Some of the homemade butter toffee bits melted more than I think store-bought toffee bits would, which caused some of the cookie edges to break down if the bits happened to be on the edge, but overall I think they work well. I upped the salt in the recipe just a little, (not enough to call it “salted”). You might be able to increase the salt even more but you would probably be required to call it “salted” butter toffee icebox cookies.

Although I do like the plain, pure qualities of the original recipe with chocolate chips, the toffee bits really add something special to these. Ben tends to buy store-bought cookies, so I wanted something that we could make to save some money.

butter toffee icebox cookies

ingredients

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature 

1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/2 light brown sugar (I didn’t have brown sugar, but I had demerara sugar, which is sort of light brown)

3 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 teaspoon salt

1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 eggs

1 cup butter toffee bits, chopped (recipe below, or store-bought toffee bits)

method

Cream the butter and sugars in a large bowl with a handheld electric mixer. Add the eggs, vanilla, and salt, and continue to beat until light and fluffy.

Gradually add the flour with the mixer on low and blend in, then do the same for the chopped butter toffee bits.

For homemade toffee bits: Get a baking sheet ready by lining with a Silpat. Add 1/2 cup of sugar into a small saucepan with 2 Tablespoons of water, getting all the sugar wet by dragging your finger around the bottom of the saucepan. Add 1/2 cup unsalted butter, plus 3/4 teaspoon salt (or to taste) to the saucepan. Turn on to medium heat and use a candy thermometer to boil until temperature reaches 300 degrees F., then immediately pour on top of Silpat on the baking sheet. Allow to cool completely, then break up toffee into shards and transfer to a cutting board and chop into desired small pieces. This yields about a cup of butter toffee bits. You can also use storebought and premade toffee bits, usually sold in the baking aisle of most grocery stores.

Chill the dough for about 30 minutes to an hour, until firm enough to shape.

Divide the dough into two equal portions and form each into a log, wrap in waxed paper or plastic wrap and refrigerate again, this time for at least 4 hours or more, until very firm.

When ready to bake, line baking sheets with parchment paper and heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut cookies about 1/4 -inch thick and spaced about an inch apart from each other on baking sheets. Bake for about 9-11 minutes until lightly brown on edges. My cookies were cut slightly thicker and took about 12 minutes.

Remove from oven and let cool on baking sheet on wire racks for a minute or so until more firm as it cools. Store in an airtight container.