Mini Black and White Cookies

There is a really tasty New York-style deli restaurant in my hometown of Florida that I used to frequent with my friends and family growing up (TooJay’s for any of you Floridians!). That place is where my love for black and white cookies began. They had the most delicious, miniature, fluffy shortbread cookies spread with the quintessential half chocolatey-black, half tangy-sweet-white icings. The cookies were always a perfect end to a tasty meal, and on more than one occasion I had to talk myself through not coming out with a bag full of them (they were sold by the pound).

I had never tried my hand at making any myself, but when I randomly came across a recipe that seemed to be pretty true to the classic, I gave it a go.

Though the cookies might not be eye-catchingly beautiful, or anywhere near perfect circles with delicately spread frosting, the are a home run in terms of flavor.

The cookie itself is chewy, slightly fluffy, and perfectly sweet. The vanilla icing has a slight zest to it from a splash of lemon juice, and the chocolate is rich and silky. I had a tough time not eating all of the icing by the fingerful, and an even tougher time trying to wait for it to dry on the cookies before I ate them! But, though it may be difficult to wait, you simply must allow the icings to form that slightly hard layer on top.

I received a totally awesome sealer for my birthday from Mikey’s parents, but had yet to use it, so I sealed up a bunch of the cookies in packs of two, and handed them out to friends; they were a hit!

Mini Black and White Cookies

recipe from here

makes 2-3 dozen

ingredients:

for the cookies:

•  1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup buttermilk, well-shaken
• 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 7 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1 large egg

for the icings:

• 2 3/4 cup confectioners’ sugar
• 2 tbsp light corn syrup
• 2 tsp fresh lemon juice
• 1/2 tsp vanilla bean paste
• 4-6 tbsp water
• 1/4 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with silicone mats; set aside.
2. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, and salt; set aside.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together the butter and sugar for about 5 minutes, until pale and fluffy. Add in the egg and vanilla and beat for an additional 5 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and add in the flour and buttermilk, alternately, beginning and ending with the flour.
4. Scoop the dough out onto your prepared sheets in 2 tsp-sized rounds an inch or two apart.
5. Bake for 10-15 minutes, turning halfway through, until edges are golden and tops are puffed and spring back when touched.