Black and White Cookies

I used to never bake. I even posted once on my blog how I don't bake because I don't have self control around baked goods. Believe it or not as I have increased my baking I have also increased my self control! I send everything I make to work with John. I taste one cookie so I can review it on here, and the rest get packaged and sent to the office.

With that said John's coworkers are very used to getting food from me. I went into the city to meet up with John on Friday and all the people we ran into mentioned how they eat my food. Last week I actually got a list of requests!! One of his coworkers made a list of things they would like me to make for them. Now some might be offended, but I personally was thrilled! A challenge you say? Ok! Here we go!

So the first item off my list was black and white cookies. I made these and was shocked at just how awesome they were. I love, love, love these cookies. I actually regret sending them all to work with John because they were that good. Make these- and make them soon!

Also, I made 18 cookies instead of the 8 large of 16 small the recipe recommends. With 18 smaller cookies it only took 10 minutes to bake.



Source: The Crepes of Wrath

Cookies:
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/3 cup well-shaken buttermilk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg

Icing:
2 1/4 cups confectioners sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons light corn syrup
3 teaspoons fresh lemon juice (I would also recommend using 1/2 to 1 teaspoon of almond extract instead of the lemon juice)
1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 to 3 tablespoons water
1/3 cup unsweetened Dutch-process cocoa powder

1. Preheat oven to 350°F.
2. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
3. Beat together the butter and sugar in a large bowl with an electric mixer until smooth and fluffy, about 3 minutes, then add in the vanilla and the egg, beating until combined well.
4. Mix in flour mixture and buttermilk mixture alternately in batches at low speed (scraping down side of bowl occasionally), beginning and ending with flour mixture. Mix until smooth.
5. Spoon a bit less than 1/4 cup of batter about 2 inches apart onto a greased and/or lined baking sheet (make sure that they aren’t too rounded because they puff up quite a bit).
6. Bake until the tops are puffed and pale golden, and cookies spring back when touched; about 15 to 17 minutes. Allow to cool completely before icing. Makes about 8 large cookies, or 16 if you decide to make smaller cookies (I doubled the recipe).

To make the icing…
1. Whisk or beat together the confectioners sugar, corn syrup, lemon juice, vanilla, and 1 tablespoon water in a small bowl until smooth.
2. Transfer half of icing to another bowl and stir in cocoa, adding more water, 1/2 teaspoon at a time, to thin to same consistency as white icing.
3. Turn cookies flat sides up, then spread white icing over half of each and chocolate over other half.