Makes 12 cookies
These vegan black and white cookies are the classic NYC cakey cookie done right. Soft and pillowy with that signature half chocolate, half vanilla icing, spread all the way to the edges.
Black and white cookies used to feel like a New York secret. Now they’re everywhere, but nothing hits like seeing one behind the glass at a bagel shop, that perfect half moon staring back at you. You weren’t planning on it, but now you’re getting one.
Everyone talks about the icing, but let’s focus on the actual cookie. It bakes up pale and pillowy on top with a golden bottom, and when you flip it to ice the flat side, that golden layer ends up right beneath the glaze. You don’t see it, but you taste it. It’s what gives a black and white cookie that bakery feel. Like the flake of a croissant, that golden layer is the tell tale sign.
The flavor is classic vanilla with a little lemon in the background. Not enough to read as lemon, just enough to brighten everything up and make you go back for another bite. Lemon zest and a splash of juice are doing real work here.
The icing is simple: a vanilla glaze that sets into that iconic matte finish, plus a chocolate side made by melting chocolate into the same base. Spread the vanilla first, let it set, then finish with chocolate. If your line down the middle is a little crooked, that’s correct. These are homemade black and white cookies. If you want it as neat as possible, lay parchment over one half while you ice the other. But working from the center out with a spoon will be just fine.
This is a weekend bake. Fun, a little involved, and you end up with a batch of classic New York black and white cookies that actually taste like they came from Brooklyn in the 1950s. These cookies are originally from Vegan Cookies Invade Your Cookie Jar.
Tips for Perfectly Imperfect Black and White Cookies
Use a cookie scoop. This is the one place to be a little precise. A scoop keeps them evenly sized so they bake at the same rate and look like they belong together. The shape doesn’t have to be perfect, but if they’re all the same size they will bake evenly and your golden layer will go a little harder.
Don’t overbake. The tops should stay pale but puffy. The bottoms should be golden.
Let them cool completely before icing. I know, I know. But if they’re even a little warm, the icing will slide around and you’ll lose control of the situation.
Use the right confectioners sugar. Skip the health food store version. Natural or unrefined powdered sugar can be clumpy and off-color, which will throw off both the texture and that clean white finish you’re going for. Grab the standard supermarket beet-sugar brand. This is one place where cheap and cheerful wins.
Get the glaze consistency right. It should be thick but spreadable. If it runs, it’s too thin. If it fights you, it’s too thick. You’re looking for something that settles into place without dripping off the sides.
Ice the vanilla side first. It sets faster and gives you a clean place to meet the chocolate.
Work from the center out. Drop the icing in the middle and push it toward the edges. This helps you control the shape and keeps things from getting too messy too fast.
The line does not need to be perfect. If it’s a little wobbly, good. That’s what makes it a black and white cookie and not a graphic design exercise.
NYC BLACK & WHITE COOKIE FAQ
What kind of vegan milk works best? Unsweetened soy milk is my milk of choice for protein content and structure. However, most milks work. Oat, almond, a blend. Avoid anything too thin or watery, like rice milk.
Can I use a chocolate bar instead of chips? For sure. Chop up a semi-sweet or dark chocolate bar and melt it into the glaze the same way. Just don’t go too sweet or the icing loses its balance.
How do I get a clean line between the chocolate and vanilla? Lay a strip of parchment across the center of the cookie, ice one side, then lift it and finish the other. Or don’t bother. A slightly wobbly line is part of the charm.
Can I make these ahead of time? Yup yup yup. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days. The icing sets firm so they stack well with a piece of parchment between layers.
How did I end up here? You were probably searching for “vegan black and white cookies” or “black and white cookie recipe.” Maybe “New York black and white cookies” or “vegan NYC cookies.” Either way, you found the right one.
Black & White Cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 1 cup vegan milk unsweetened
- 2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 cup refined coconut oil melted but not warm
- 1 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest grated
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
For the icings:
- 3 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar sifted if clumpy
- 1/4 cup hot water
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Pinch of salt
- 1 tablespoon refined coconut oil melted
- 2/3 cup chocolate chips semi-sweet
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper and lightly spray with cooking oil.
- In a medium bowl combine milk and lemon juice, let curdle for about a minute. Whisk in oil, sugar, vanilla, extracts and zest. In a large bowl sift together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Form a well in the center pour in wet mixture. Use a whisk to mix until smooth.
- Scoop batter onto baking sheets using a 1/4 cup measuring scoop about 3 inches apart. Bake until tops are puffed and pale golden, and cookies spring back when touched, 18 to 20 minutes. Remove from oven and let sit for about 5 minutes then carefully transfer to cooling rack to cool completely.
Meanwhile, make the icings:
- Sift the powdered sugar into a large mixing bowl. Add hot water, salt, vanilla and oil and stir with a whisk until smooth. Transfer about 1/3 of the of icing to another bowl to use for the chocolate side in a bit.
- Turn cookies flat sides up, dust off any crumbs and spread white icing over half the cookies using the back of a spoon or a frosting spatula. Let icing dry while making chocolate side.
- In a double boiler or microwave, melt chocolate chips until smooth. Add melted chocolate to leftover white icing and whisk until smooth. Use tablespoons of hot water if it seems too thick. Spread icing onto other half of the cookie and let set for about 30 minutes. Serve!
My dad LOVES b&w cookies!! He spent the first 19 years of his life in NY where they were always around before moving down to Texas, and they’re never the same here. (They’re also so rare down here!) I would love to bake these for him! We don’t have unsweetened vegan milk tho – will it mess up the cookies if I use Horizon Organic 2%?
What happens if you don’t oil the parchment paper? I never do that when I bake cookies and there’s never bee a problem… Hope you see this! Love your work, thank you!
My now 16yo is your biggest fan and has been making these cookies from the cookies cookbook since he was 12. We like the cookbook recipe better, but these are our favorite black and whites either way!
Classic recipe and fabulous results. 13/10