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Oct 1, 2018

Black and Orange Cookies

These Black and Orange Cookies are a Halloween take on the famous Black and White cookies sold in New York City bakeries. The cookies are soft and "cake-like," and are iced on one half with chocolate icing and on the other half with vanilla icing.

This post and recipe were created for #HalloweenTreatsWeek! I was sent samples by some of the sponsor companies but as always opinions are 100% mine. 
Black and Orange Cookies
I have it on good authority that black and white cookies are a "thing" in New York. There are even arguments about which bakery makes the best one. Should the icing be thin or should it be thick? Do you combine both icing flavors in one bite or eat them separately? It's all very, very, very controversial.

I'm pretty sure that these black and orange cookies would be controversial (and scary!) too if they were sold in a NYC bakery because... orange! Regardless, if you close your eyes, these cookies are the real deal.

Black and White Cookies

Another feature of these cookies is that the glaze is brushed on the bottom of the cookies and the cookies are served upside down. I learned that the hard way the first time I made Black and White cookies.

These cookies were a huge hit with my grandsons. My younger one loved eating one half at a time, not mixing up the icing flavors, and my older one stole a page from Jerry Seinfeld and liked mixing the icing flavors in each bite.

To get evenly sized cookies, use a cookie scoop to portion the dough. It made it easy to get the rounded shape without any extra effort.

After the recipe, be sure to check out the rest of the Halloween Treats Week recipes. They are amazing. If you love all things Halloween, you will love these recipes. Ive seen previews, and I'm blown away with the creativity.

Also, be sure to enter to win one of five really cool prizes from our sponsors. There's an Instant Pot, lots of gift packs, and a Visa gift card.


cookies, Black and white,
Cookies, dessert
New York City
Yield: 30 cookies
Halloween Black and Orange Cookies

Black and Orange Cookies

ingredients

Cookies
  • 3 1/2 cups (17.5 ounces) all purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 cup milk
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 2 sticks unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/4 cups granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs plus 3 egg yolks
Icing
  • 4 1/2 cups powdered sugar
  • 3 tablespoons light corn syrup
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • A few drops of orange gel food coloring
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

instructions

Cookies
  1. With racks in the upper and lower thirds, heat the oven to 350 degrees F. 
  2. Line two half sheet pans with parchment paper. 
  3. Whisk together the flour baking powder, nutmeg, and salt in a large measuring cup. Pour the mixture into  a fine mesh strainer over a bowl and sift it into the bowl. 
  4. Mix the milk and the vanilla in a measuring cup. 
  5. In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and granulated sugar on medium speed for about 2 minutes, until fluffy. Beat in the eggs and egg yolks, one at a time. Increase the speed to high for about 30 seconds. 
  6. With the mixer on low, add the flour in thirds, alternating with the milk mixture in two additions. Beat the mixture on high for 15 seconds. 
  7. Place two tablespoon mounds of batter (I used a cookie scoop) on the baking sheets, 15 cookies per baking sheet. Place the baking sheets in the oven and bake for about 15 minutes, switching the pans at about 7 minutes. The cookies should be just golden at the edges. Cool on the pans for 5 minutes, and transfer to wire racks. 
Icing the Cookies
  1. Beat the powdered sugar, corn syrup, lemon juice, and vanilla in a large bowl with a mixer on low until just combined. Increase the speed to medium and add water, one tablespoon at a time (about 5 to 7 total), until smooth and spreadable. 
  2. Transfer half of the icing to another bowl and stir in the orange gel food coloring. 
  3. Add the cocoa powder to the other half of the icing mixture and mix on low with the electric mixer. Change the speed to medium and add a tablespoon or two of cold water to match the consistency of the orange icing. 
  4. Spread the each icing color over half of the flat side of the cookies so that each cookie is 1/2 chocolate, and 1/2 orange. Let sit until the icing hardens, about an hour. Store in an airtight container. 
  Check out the amazing #HalloweenTreatsWeek recipes from our bloggers today!
Happy Halloween! We hope you're ready for a spooktacular event as we celebrate Halloween with the first annual #HalloweenTreatsWeek event hosted by Angie from Big Bear's Wife. This haunting week-long event is filled with fantastic Halloween treats, recipes and some frightfully fun giveaways.


“When witches go riding, and black cats are seen, the moon laughs and whispers ‘tis near Halloween.”


For our very first #HalloweenTreatsWeek event we have 30 talented bloggers that are sharing their favorite Halloween recipes throughout the week! There are going to be over 100 Halloween themed recipes shared during this year's #HalloweenTreatsWeek and we can't wait for you to see them all! 

Would you like to comment?

  1. OMG adorable adorable adorable! - in other words, OMGAAA

    love everything about them, so perfect for the season!

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  2. My husband's favorite holiday is Halloween, so I'm always looking for new treats to make. These look delicious!

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    Replies
    1. I bet he's fun to be around this time of year! Thank you.

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  3. I can't believe I learned something new about icing the cooking on the bottom. It never occured to me nor I have seen any recipe advising it.

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  4. These look amazing! We thought they'd have orange juice or mandarins, but we saw that you put lemon juice, which is interesting.
    As for the controversial (especially in NYC) orange color, well, if these taste good everyone would love'em:) No divisions there lol:)
    xoxoxo

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  5. I so love the twist on a black and white. These are delightfully festive!

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  6. I've never had a black&white cookie but I'd love a bite! These look like they belong in a bakery!

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  7. Karen, I love your black and whites all dolled up for Halloween!

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  8. My mom makes the best pumpkin cupcakes. They are so adorable but most of all they are delicious because she makes them from scratch.

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  9. These have to be the best black and white cookies I have ever seen

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  10. Those look yummy! Favorite Halloween dessert???? Would pumpkin pie count? :)

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  11. My favorite Halloween character or characters I should say, are the witches from Hocus Pocus!!

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  12. I love Halloween Candy! My favorite being Reese's!

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  13. Oreo dirt cake for a Halloween treat!

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  14. I love candy corn 🌽 it’s the best.

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  15. Such a fun take on the black and white cookie. So much fun for Halloween.

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