Black and White… Cookies

When I was growing up I remember always having these cake-y cookies whenever we had extended family get togethers. Usually they were held at my grandparents house on the North Shore and one of the family would pick up Black and Whites from a Jewish deli/bakery near Boston. I didn’t know they were called Black and White Cookies until after college and that they aren’t a Jewish thing but a New York staple!

When I was working and traveling to New York City on a semi-regular basis I would seek them out and enjoy them on the train coming back from the city. It was a wonderful treat that I not only counted as a “meal” but it’d bring memories of family gatherings filled with stories, food, laughter, and fun.

Now since becoming a mother I have not had one of these cookies since! And now finding a nut free and gluten free one that has that same cake like feel and taste was almost a lost cause, well until now. I decided to make my very own and boy do they bring back all the warm feelings I had when I had them many moons ago.

First line your baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat your oven. Check to make sure no pots or pans that your hid from the day before are in there. We don’t need hot, melted cooking vessels when you are about to bake cookies!

Sift the flour, baking soda, baking powder, guar gum and salt together. If you think this step isn’t necessary read this blog to see why it’s so important.

Then in your mixer cream the room temperature butter until it is a soft and uniform consistency.

Add your sugar slowly. Once it is all incorporated turn the mixer on medium until the mixture is much paler and fluffy.

Add the vanilla and water. And blend well.

Now alternate the flour mixture and milk until everything is mixed well. Make sure to scrape the sides of the bowl down so also the ingredients are blended. You don’t want lumps of flour in your finished cookies.

Now add the apple cider vinegar and mix for about a minute.

Then take a medium cookie scoop and place six scoops evenly onto the parchment paper lined sheets.

Wet your fingers with a bit of water and flatten the scoops until the are less than 3/8” thick and are a nice even disc.

Bake them half of the cooking time then rotate and place on the opposite oven rack (if on top rack place on the bottom after you turned them)

Once baking is complete take them out and let rest on the cookie sheet for a few minutes than place on a wire rack to cool completely.

While the cookies are cooling mix up, the reason why these cookies are called Black and Whites, the chocolate and vanilla glazes.

Turn the cookies upside down so the flat side is up. This is the side you glaze.

Spread the chocolate glaze on half of a cookie and let set.

Then spread the vanilla glaze on the remaining half of the cookie and let set.

Enjoy them right away or store them in an airtight container for up to ten days. If putting in a container layer the cookies with the parchment paper so they will not stick to each other.

If there are still too many to eat quickly or you decided that they should be enjoyed later you can freeze them up to six months!