Description
Classic New York-style Black and White Cookies featuring a tender, buttery cake-like base topped with a smooth, glossy half-vanilla, half-chocolate icing for the perfect balance of flavors and textures.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour (160g)
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients and Base
- 6 Tbsp unsalted butter, room temperature (85g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract (10mL)
- ⅓ cup buttermilk (80mL)
Vanilla Icing
- 2 cups confectioners’ sugar (240g)
- 2 tsp lemon juice, fresh (optional)
- 2 Tbsp water, plus more as needed
- 1 Tbsp light corn syrup
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
Chocolate Icing
- 3 Tbsp cocoa powder, Dutch-process preferred (18g)
- Water as needed
- 1 tsp corn syrup
Instructions
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt and set aside.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the room temperature unsalted butter. Add the granulated sugar and beat on high speed until the mixture is light and fluffy. Then mix in the egg and vanilla extract. Scrape down the sides to ensure even mixing.
- Combine Batter: Add the dry flour mixture and buttermilk alternately in three batches to the creamed mixture, starting and ending with the flour. Mix on low speed just until combined. Use a spatula to scrape the bowl and mix in any remaining flour or butter bits.
- Form Cookies: Using a ¼ cup cookie scoop or a greased measuring cup, drop dollops of batter onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing about 4 inches apart to allow for spreading. Place no more than 5 cookies per baking sheet to avoid overcrowding.
- Bake Cookies: Bake on the center rack at 350°F for 13-14 minutes or until cookie centers are springy to the touch. Remove and let cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheets before transferring them upside down to a wire rack to cool completely. This technique ensures the flat bottom becomes the top for icing.
- Prepare Vanilla Icing: In a large bowl, whisk together confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice (optional), light corn syrup, and 2 tablespoons of water. Add more water if necessary to achieve a smooth, spreadable consistency.
- Prepare Chocolate Icing: Transfer nearly half of the vanilla icing to a separate bowl. Mix in cocoa powder, a few teaspoons of water, and a teaspoon of corn syrup. Beat on high speed until the chocolate icing is glossy and smooth. Adjust water amount as needed to match vanilla icing consistency.
- Ice Cookies – Vanilla Side: Using a small or offset spatula, spread a thin layer of vanilla icing over half of each cooled cookie. Use the edge of a knife or spatula to create a neat dividing line down the center by gently drawing the icing from the middle towards the edge. Clean the tool before repeating on the other side. Allow the icing to set.
- Ice Cookies – Chocolate Side: Spread the chocolate icing on the other half of the cookie, pushing the icing right to the center. Smooth quickly with the spatula and allow the icing to set completely before serving.
Notes
- Get the best of both worlds with these Black and White cookies, glazed with both chocolate and vanilla icing so you don’t have to choose your favorite flavor.
- Using Dutch-process cocoa powder gives a richer, smoother chocolate icing.
- Cooling the cookies upside down creates a flat surface perfect for even icing application.
- Ensure you don’t overcrowd the baking sheets so cookies bake evenly and maintain their shape.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 347 kcal
- Sugar: 45 g
- Sodium: 238 mg
- Fat: 10 g
- Saturated Fat: 6 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 1 g
- Carbohydrates: 62 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 47 mg
