Half-Moon Cookes (Black & White)

Last night, I was trying to figure out what to bake for the dinner party we're attending tonight.  Since I'm new in this country and have just made my

Half-Moon Cookies

husband a member of a couple, people are coming out of the woodworks to invite us to couples events.  It's time-consuming, yet exciting, as it pushes me to try new things to feed and impress these new people.


Thus, in an effort to project the marrying of two countries onto my baked creation, I chose to go with the sugar- and butter-laced harmony that is the black and white cookie.


After reading through several recipes online, I came up with this:


To have:
3 c all-purpose flour (or whole wheat flour)
2 c cake/pastry flour
2 c white sugar
2 sticks unsalted butter, room T
4 eggs
1 tsp pure vanilla extract
1/2 tsp lemon extract
1 c milk (of any kind)
1/2 c buttermilk
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp salt
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4-5 c powdered sugar
1-2 c boiling water
1 baking chocolate square
3 tbsp unsweetened baking cocoa
any additional extract/flavoring for the frostings

To do:
1.  Pre-heat the oven to 375 degrees F.

Dough/batter, before the fridge

2.  Cream the butter and sugar until fluffy.

3.  Add in the eggs, extracts, milk, and buttermilk.  Mix thoroughly.


4.  In a separate bowl, combine the flours, baking powder, and salt.

5.  Slowly add the dry to the wet ingredients, in four batches.  Stir slowly and carefully with a rubber spatula, scraping the sides of the bowl.

On the cookie sheets

6.  Refrigerate dough/batter for at least an hour, making it easier to work with.

7.  Using a 1/4 c measure cup, scoop the dough onto cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.  Flatten and round each scoop, separating scoops by at least 2 inches.

8.  Bake for 20 minutes, or until the edges are golden-brown in color.  Let cool on cookie sheets for 2-3 minutes, and transfer to a cooling rack until completely cool.


9.  While waiting on the cookies to cool, put the water to boil in a small saucepan.

The white icing

10.  Grab a heat-proof bowl for the icing.   Add in the powdered sugar.  One small portion of water at a time, add in water and stir until the icing is a thick, spreadable texture.  Don't add too much water!  You will have water leftover.

11.  Once the cookies have cooled, turn them over (flat side up--I know it's weird, but just do it!).  Spread white icing on one half of each cookie, trying hard to make straight-ish lines through the diameter of each "circle."  Let the icing set for at least 20 minutes.

White icing setting

12.  To make the black icing, heat the baking chocolate using a double boiler or the microwave (30 seconds at a time at 50% power, stirring between each heating until it's melted through).  Add this chocolate to the leftover white icing.  Add in the baking cocoa, stir, and add in water, a bit at a time, until a spreadable texture is achieved.

The black icing

13.  Ice the cookies with the black icing.  Allow this to set for at least 20 minutes. 

14.  Achieve harmony and challenge your jaw by attempting to have a combination of the black and the white in every bite.

The ideal world:  Black, white, sugar, butter, and flour