Description
Classic Black and White Cookies featuring a soft and tender base topped with a smooth, glossy split of vanilla and chocolate icing, offering the perfect balance of flavors and textures in each bite.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cups all-purpose flour (160g)
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 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)
- A few teaspoons water (as needed)
- 1 tsp light corn syrup
Instructions
- Preheat and prepare baking sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt until well combined, then set aside.
- Cream butter and sugar: Using a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the softened butter on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy. Gradually add the granulated sugar and beat until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add egg and vanilla: Mix in the egg and vanilla extract until fully incorporated, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure even mixing.
- Incorporate dry ingredients and buttermilk: Add the flour mixture and buttermilk alternately in three batches, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix on low speed and combine just until incorporated, then use a spatula to scrape down the bowl and mix any remaining bits.
- Scoop the batter: Using a ¼ cup cookie scoop or lightly greased measuring cup, drop rounded balls of batter onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 4 inches apart to allow spreading. Limit to 5 cookies per sheet.
- Bake: Bake on the center rack at 350°F for 13 to 14 minutes or until the centers of the cookies are springy to the touch and edges are lightly golden.
- Cool the cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before carefully transferring them upside down to wire racks to cool completely. Cooling upside down creates a flat top surface ideal for icing.
- Prepare vanilla icing: In a large bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, vanilla extract, lemon juice (if using), corn syrup, and water until smooth. Add more water as needed to reach a thin, spreadable consistency.
- Prepare chocolate icing: Transfer nearly half the vanilla icing to a separate bowl. Blend in the cocoa powder, a teaspoon of corn syrup, and a few teaspoons of water. Mix on high speed until glossy and smooth, adjusting water to match the vanilla icing’s consistency.
- Ice the cookies: Using a small or offset spatula, spread a thin layer of vanilla icing over half of each cookie’s flat surface. Use the edge of a knife or spatula to create a neat dividing line down the center by gently drawing icing from the center outward. Allow it to set.
- Add the chocolate icing: Spread the chocolate icing over the other half of each cookie, pushing it right to the center. Smooth the surface quickly and allow the icing to fully set before serving.
Notes
- Get the best of both worlds with these Black and White cookies, glazed with both chocolate and vanilla icings, so you don’t have to choose your favorite.
- Use Dutch-process cocoa powder for a richer, smoother chocolate icing.
- Cooling the cookies upside down ensures the bottom becomes flat and perfect for icing.
- Keep spacing generous on baking sheets to prevent cookies merging during baking.
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
