Black and White Cookies Recipe
Whip up a batch of homemade New York black and white cookies that have a soft texture (similar to snickerdoodle cookies) and the signature look of half chocolate and half vanilla icing on top.
This is one of the best cookie recipes to make when you can’t decide whether you want chocolate or vanilla because these half moon cookies are both!
Ingredient Notes
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Baking staples: All-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, granulated sugar, and vanilla extract.
- Egg: Bring the egg out to room temperature at the same time you bring out the butter and sour cream. Starting with room-temperature ingredients ensures everything blends together well and bakes evenly.
- Unsalted butter: You want the butter soft enough to cream but not melted. I use unsalted to control the amount of salt added to the cookie dough.
- Sour cream: Use full-fat sour cream, also at room temperature. This secret ingredient gives these cookies an extra soft, moist crumb! Plain Greek yogurt is a close second (non-fat sour cream is not!).
- For the icing: We’re using a classic sugar cookie frosting as the base. So, you’ll need powdered sugar, whole milk, light corn syrup, vanilla, extract, salt, and for the chocolate half, I use Ghirardelli Dutch-processed cocoa powder.
How to Make Black and White Cookies
In a medium bowl, whisk dry ingredients together. In a large mixing bowl, beat wet ingredients. Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and reduce the speed to low as you combine everything, including the sour cream. Chill dough for 15 minutes.
Use a large cookie scoop to scoop about 6 cookies per parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes until the edges are lightly golden brown. Cool 5 minutes on pan before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
Using a butter knife, spread vanilla icing onto half of each cookie. Refrigerate for 15 minutes to set before adding chocolate icing to the other half. This is so that they don’t bleed into each other, and there are two distinct halves. Let cookies set and enjoy!
Recipe Tips
- Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and scrape off the excess with a flat-edged knife.
- The batter (cookie dough) will be thick. Use an electric mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer to help you out.
- I used ultra-Dutch processed cocoa, which makes the cocoa perfect black (like in Oreo cookies). It’s what I prefer, but regular cocoa powder works.
- Make your life easier and spread the icing on the flat side of the cookie. It’s also a great way to cover the edges up if they turn a little too brown.
- Add a different flavor to your cookies. Squirt a little lemon juice or lemon zest into the batter for lemon flavor. Swap vanilla extract for almond extract.
Storage
- Store: Keep black & white cookies stored in an airtight container at room temperature for a couple of days or refrigerate them for up to a week. If you’re stacking your cookies, layer them with parchment paper so they don’t stick together.
- Freeze: They also freeze well for up to 3 months.
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Black and White Cookies
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These black and white cookies are made with a shortbread like cookie topped with both vanilla and chocolate icing. A staple in New York City bakeries now made at home!
Cookies
Preheat and prepare: Preheat oven to 350°F . Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Whisk the dry ingredients together: In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 3/4 cups flour, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/4 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
Cream wet ingredients together: In a large bowl or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat together 8 Tablespoons butter and 1 cup sugar on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the egg and 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, as needed.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients: Reduce to low speed and add 1/2 of the the dry ingredients , then 1/2 of the sour cream. Beat everything on low until combined, then add remaining flour and sour cream. Batter will be thick. Refrigerate dough for 15 minutes.
Drop onto prepared sheet and bake: Using a large cookie scoop, add about 6 cookies per sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
Icing
Make the white icing: In a medium sized bowl, whisk the 5 cups powdered sugar, 6 of the Tablespoons of milk, 2 Tablespoons corn syrup, 1 teaspoon vanilla, and 1/2 teaspoon salt together in a medium bowl. If it’s too thick to whisk, you can add an extra Tablespoon of milk.
Make the chocolate icing: Transfer 1 cup of the prepared icing into a separate bowl, add the remaining Tablespoon of milk and the 3 Tablespoons of cocoa powder. Whisk until combined.
Spread icing, rest, and spread again: Spread vanilla icing onto half of each cookie. Refrigerate for 15 minutes or until set so that the icings do not bleed into each other. Spread chocolate icing onto other half and allow the icing to set completely, about 1 hour.
Calories: 468kcal | Carbohydrates: 90g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 12g | Saturated Fat: 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 184mg | Potassium: 87mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 74g | Vitamin A: 366IU | Vitamin C: 0.1mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
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