Classic Black and White Cookies from NYC Vegan—sweet, pillowy cookie perfection!
Black and White Cookies
I’m so excited to be bringing you a recipe from a new cookbook, NYC Vegan, today! I chose to share New York’s iconic Black and White cookies and I am so glad I did! Honestly, I just picked them so I had an excuse to make cookies, and now I will be making them all of the time….like later this week for David’s end of year Kindergarten music program! They are pillowy soft—truly like those big cookies you find in coffee shops with the pink frosting. But these are better! Sweet icing—and the easiest I’ve ever worked with, paired with soft crumbly not-too-sweet cookies—serious perfection! I’ve been sending them in David’s lunch box this week and I am winning major cool mom points.
Black and White Cookies rose to fame after Seinfeld had an episode about them. Basically, Jerry says that he thinks the cookies are the secret to true racial harmony—if only it were that simple! The striking contrast of the two colors of frosting, both vanilla and chocolate, make these cookies stand out in the bakery case, and is no doubt part of why they are now so popular!
NYC Vegan
NYC Vegan, authored by New Yorkers Michael Suchman and Ethan Ciment, of The Vegan Mos, is one part cookbook, one part history lesson. I loved pouring through the pages of the book, learning about classic recipes from each of New York City’s unique neighborhoods. The melting pot of cultures in NYC has contributed so many amazing dishes, some already vegan, and some ready to veganize. Several of the recipes in this book pay homage to different signature restaurant dishes, while others replicate the flavors of distinct cultures and communities in New York City. I grew up in New York’s neighboring city to the south, Philadelphia. While definitely not the same, this book really felt like home for me.
Ready to try these amazing cookies? Yeah, me too (I may have a secret stash I’m hiding in my kitchen!). Be sure to take a picture of these gorgeous cookies and share on social media! And don’t forget to tag me so that I can see! {#frieddandelions // @frieddandelions} Oh, oh, and one more thing—be sure to scroll down below the recipe to enter to win a copy of this delicious book!
Black and White Cookies from NYC Vegan
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup nondairy butter
- 1/4 cup nondairy milk at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Icing:
- 3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
- 1/4 cup boiling water plus more if needed
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup nondairy semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 (18 x 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In another large bowl, combine the sugar and butter and beat until creamy, about 5 minutes. Add the milk and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in batches, beating after each addition, until combined.
- Scoop the dough, 1/4 cup at a time, onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the scoops 3 inches apart. Flatten them slightly with your hands (keep your hands wet to prevent the dough from sticking). Allow room between the scoops as the cookies will spread as they bake.
- Bake the cookies for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cookies to cool 2 minutes on the baking sheets and then carefully flip the cookies over and transfer them, upside down, to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cookies are cooling, make the icing. In a large mixing bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar, boiling water, and vanilla. Mix well to get a spreadable icing. Add a little more water, if needed. Using an offset spatula, spread a thin layer of icing onto the flat side, the former bottom, of each cookie. Return the cookies to the wire rack to dry. You should have about 1/2 cup of icing left.
- While the white icing is drying, melt the chocolate chips in a microwave or double boiler. When the chips are all melted and smooth, whisk the melted chocolate into the remaining icing. The chocolate icing should be thicker than the white, but still be spreadable. If it is too thick, add a little hot water to thin it out. Use the offset spatula to frost one half of each cookie over the white icing. Return the cookies to the wire racks to dry. Store leftovers in a covered container for up for 5 days.
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Want to win a copy for yourself?
Want more NYC Vegan goodness? Check out these other reviews!
Waldorf Salad — Veggies Save the Day
Street Cart Pretzels — Veggie Inspired
Street Fair Corn — Dianne’s Vegan Kitchen
New York Cheesecake — Vegan in the Freezer
Latkes — JL Goes Vegan
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This is such a nice cookbook and you did a fantastic job with those pretty cookies!
I was born in newyork city but moved to syracuse. I havent been since i was 5 years old
Oh wow! My dad grew up in Syracuse! Small world 🙂
I am heading to New York the week of the 17th in July. Our goal is to see Lady Liberty. We have tickets to go all the way up to the crown. One of my twin daughters wanted to go and I see it as a good learning experience. I would love to see New York cheesecake veganized.
I have never been there so I don’t know what kind of food is serve there
Maybe some day you’ll get to change that! I haven’t been to NYC in a long time, but I hope to visit again!
I have never been to New York. I would love to though.
I went to NYC with a friend last year, I love a NYC style pizza I’d love to see a vegan one
Isn’t it the best? I miss it!
Even though I live in New York I have never been to NYC!
I would love to try some of the recipes in this book!
I was just in NYC last week and loved it. I think the dish I would most like to see organized is a hearty deli sandwich, made with plant-based ingredients, of course!
Ooh yum! Yes! Make it an extra big one so that you can share half with me! 😉
Wow! These look amazing! I might have to make them for my gathering this weekend!
Oh, I hope you did! They are so yummy, but pretty easy too!
Gosh, those cookies look divine! I guess I’d have to say I’d like to see all types of deli sandwiches veganized, most of which I’ve never had the opportunity to try before. 😉
Yes! I agree—a big deli sandwich sounds so good to me right now! Yum!
I have never been to NYC, other than to skirt around the city proper to get to the airport. What I love about this recipe already is that we had those in every bakery in my German hometown when I was a kid! We called them Amerikaner (Americans), and they came in black and white or all white. Used to love those things, and now I’m going to find out if these taste like I remember them!
Ooh, I hope they live up to your memory! Either way, these are really delicious!
I’ve been there but it was so long ago! NY style cheesecake is what I’d like to see veganized.
I’m always ready to hop on a plane & fly to NYC. It’s truly one of the most magical cities in the world. But now I’m REALLY longing for it after seeing these black & white cookies.
Yum! I love black and white cookies and this book looks so good. I need to check it out!
The book is great! I really enjoyed reading it, not just for the recipes, but for the history lessons mixed in throughout!
I’ve been to NYC twice. I’d love to see all the Jewish foods veganized!
Oh yeah, those would be great! I feel like Isa has probably done quite a few? I’m sure you have all of her books 😉
I have not been to NYC since going vegan, but I think I would be able to find anything I wanted – NY cheesecake! Pizza! Donuts! it already seems like I could find anything my heart desires 🙂
This seems like a great book! I would love a copy and am already a fan of their blog.
So many great recipes! Be sure to check out the other recipes linked above from the book on other blogger’s sites so you can try even more! I’m sure you’ll want to order a copy for yourself!
These cookies look amazing, and the photos are gorgeous, Sarah! I am loving this book but haven’t made these yet. Must remedy that, ASAP!
Thank you! Yes, make the cookie with Darrol and win mom of the year award! They’re really easy!
These cookies are the bomb!! I am loving this book so much! Thanks for linking up my Pretzels too! 🙂
These look really good! Love traditional black and whites but vegan ones! Who would’ve thought!
Anything you can make, I can make vegan 🙂 That’s my motto! I hope you love these cookies!
My mouth is watering just looking at these photos! I want a cookie! I love chocolate and vanilla together. Yum!
They are delicious! I wonder if a 1 to 1 gluten free flour would be a good sub for you?!
Yay! This looks amazing-as a new vegan I’m still in cookbook/blogger collection mode as I find my favorites & expand my bookshelves!
Ha! My cookbook collection is ridiculous—I think I have 200? But I love to collect them 🙂 Glad you found my blog!!! And congrats on the big step to become vegan!!!