This classic New York cookie is actually really easy to make at home with a few simple tricks.
PREP TIME 20 minutesminutes
Additional Time 30 minutesminutes
COOK TIME 18 minutesminutes
TOTAL TIME 1 hourhour8 minutesminutes
YIELD 12cookies
Ingredients
For the Vanilla Cookies
1 3/4cupflour
1/2tspbaking powder
1/4tspbaking soda
1/8tspsalt
10tbspbuttersoftened
1cupsugar
1egg
2tspvanilla extract
1/3cupsour cream
For the Black and White Icing
5cupspowdered sugar
7tbspwhole milkdivided
2tbspcorn syrup
1tspvanilla extract
1/2tspsalt
3tbspdark chocolate cocoa powder
Instructions
Bake the Vanilla Cookies
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Adjust the baking racks to the upper and lower third positions. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking liner and set aside.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Add the butter and the sugar to a large mixing bowl. Beat them together with a hand mixer on medium speed until fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl.
Add the egg and vanilla and beat them into the butter until just combined.
Add just half of the flour mixture to the bowl. Beat it together and scrape the sides.
Add the sour cream to the bowl, beat together, and scrape the sides.
Finish by adding the last half of the flour mix into the bowl and beat together until there are no dry pockets left in the dough.
Use a 1/4 dry measuring cup to scoop the cookie dough into portions. Place 6 cookie dough mounds on each prepared cookie sheet. Be sure to keep them at least 4 inches apart from one another to allow for spread.
Slightly dampen your hands and gently press each cookie mound to start the flattening process before baking.
Bake for 7 minutes and then rotate the two trays inside the oven, bringing the bottom one up and the top one down so everything bakes evenly.
Bake for an additional 7 -8 minutes or until the cookies are just barely turning golden brown along the edges.
Let them cool on the cookie sheets for 5 minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting.
Make the Black and White Icing
Add the sugar, just 6 tbsp of the milk, corn syrup, vanilla, and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk them together until smooth.
Transfer 1 cup of the glaze to a medium bowl and set aside.
Add the remaining milk and cocoa powder to the original frosting bowl and whisk to combine until smooth.
Frost the Cookies
Flip the cookie upside down, you'll be frosting the flat bottom side of the cookie which now becomes the top.
You will absolutely want to frost the white side of the cookie first. Holding my first cookie over the bowl of the white frosting, I used a simple butter knife to spread the thick glaze over one half of the cookie in the neatest line I could by pushing the glaze along where I wanted it to be and using the knife to scrape it straight.
Tilt the cookie to the side and let the excess frosting drizzle off so it doesn't puddle on the cookie top when you set it back down on the tray to dry.
Place the white-frosted cookies in the fridge to cool completely for 15 - 20 minutes. You want the frosting to be completely set before attempting the chocolate half.
Hold each cookie one at a time over the bowl of the chocolate frosting. Use a similar scraping technique to add the frosting to the other half and let the excess drizzle back into the bowl.
Chill the cookies until the frosting is completely set before serving, 1 hour minimum.
Recipe Notes
The cookie glaze will harden as it cools but you shouldn't stack the cookies in storage. Keep them in a single layer to avoid smudges to your beautiful work.The excess frosting will also harden and dry, use it immediately on Nila wafer cookies for mini black and whites or dip salted pretzels in it and add sprinkles to match your party theme.