Cottage Cheese Cookies

These are old-fashioned icebox cookies with a twist: cottage cheese creamed directly into the butter before the dry ingredients go in. The cottage cheese adds moisture and a subtle tang that makes these taste richer and more interesting than a standard butter cookie, without any detectable cheese flavor in the finished product.

The slice-and-bake method requires patience. After forming the dough into a log, it needs to chill overnight. This isn’t just about making the dough firm enough to slice. The resting time lets the flour fully hydrate and the cottage cheese moisture distribute evenly, which produces a more tender cookie with a finer crumb.

Slice the chilled log thin. Thick slices won’t bake evenly at the high oven temperature, leaving you with raw centers and browned edges. Thin slices bake fast and crisp up into delicate, snappy wafers with golden edges.

Kitchen Tips

• Cream the butter and cottage cheese together until you can’t see any visible curds. A food processor does this faster and more thoroughly than a stand mixer.
• Wrap the dough log tightly in plastic wrap before chilling. Exposed dough dries out on the surface and cracks when you try to slice it.
• Use a sharp, thin-bladed knife for slicing. A dull knife compresses the log and distorts the round shape.
• Watch closely after 8 minutes. These go from golden to burnt quickly at 400°F (200°C).

Variations

• Roll the dough log in coarse sugar before chilling for a sparkly, crunchy edge on every cookie.
• Add a teaspoon of lemon zest to the dough for a bright citrus note.
• Sprinkle each slice with cinnamon sugar before baking for a simple spiced version.