Inspired by New York’s famous black-and-white cookies, these deliciously cake-like cookies look labor intensive but are really pretty easy to make. If you want to stray from the black-and-white tradition, you can tint the icing whatever color suits your palette, and palate!
Cookie Ingredients
● 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
● ½ teaspoon baking soda
● ½ teaspoon salt
● 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
● ½ cup granulated sugar
● 1 large egg, at room temperature
● 2 teaspoons fresh lemon zest
● 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
● ⅓ cup sour cream, preferably full-fat
Icing Ingredients
● 2 cups confectioners sugar
● 2 tablespoons water, plus more as needed
● 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
● ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
● 3 tablespoons Dutch-process cocoa powder
● 4 oz. baking chocolate, melted
Instructions
● Heat the oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or spray with oil.
● In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt.
● In a large bowl, beat the softened butter until creamy. Add the sugar and beat until light and fluffy. Mix in the egg, vanilla and lemon zest, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
● With the mixer on low, add the flour mixture in three additions, alternating with the sour cream. Begin and end with the flour, mixing only until everything is combined.
● Drop portions of slightly less than ¼ cup onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 4 inches between them. Bake no more than five cookies on each sheet.
● Bake for 13–14 minutes, or until the centers spring back when gently touched. Cool briefly on the pans, then transfer the cookies to a wire rack. Turn them flat-side up and allow them to cool completely.
● To prepare the icing, whisk together the confectioners sugar, water, corn syrup and vanilla until smooth and spreadable. Add a little more water, a teaspoon at a time, if needed.
● Spread vanilla icing over half of the flat side of each cookie, using the edge of a knife or offset spatula to make a clean line through the center.
● Stir in the cocoa powder, melted chocolate and enough additional water to the remaining icing to give the chocolate icing the same consistency as the vanilla icing.
● Spread the chocolate icing over the remaining half. Allow both sides to set completely before serving.
Noshing Notes
Ice the flat bottoms, not the rounded tops of the cookies. For faster decorating, refrigerate the cookies for 20–25 minutes after adding the vanilla icing, then finish them with chocolate. These are softest on the day they are made but will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
Pairs Well With
A strong cup of coffee, or a cold glass of milk.
Waste Not Want Not
Freeze any unglazed cookies for up to three months, then thaw and ice them when needed. Leftover vanilla or chocolate icing can be spooned over graham crackers, pretzels or fresh fruit, or sandwiched between two cookies for a sweet treat.
Cybele is a writer and editor with more than 16 years in the publishing industry. An avid reader, you can usually find her with the latest new book release from the local library. She currently resides on a farm in Hardwick with her husband and four children. In her spare time, she writes historical fiction specific to New Jersey.
- Cybele Tamulonis, Contributing Writerhttps://ridgeviewecho.com/author/cybele-tamulonis-contributing-writer/
- Cybele Tamulonis, Contributing Writerhttps://ridgeviewecho.com/author/cybele-tamulonis-contributing-writer/
- Cybele Tamulonis, Contributing Writerhttps://ridgeviewecho.com/author/cybele-tamulonis-contributing-writer/
- Cybele Tamulonis, Contributing Writerhttps://ridgeviewecho.com/author/cybele-tamulonis-contributing-writer/
