Black and White Cookies

Black and White Cookies are soft, cakey cookies covered in a thick layer of frosting flavored with both vanilla and chocolate.

Whenever I see her at a gathering, the black and white icing on the cake seems to indicate elegant sophistication and that there is certainly something to celebrate.

Don’t let black and white limit you though, these cookies are easy to dress up for a holiday or themed party with colorful frosting, sprinkles or edible glitter.

Tips and tricks for baking black and white cookies

Black and white cookies might seem intimidating, but they’re easier than you think. Here are a few tips to ensure delicious cookies and professional-looking, clean lines in the frosting.

• Use ingredients that are at room temperature for the dough. When the ingredients are at the same temperature, they bind and emulsify better.
• Take the butter out of the fridge first. Don’t be tempted to heat the butter, if it melts too much the cookies will spread further.
• For even cookies with a uniform, round shape, use a 1/4 cup (2 ounce) cookie scoop to portion. Space them further apart on the baking sheets than you normally would. If your pan normally fits 12 biscuits, only place six biscuits on a tray.
• Allow the cookies to cool completely before frosting or the frosting will melt.
• Ice the flat bottoms of the cookies, not the rounded tops.
• The best tool for spreading the glaze is a small offset spatula. An offset spatula provides the precision you need to apply an even coat of glaze with a sharp, straight line. If you don’t have an offset spatula, a butter knife works almost as well.
• I find it easier to glaze the cookies color by color and chill them in between so the glaze sets. Apply the white frosting to half of the cookie, then place the cookies in the fridge for 15 minutes. Allow the white icing to set before adding the black icing. It helps to get a clean line and prevents the colors from running together.

How to make Jet Black and Brilliant White Glaze

If you want the white glaze to be brilliant white and the black glaze to be jet black, you can increase the contrast with a few substitutions.

While regular vanilla extract won’t color the frosting too much, you can substitute clear vanilla extract if you want the frosting to be all white.

This recipe calls for Dutch cocoa in the glaze because it’s darker than the red-brown color of natural cocoa powder. You can use natural cocoa if you have it on hand; it just won’t be as black. To make jet-black frosting, try black cocoa powder, which is an extra-dark, ultra-Dutch processed cocoa.

How to spice up black and white cookies

Black and white may be formal attire, but don’t feel constrained by tradition. Whether you’re making these for Christmas parties, New Year’s Eve, or any other fun celebration, it’s easy to add some glamor to black and white cookies.

Change colors: Bring your cookies from black and white to technicolor with food coloring. Gel food coloring works best with this type of icing. With liquid food coloring, you need to use a lot more. You can also try natural food coloring like matcha powder for green, or freeze-dried fruit powder or fruit juices for other colors. Be sure to adjust the thickness with more or less milk to balance the added liquid or powder color.

Use sprinkles or edible glitter: Cover the cookies with some sprinkles, edible glitter, or shine dust. Add the sprinkles or glitter before the frosting sets so they stick. Apply shine dust to the frosting after it has set. Shine Dust can be applied with a dry brush or mix a few drops of vodka into the Shine Dust and apply with a brush.

Storage Instructions

Because of their cake-like texture, black and white cookies are best eaten the same day they are baked. They’ll keep for up to 3 days, stored in an airtight container at room temperature, or refrigerated for up to 7 days.

If you want to prepare them in advance, it’s better to freeze the cookies after baking. Preparing and chilling the dough ahead of time will not work. The dough should be baked immediately as the baking soda activates once it is wet.

Black and White Cookies can be frozen, frosted, or unfrosted for up to 3 months. Place them between pieces of parchment and store in an airtight container or ziplock bag. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight, then bring them to room temperature before serving.

More frosted cookie recipes

• Lofthouse style soft frosted sugar cookies
• Best Sugar Cookies
• Gingerbread Cookie Bars
• Christmas Sugar Cookies