Black and white cookies are tender, calmly lemon-scented cookies with two varieties of frosting: half vanilla icing and half chocolate icing. These pillowy tender cookies are a New York traditional, and a visit to Manhattan is not full with out one.
What makes these the BEST Black and White Cookies
Should you’ve by no means had a black and white cookie, additionally typically known as a half and half cookie, please, add this cookie to your must-make checklist this 12 months! The web tells me that black and white cookies originated from a bakery in Manhattan known as Glaser’s Bake Store, and white I have never had one from that precise store, I’ve eaten many a black and white cookie in New York. Additionally, I’ve eaten a number of mini New York cheesecakes in my day.
The flavour mixture of lemon, vanilla and chocolate altogether is simply so good! These cookies are tender, nearly like a muffin-top cookie however with crisp, buttery edges. It’s a must to attempt them in the event you love tender cookies with icing, like lofthouse cookies!
What are Black and White Cookies?
Black and white cookies are tender calmly lemon-scented cookies which are frosted on the underside (flat) aspect with half vanilla and half chocolate icing. They’re classically New York, and you’ll seize one in nearly any bakery.
Black and White Cookies Recipe Elements
- Butter. It is a small batch recipe, so we solely want 2.5 tablespoons of unsalted, softened butter.
- Sugar. Granulated sugar is what we want.
- Lemon Zest. Use a microplane to finely grate simply ¼ teaspoon of lemon zest.
- Vanilla Extract. I all the time suggest pure vanilla extract, not the bogus stuff.
- Flour. Customary all-purpose flour for baking.
- Salt. superb sea salt; only a pinch
- Baking Soda. These cookies are barely domed and fluffy, and the baking soda creates that texture.
- Egg Yolk. We want simply the yolk from the egg; reserve the white for one more use. Here’s a checklist of recipes for egg whites.
- Milk. Milk makes these cookies tender, and I all the time suggest complete milk for baking.
- Powdered Sugar. The frosting for these cookies is powdered sugar and scorching water primarily based. The white aspect of the cookie has vanilla, whereas the chocolate aspect has cocoa powder.
- Cocoa Powder. Only a small quantity for the chocolate glaze.
Easy methods to make White and Black Cookies
Beat along with an electrical hand mixer the softened butter, sugar, lemon zest and vanilla extract.
After the combination is well-blended, add the egg yolk and beat once more to mix.
Subsequent, add the flour, salt and baking soda and blend for a couple of seconds earlier than sifting the flour and baking soda on high.
Utilizing the hand mixer to beat within the flour combination, after which add the milk.
Scoop out 10 balls of dough utilizing a tablespoon measure, and evenly house them on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Bake for 10 minutes at 350-degrees Fahrenheit. Let the cookies cool earlier than making the icings.
Whereas the cookies cool, whisk collectively the icing substances in two separate bowls. Add cocoa to on bowl to make chocolate frosting. Unfold the white icing on first, after which let it set within the fridge earlier than doing the chocolate aspect.
Suggestions for the Greatest Black and White Cookies
It is a small batch recipe, so you should definitely solely use the egg yolk, not the entire egg.
Easy methods to retailer White and Black Cookies
Retailer these cookies at room temperature in a single layer (not touching) for as much as 2 days on the counter. You possibly can refrigerate them for a further 2 days. I don’t suggest freezing them as soon as frosted, because the icing will liquify slowly over time. You possibly can freeze these cookies with out frosting for as much as 3 months earlier than icing. Defrost at room temperature, frost and serve.
Should you love these, you will like my black and matcha cookies which are identical to this, however the white icing accommodates matcha. It’s also possible to add crushed freeze-dried raspberries, strawberries or blueberries to dye the white icing different colours and flavors. This recipe makes 10 cookies, which is the proper small batch recipe!
Yield: 10
Black and White Cookies
A small batch of traditional New York black and white cookies.
Prep Time
40 minutes
Cook dinner Time
10 minutes
Whole Time
50 minutes
Elements
- 2 ½ tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
- 
¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar
- 
¼ teaspoon (packed) lemon zest
- 
¼ teaspoon vanilla
 extract
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons flour
- 
¼ teaspoon salt
- 
¼ teaspoon baking soda
- 
1 egg yolk from 1 giant egg
- 
¼ cup milk
For the frosting:
- 
2 cups powdered sugar
- ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract

- 1 tablespoon cocoa powder
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a big cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, beat along with an electrical mixer the butter, sugar, lemon zest and vanilla.
- Add the egg yolk and beat to mix.
- Place a sifter over the bowl and dump within the flour, salt and baking soda.
- Combine calmly earlier than including the milk suddenly. Beat till simply combined–do not over combine.
- Use a tablespoon to make 10 cookies on the baking sheet. Calmly press the cookies to flatten them out. Bake for 10 minutes. You might check for doneness by utilizing a toothpick. Let sit on the cookie sheet 3-4 minutes earlier than shifting the cookies to a wire rack to chill fully.
- Subsequent, make the frosting: In two small bowls, place 1 cup of powdered sugar in every. Add the cocoa powder to one of many bowls.
- Add half of the vanilla and a couple of teaspoons of scorching water to every bowl and stir vigorously with a fork to kind a easy icing.
- Historically, these cookies are iced on the underside however I simply can’t deliver myself to frost something however the high. On whichever aspect of the cookie you select, unfold one kind of icing on half of the cookie. Let cookies set in fridge for a couple of minutes earlier than spreading different half with reverse icing.
Diet Data:
Yield:
10
Serving Dimension:
1
Quantity Per Serving:
Energy: 145Whole Fats: 4gSaturated Fats: 2gTrans Fats: 0gUnsaturated Fats: 2gLdl cholesterol: 45mgSodium: 96mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 0gSugar: 24gProtein: 1g