Ingredients (~12 large cookies)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup whole milk
For the Icings
- 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 6 tablespoons whole milk
- 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon additional milk
Make the Cookie Dough
Preheat your oven to 350F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
In a large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy – about 3-4 minutes. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then the vanilla.
Alternate adding the flour mixture and milk to the butter mixture, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix just until combined.
The dough will be soft and slightly sticky – more like a thick cake batter than cookie dough.
Shape and Bake the Cookies
Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup or large ice cream scoop, drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 3 inches apart.
These cookies spread quite a bit, so don’t crowd them.
Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops spring back lightly when touched. The bottoms should be golden but the tops will stay pale.
Cool completely on the baking sheets before icing – at least 30 minutes.
Make Both Icings
For the vanilla icing, whisk together 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar, 3 tablespoons milk, 1 1/2 tablespoons corn syrup, and the vanilla until smooth.
For the chocolate icing, whisk together the remaining 2 1/4 cups powdered sugar, cocoa powder, 3 tablespoons milk, remaining corn syrup, and 1 tablespoon additional milk.
Both icings should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon but thin enough to spread smoothly. Add more milk 1 teaspoon at a time if needed.
Ice the Cookies
Working with one cookie at a time, spread vanilla icing over half of each cookie using an offset spatula or butter knife.
Immediately spread chocolate icing over the other half, creating a clean line down the middle.
The icing will set up in about 20 minutes. Store covered at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Black and White Cookies (pass)
Ingredients
Ingredients (~12 large cookies)
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
- 3 large eggs
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup whole milk
For the Icings
- 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 6 tablespoons whole milk
- 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1 tablespoon additional milk
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.
- Cream butter and sugar until fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Beat in eggs and vanilla.
- Alternately add flour mixture and milk to butter mixture, mixing until just combined.
- Drop 1/4 cup dough onto baking sheets, spacing 3 inches apart.
- Bake 18-20 minutes until edges are set and tops spring back.
- Cool completely on baking sheets for 30 minutes.
- Whisk vanilla icing: powdered sugar, milk, corn syrup, vanilla.
- Whisk chocolate icing: powdered sugar, cocoa powder, milk, corn syrup.
- Spread vanilla icing on half of each cookie.
- Spread chocolate icing on other half.
- Let icing set for 20 minutes.