Black and White Cookies - Holiday Style

Trying think outside of the usual holiday cookie box, I thought I would try one of my favorite treats this week. The black and white cookie is a NYC favorite and when done right it is a sweet and cake-like cookie that is perfect for dessert or with your afternoon tea. With a little food paste, I was able to jazz these up for the holidays and the result was not as cute as I would have hoped, but a fun alternative to the usual cut out Santa's and dry gingerbread. Easy to make and decorate, might be a good addition to your cookie tray this week.


Black and White Cookies
Adapted from Gourmet 2002
Makes about large 10 cookies

For Cookies:
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup well shaken buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup (5 1/3 tablespoons) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg

For Icing:
1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
1 tablespoon light corn syrup
2 teaspoon lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon vanilla
1 to 2 tablespoons water
1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder
red and green food coloring or paste (if want to make festive)

Preheat oven to 350 degrees

Whisk together flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl. Stir together buttermilk and vanilla in a cup.

Beat together butter and sugar in a large bowl with electric mixer until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes, then add egg, beating until combined well. Mix in flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternately in batches at low speed (scraping down sides of bowl occasionally), beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix until smooth.

Spoon 1/4 cups of batter 2 inches apart onto a buttered large baking sheet. Tap down the batter to flatten the tops. Bake in middle of oven until tops are puffed and pale golden, and cookies spring back when touched, 15 to 17 minutes. Transfer with a metal spatula to a rack and cool completely.

Meanwhile, stir together confectioners sugar, corn syrup, lemon juice, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl until smooth. Transfer half of the icing to another bowl and stir in the coca, adding more water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, to thin to same consistency as white icing.

**If making festive: divide rest of white icing in two bowls. Add red and green food paste or coloring to desired color.

Once cookies are completely cool, turn cookies flat sides up, then spread the colored icing on half of each and chocolate over the other half.

Enjoy!
xoxo
Erin