Black & Whites

The first time I had a black and white cookie I was in New York City, (where else can you get a REAL one?), in a cute little cafe (that I don't remember the name of) on some random little street, and it was everything I thought it would be and more.
Black and whites are one of my favorite cookies, because they're similar to a cake and (hello!) we all know how much I love cake. And because they're pretty and elegant, but are also quite simple. One side black, one side white on a simple white cake-like cookie. Done and done. Oh, and they taste really good too!


I love them, and I whole-heartedly believe that they love me back!


Black and White Recipe:*


1 3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter at room temp
4 eggs
1 3/4 cup milk
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups cake flour
2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
a pinch of cinnamon (just a tiny ammount)


* Most traditional black & white recipes include 1/2 to 1 tsp of Lemon extract. I prefer to leave this ingredient out, because I dislike chocolate and citrus together. But please, if you want to go the traditional route, add in the lemon & be sure to leave out the cinnamon.


White frosting
2 cup powdered sugar
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 tsp vanilla


Chocolate frosting
8 oz bitter or unsweetened chocolate
1 tbs butter
1/4 cup heavy cream
unsweetened cocoa powder (optional-see note*)


I wanted to do these cookies my way. Although I enjoy the traditional Black and White, I wanted to experiment with the frosting and change it up a bit. The traditional black portion of the frosting is... less chocolate-y than I would like, and is quite sweet. As is the white frosting, it's just too sweet. Not that I didn't want the frosting to be sweet, I just didn't want the frosting to overpower everything with it's sweetness! Plus I wanted to put my own spin on this cookie.


- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.


- Cream together sugar and butter until light and fluffy, add eggs, & vanilla extract


- Whisk together cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt.


- Add flour mixture to the butter mixture in batches, stirring well after each addition until combined.

- Add in the milk.


- Using a spoon, ice cream scoop, or your hands make little balls, place them 2 inches apart on the baking sheets. Bake until edges brown slightly about 15-20 minutes.


- Allow cookies to cool completely on cooling rack.


While cookies are cooling, make the frostings.

White Frosting:


- Whisk together the heavy cream, vanilla, and sugar until the consistency is thick, but still spreadable. Add more sugar or cream as necessary to reach the desired consistency.


Chocolate Frosting: (which is more of ganache-but slightly thinner)


- Heat the heavy cream in a sauce pan just until barely boiling. 
- Put the chocolate, chopped up (unless using chips) in a heat-proof bowl (microwavable), place the butter in with the chocolate. 
- Add the heavy cream to the chocolate.
- Whisk all together until it's thick and not runny, but still spreadable.



*Sometimes, the chocolate ganache can be too thin, if you let it set for a few minutes it usually thickens, (it can also help to put it in the fridge for a few minutes too) if not you may have to add either more melted chocolate or you can add unsweetened cocoa powder instead (1 tbs at a time) until it thickens. This ingredient is optional- if the chocolate is thick enough you would not have to add it. And then obviously, if the mixture is too thick, heat more heavy cream and add to the mixture but not too much. 


Once the cookies are completely cooled flip them all over so flat side is facing up.


Spread the chocolate frosting on half of the flat side of all the cookies. It's important to do this step first as the chocolate, especially since I made more of a ganache than the traditional recipe (which is more "runny"), tends to set and harden faster than the white. However, if it does start to set before you finish, pop your bowl in the microwave for 5-10 seconds and stir until it's spreadable again.


Repeat with the white frosting until, you have a black and white cookie!


Let the frosting set, (preferably overnight) then store in an airtight container.

Since these cookies are more cake-like they tend to go stale more quickly so enjoy up to about 3 maybe 4 days after making them. I would suggest taking them to work and impressing all of your co-workers with your awesome baking skills!


This recipe was adapted from Smitten Kitchen who adapted it (mostly) from Zabar's.