Black and White Cookies

Total Time Prep: 25 min. Bake: 15 min./batch
Yield 1 dozen
Test Kitchen Approved
With this classic black and white cookies recipe, you don't need to choose between chocolate and vanilla. Both flavors combine in the sweet half-and-half icing atop these tender, cakey cookies.

Ingredients

  • 1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup butter, softened
  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1/3 cup sour cream
  • ICING:
  • 2 cups confectioners' sugar
  • 1 tablespoon whole milk
  • 1 tablespoon light corn syrup
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons Dutch-processed cocoa

Directions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another large bowl, cream butter and sugar on high until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add egg and vanilla; mix until well combined, 1-2 minutes. Alternate adding dry ingredients and sour cream, until blended, 1-2 minutes longer.
  2. Drop 1/4 cup scoops of cookie dough on parchment-lined baking sheets, at least 3 inches apart. Bake until edges are set, 12-14 minutes. Remove from oven. Cool on pans 5 minutes; transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
  3. In a small bowl, whisk together confectioners' sugar, milk, corn syrup and vanilla extract until smooth, 1-2 minutes. Divide in half between two small bowls. Add cocoa powder to one bowl, stir until smooth. Flip cookies so flat side is up. Use a small spatula spread plain icing over half the cookie, leveling off excess. Let stand until icing is set. Repeat with chocolate icing. Let sit until icing is set.

Nutrition Facts

1 cookie: 287 calories, 10g fat (6g saturated fat), 41mg cholesterol, 242mg sodium, 47g carbohydrate (33g sugars, 2g fiber), 3g protein.

Black and white cookies are a Northeastern staple and especially popular in New York City. Sour cream is the secret ingredient to keeping the cookies melt-in-your-mouth soft. —Cathy Trochelman, Brookfield, Wisconsin
Recipe Creator

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