream the softened butter with both sugars in a mixer until well combined.
   
3. Add the cooled browned butter (solids and liquid) to the creamed mixture; add the eggs and vanilla and mix to combine. 
   
4. Add the flour, salt and baking soda; mix carefully into the egg/butter mixture until well combined. 
5. Add the oats and pecans; mix to combine. 
   
6. Divide the dough in half and place each half of the dough on a sheet of waxed paper. Roll the dough into a log (approximately 2" thick but size can be adjusted to your preference) and wrap it tightly in the waxed paper. At this point either chill or freeze the dough until later, or you can go ahead and slice and bake the dough.
   
7. When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350° F. 
8. Slice the dough 3/4-inch-thick, then place on a cookie sheet about 2” apart. 
   
9. Bake until they are golden brown, about 10 minutes. 
10. Let partially cool on cookie sheets and remove to cooling rack.

Recipe without photos . . .
Brown Butter, Oat & Pecan Ice Box Cookies

1 stick brown butter (instructions provided in step #1) at room temperature

1 stick butter softened.

1 cup packed brown sugar 

1 cup granulated sugar 

2 large eggs 

1 teaspoon vanilla 

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour 

1 teaspoon kosher salt 

1 teaspoon baking soda 

3 cups old fashioned oats 

3/4 cup pecans, chopped 

1. To brown the butter — Add the butter to a medium skillet over medium heat. Allow it to melt and bubble up, swirling the pan to keep the butter moving around, for 3 to 4 minutes. When the butter is a medium golden brown, remove the pan from the heat (it will continue browning in the pan over the next 30 seconds or so!). Allow it to cool completely, about 30 minutes.
2. Cream the softened butter with both sugars in a mixer until well combined.
3. Add the cooled browned butter (solids and liquid) to the creamed mixture; add the eggs and vanilla and mix to combine. 
4. Add the flour, salt and baking soda; mix carefully into the egg/butter mixture until well combined. 
5. Add the oats and pecans; mix to combine. 
6. Divide the dough in half and place each half of the dough on a sheet of waxed paper. Roll the dough into a log (approximately 2" thick but size can be adjusted to your preference) and wrap it tightly in the waxed paper. At this point either chill or freeze the dough until later, or you can go ahead and slice and bake the dough.
7. When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350° F. 
8. Slice the dough 3/4-inch-thick, then place on a cookie sheet about 2” apart. 
9. Bake until they are golden brown, about 10 minutes. 
10. Let partially cool on cookie sheets and remove to cooling rack.