Pastel Black and White Cookies for spring are simple, elegant and perfect for your party. Add color to the glaze to give them a seasonal flare.
I gave the classic New York City black and white cookies a seasonal makeover so you can have the perfect spring dessert.
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The cookie’s simple design and sweet flavor stay true to the original, but with my colorful twist they’ll now remind you of spring. The classics adorn the shelves of New York bakeries and deli shelves.
There are fewer and fewer bakeries making the classic cookie anymore, so if you find one, snag it!
Make homemade black and white cookies
I always get excited to see black and white cookies, whether it be at a bakery or a party. Their subtle mix of vanilla and chocolate satisfies my sweet tooth without being too overbearing. Because I love them so much, I obviously wanted to make them myself.
As I was making them, however, I decided to have a little fun with the glaze and add different colors. For spring, I add pastel pinks and blues in place of the traditional chocolate. For fall, go ahead and add orange and yellow! And the creativity can work for whatever season you’re celebrating.
Pastel Black and White Cookies are versatile for any season or holiday.
More Easter Desserts
Watch as these Pastel Black and White Cookies disappear from the plate. For other Easter desserts try my Easy Easter Bunny and Chick Cupcakes and my One Pan Sugar Cookie Bars.
The secret to cakey black and white cookies
Black and white cookies are made with both cake flour and all-purpose flour. The difference between the two flours lies in the fineness and protein content. Using cake flours helps the cookies to have a fine and delicate crumb like, well, cake. I add all-purpose flour for structure.
Just using cake flour would result in crumbly cookies. With the addition of a little all-purpose flour I get just enough gluten and protein to make the cookies more rich with a tiny bit of chew in the crumb.
The glaze for these black and white cookies is simple to make and has a very elegant look. Classic black and white cookie frosting is a soft glaze that sets so it has a bit of a shell on the surface. It’s still creamy and soft when you bite into it.
Don’t skip the corn syrup, it’s the key ingredient to making traditional glaze and helps the frosting keep a bit of a shine.
How to make the cookie glaze:
- Combine confectioners’ sugar, corn syrup ,water and 1 tsp vanilla. Be sure to sift the confectioners’ sugar so there are not lumps.
- Beat until smooth.
- Keep half of the glaze un-tinted.
- Divide remaining glaze between two bowls and tint blue and pink. I like this gel paste food coloring for the pink.
How to glaze the cookies:
- Turn cookies bottom side up.
- Spread or pipe half of each bottom with the colored glaze and half with the white glaze. I like using this offset spatula.
- Allow glaze to set, about 30 minutes.
Pastel Black and White Cookies for spring are simple, elegant and perfect for your party. Add color to the glaze to give them a seasonal flare.
- 1 cup plus 2 tbsp cake flour
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 6 cups confectioners' sugar
- ¼ cup light corn syrup
- 6 to 7 tbsp water
- Food coloring
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Heat oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment; set aside. In a bowl whisk together cake flour, all-purpose flour, baking powder and salt. In another bowl beat together butter, sugar and 1 tsp vanilla until fluffy, about 3 min. Beat in the eggs and egg yolks one at a time. Reduce speed, add the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Scrape sides of bowl to evenly mix batter.
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Transfer dough to a ziplock bag and sip a corner for piping ¾-inch mounds, or spoon batter by heaping teaspoon onto baking sheets, 1 inch apart. Freeze for 10 min. Bake until cooked but not browned, 8 to 9 min. Cool 5 min, then transfer to a wire rack.
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Make Glaze: Combine confectioners' sugar, corn syrup, water and remaining 1 tsp vanilla until smooth. Keep half the glaze un-tinted. Divide remaining glaze between two bowls and tint blue and pink.
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Turn the cookies bottom side up. Spread or pipe half of each bottom with the colored glaze and half with the white glaze. Allow glaze to set, about 30 min. Store cookies airtight for up to 3 days.
Makes about 5 dozen
Recipe Tara Teaspoon. Photography Peter Ardito. Originally published LHJ 4/13
