Black and White Cookies - Classic, Easy Cookie Recipe! (2024)

Black and White Cookies are a classic New York City bakery staple! And now you can make them at home – soft, cake-like vanilla cookies with the perfect, tender crumb. Topped with sweet and glossy, half vanilla and half chocolate icing, these cookies are the best of both worlds!

Table of Contents

• Why You’ll Love This Black and White Cookie Recipe
• Ingredient Notes
• How to Make Black and White Cookies
• Tips for Success
• How to Store Black and White Cookies
• More Easy Cookie Recipes
• Get the Recipe

Why You’ll Love This Black and White Cookie Recipe

• Incredible texture. These pillowy, soft and buttery cookies fall somewhere between a tender cookie and a dense cake, topped with half chocolate and half vanilla icing.Their soft cakey texture is to die for.
• Perfectly sweet. Traditionally, these cookies are frosted on the flat undersides, so that’s what I did with this recipe. The frosting adds just the right amount of sweetness.
• Gorgeous. I just love how glossy the icing is on these Black and White cookies. It really makes them stand out on a cookie platter!

What Flavor Are Black and White Cookies?

The cookie itself is a buttery vanilla flavor, topped with sweet chocolate and vanilla. A deliciously sweet and chewy cookie that offers a mix of chocolate and vanilla in each bite!

Ingredient Notes

Here’s a quick look at what you’ll need to make black and white cookies. Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for ingredient amounts.

For the Cookies

• Butter: Brought to room temperature.
• Cake Flour: The fine consistency and low protein will give the softest, fluffiest (and most authentic) cake-like cookie texture. You can also substitute cake flour by sifting 1 cup of all purpose flour (less 2 tablespoons) with 2 tablespoons of cornstarch. Sift the mixture twice for the best aeration!
• Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk I have an easy recipe for a homemade buttermilk substitute that will do the trick.
• Sugar: Regular white granulated sugar is best.
• Egg
• Vanilla
• Baking Powder
• Salt

For the Icing

The icing for Black and White Cookies is made from a simple combo of powdered sugar and milk, that sets up nicely and makes these cookies great for gifting.

• Dark Cocoa Powder: Unsweetened. I like to use a dark cocoa powder for the chocolate icing, since the result is nearly black.
• Powdered Sugar
• Milk

How to Make Black and White Cookies

This recipe makes 8 large cookies, much in the same style you’d find in New York bakeries. You can certainly make smaller cookies if you prefer; just adjust the baking time to be a little less.

• Make the cookie dough. Beat together the butter and sugar, then add in the egg, vanilla, baking powder, and salt. Mix the ingredients until they’re smooth. Don’t forget to scrape the sides of the bowl!Alternate adding the flour and buttermilk, starting and ending with the flour. Mix everything until just combined; be careful to not over-mix.
• Place on a Baking Sheet: Portion out the dough using a large cookie scoop, and place the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

• Bake: Bake the cookies in a preheated oven until the tops are set and the edges are lightly golden. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack and let them cool completely before icing.
• Make the Glaze: Whisk together the powdered sugar and milk, then divide the icing by half. Add the cocoa powder to one half (you can add in a teaspoon of milk if you find the chocolate glaze too thick to spread).
• Ice the Cookies: Spread the white icing on one half of the cookie and chocolate icing on the other. Leave your Black and White Cookies to set completely before storing them!

Tips for Success

• To speed up the icing step: I recommend icing the white side of the cookie first, followed by the chocolate side. If you’d like to speed up the setting time of the first icing layer, place the half-iced cookies in the fridge for about 20 minutes before icing the other half.
• Ice the flat side of the cookies: Remember to ice the flat, bottom side of the cookies! We’re all just so used to icing the tops, so it’s worth making a mental note before you start.

How to Store Black and White Cookies

These cookies are best enjoyed the day you make them, as this is when they’re at their freshest! But if you have any leftovers here’s how to store them:

• Counter: Black and White cookies will keep for up to 3 days when stored airtight at room temperature – after which you should move them to the fridge.
• Freezer: These cookies can be frozen after baking (but before glazing), or you can freeze the cookie dough itself for up to 3 months. In both cases, thaw the cookies/dough completely before you glaze and/or bake them.

More Easy Cookie Recipes

• Perfect Snickerdoodle Cookies
• White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
• Red Velvet Thumbprint Cookies
• Lemon Blueberry Whoopie Pies
• Easy Soft Sugar Cookies

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