When it comes to home baking, the idea of convenience has been kidnapped by well-meaning manufacturers who have created a culture of pre-rolled pie crust, shrink-wrapped cookie mix and frozen cudgels of bread dough.

Granted, the pie crusts do save time, and the bread dough may serve as training wheels for those tentative about dealing with yeast. (Come on, you can do it!)

But the convenience of refrigerated cookie dough is hardly modern. Our great-grandmothers knew this with their recipes for icebox cookies, as they once were called.

REFRIGERATOR SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Makes 3 dozen.

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature

1 cup powdered sugar

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1/4 tsp. salt

2 cup flour, plus more for rolling out dough

Mix-ins (see list below)

With an electric mixer, beat together butter, sugar, vanilla and salt on medium speed until smooth and fluffy. Reduce mixer to low speed and add flour, mixing until a dough forms. If desired, stir in any of a variety of mix-ins (see below).

Divide the dough in half. Working on a lightly floured surface, gently roll each piece of dough into a log about 1 ½ to 2 inches wide. (You may need to flour your hands a bit as well.) If desired, roll each log in a decorative coating such as finely chopped nuts, candy sprinkles, coconut, etc., pressing in gently. You’ll need 1/4 cup to1/3 cup of coating to cover both logs.

Wrap logs tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour, or place in freezer.

To bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap log and, with a sharp knife, slice into 1/4-inch slices. (If using a frozen log, let sit at room temperature 15 minutes before slicing.)

Place slices 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until golden around the edges. Gently transfer to wire rack to cool.

Note: This buttery shortbread is great plain, but can be jazzed up with additional ingredients. This recipe, adapted from Martha Stewart, may be refrigerated for up to four days or frozen for up to three months.

Some mix-in options:

1/3 cup chopped dried cherries or other dried fruit

Grated zest of 2 lemons or limes

½ cup finely chopped walnuts, peanuts or pecans

½ cup mini-butterscotch or other flavored chips

PINWHEEL REFRIGERATOR COOKIES

Makes 4 dozen.

1 1/4 cup unsalted butter (2 ½ sticks), at room temperature

1 ½ cup powdered sugar

1 egg

3 cup flour, plus more for rolling out dough

½ tsp. salt

1/4 cup unsweetened baking cocoa powder (not cocoa drink mix)

With an electric mixer, beat together butter, sugar and egg on medium speed until light and fluffy. Reduce speed and add flour and salt, mixing until a dough forms. (You may need to use your hands to shape into a ball.) Remove dough from bowl and divide in half; return half to mixing bowl. On low speed, beat in cocoa powder until evenly mixed.

Divide each flavor of dough in half. On a floured surface, roll plain dough into a rectangle about 8-by-10 inches. Shape the edges to make all sides straight.

Repeat with the chocolate dough, then place it on top of plain dough and roll up tightly. (You may need to run a knife or metal spatula under the dough to loosen it from the counter.)

Repeat with remaining dough.

You can also make a simpler bulls-eye cookie by dividing and rolling the chocolate dough into two cylinders 8 inches long, then dividing and rolling the vanilla dough into two rectangles 8 inches long and about 3 inches wide. Place the chocolate tubes on the vanilla dough and wrap, pressing the seam to seal. Wrap logs tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour, or place in freezer. To bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Unwrap log and, with a sharp knife, slice into1/4-inch slices. (If using a frozen log, let sit at room temperature 15 minutes before slicing.)

Place slices 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 13 to 15 minutes or until golden around the edges. Gently transfer to wire rack to cool.

Note: Intimidated by a pinwheel? A simpler bulls-eye variation is below. This recipe is adapted from “The Betty Crocker Cookbook.”

CHOCOLATE CHIP REFRIGERATOR COOKIES

Makes 4 dozen.

3/4 cup unsalted butter (1 ½ sticks), at room temperature

½ cup brown sugar

½ cup granulated sugar

1 egg

1 tsp. vanilla extract

1 ½ cup flour

½ tsp. baking soda

½ tsp. salt

½ cup mini-semisweet chocolate chips

½ cup finely chopped walnuts, if desired

With an electric mixer, beat together butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg and vanilla on medium speed until light and fluffy.

Reduce speed and add flour, baking soda and salt, mixing well. Stir in chips and, if desired, nuts.

Divide dough in half and shape each piece into a log about 2 inches wide. Wrap logs tightly in plastic wrap. Refrigerate until firm, about 1 hour, or place in freezer.

To bake, preheat oven to 350 degrees. Unwrap log and, with a sharp knife, slice into 1/4-inch slices for crisp cookies. For a slightly softer cookie, cut 1-inch slices, then cut into thirds. (If using a frozen log, let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes before slicing.)

Place nuggets or slices 2 inches apart on ungreased cookie sheet and bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden around the edges.

Gently transfer to wire rack to cool.

Note: Save money along with time by keeping your own tube of chocolate chip cookie dough in the fridge. This recipe is adapted from “Taste of Home Cookbook.”