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Classic Black and White Cookies arranged on parchment paper, each cookie half covered in chocolate icing and half in vanilla icing

Black and White Cookies

5 from 1 vote
These iconic half-chocolate, half-vanilla cookies bring a little bakery magic to your own kitchen.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Icing set time 1 minute
Total Time 44 minutes
Servings: 14 Cookies
Course: Dessert, Snack
Cuisine: American, New York
Calories: 420
Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled for accurate measuring
  • ½ teaspoon baking powder to give gentle lift
  • ⅓ teaspoon baking soda for balance with the dairy
  • ⅓ teaspoon salt to sharpen the sweetness
  • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter softened to room temperature for creaming
  • 1 ⅙ cups granulated sugar for structure and sweetness
  • 1 large egg brought to room temperature for smooth mixing
  • 2 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract for warm bakery flavor
  • ½ cup full-fat sour cream room temperature for tenderness
  • 6 ½ cups confectioners’ sugar measured before sifting for accuracy
  • 8 tablespoons whole milk divided to control icing thickness
  • 2 ½ tablespoons light corn syrup for shine and smooth texture
  • 1 ¼ teaspoons vanilla extract to flavor the vanilla icing
  • ¾ teaspoon salt to keep the icing from tasting flat
  • 3 ½ tablespoons cocoa powder for the chocolate half of the icing

Method
 

  1. Heat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats.
  2. Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
  3. Beat the butter and sugar together until pale and fluffy, then blend in the egg and vanilla until smooth, scraping the bowl as needed.
  4. Lower the mixer speed and add the dry ingredients in three additions, alternating with the sour cream, mixing just until a very thick batter forms with no dry pockets.
  5. Scoop the batter using a greased ¼-cup measure, spacing mounds well apart on the pans, and bake until the edges are lightly golden.
  6. Let the cookies rest on the pans briefly, then move them to a rack and cool completely before decorating.
  7. Whisk the confectioners’ sugar, most of the milk, corn syrup, vanilla, and salt into a smooth icing, then move about one cup to another bowl and blend in the remaining milk and cocoa.
  8. Spread the vanilla icing over half of each cookie’s flat side and chill briefly so it firms up without running.
  9. Cover the other half with chocolate icing and let the cookies sit until the tops are fully set before serving.

Nutrition

Serving: 140gCalories: 420kcalCarbohydrates: 62gProtein: 5gFat: 18gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 70mgSodium: 220mgPotassium: 120mgFiber: 2gSugar: 45gVitamin A: 500IUCalcium: 60mgIron: 2mg

Notes

Big, soft, and generously iced—these cookies taste like a trip to a neighborhood bakery counter and always disappear faster than expected.

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