Homemade Black and White Cookies {Grain Free, Paleo Options}

Get ready for a real treat!  These homemade Black and White Cookies taste just like everyone’s favorite New York City style bakery cookies – so much so that you’d never guess they’re grain free!  This gluten free and grain free cookie recipe has dairy free and paleo options so everyone can enjoy these classic cookies at home!  

Can I just tell you how insanely satisfying it was to really get these cookies right?!

I grew up in the New York area and have known black and white cookies for as long as I can remember.  The “good” cookies.  The “best” cookies!

The cookies that are almost as good to look at as they are to eat (the excitement!) I mean, isn’t there something super satisfying about just looking at the sharp contrast of the black and white thick, shiny icing?  Am I the only one?

Pure happiness in a cookie.  I’m not exaggerating!  When I first, and then my family members, one by one, tasted my first test of these black and white cookies, it really was just that way!

All 9 cookies disappeared in a day – which I know – it’s too much, but I happily gave everyone a pass on these!

Let’s get into the recipe since I want everyone to be able to experience these big bakery style cookies ASAP.

What You Need to Make Grain Free Black and White Cookies

The ingredients are pretty straightforward and surprisingly simple!

Even though I say that the lemon extract is optional, I highly recommend throwing it in the mix to get an authentic flavor.  It’s so mild that you can barely place what it is, but it makes these cookies taste like home!

Here’s everything you need for the black and white cookies:

• blanched almond flour
• tapioca flour or arrowroot
• baking soda 
• fine sea salt
• grass fed butter, softened or palm oil shortening or vegan butter for a dairy free option
• pure maple sugar
• egg
• pure vanilla extract 
• lemon extract (optional)
• organic powdered sugar, or powdered monk fruit for a paleo option 
• fresh lemon juice 
• raw cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder 

How to Make the Cookie Dough

Preheat your oven to 350° and line 2 large shiny metal baking sheets with parchment paper.  

In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, tapioca, baking soda and salt.  In a separate bowl using an electric hand mixer, creamy together the butter or shortening with the maple sugar until smooth.  Beat in the egg, then the vanilla and lemon extracts.  Slowly beat the dry mixture into the wet on low speed until a dough forms.  Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.

Use a 1/4 cup scoop or measuring cup to scoop the dough onto the cookie sheet, then use your hand to shape and flatten it to a 1/2-3/4” disc, depending on your preference for thinner or thicker cookies.  Repeat with the remaining dough to make 8-9 cookies.  

The cookies will spread so space them at least 2” apart, placing 4-6 on each baking sheet.  I found that four cookies to a baking sheet is ideal for plenty of space.   

Bake on the middle rack in the preheated oven for 11-13 minutes or until beginning to turn light brown.  Bake in two separate batches for even browning.  

Remove the cookies and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer them with a wide thin spatula to wire racks to cool completely.  

How To Make the Black and White Icing

While the cookies cool, make the icing.  Prepare the white icing first.  In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar or monk fruit, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of the water.  Add drop by drop more water if the icing is too thick at this point.  You want it thick enough to spread easily on the cookies but not so thin that it doesn’t stay in place.  

Using a small spatula or offset spatula for frosting, ice half of each cooled cookie with the white icing.  Allow it to dry while you prepare the black icing.  You can use the same bowl if you wish.  Combine the powdered sugar or monk fruit with the cacao powder, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons of the water.  Whisk well, then add drop by drop more water if needed to get the right consistency to spread the icing on the cookies.

Once the white icing has set, use the same spatula (cleaned) to ice the other half of each cookie with the black icing, overlapping slightly to draw a clean line over the white icing in the middle.  Repeat with all the cookies, then allow the black icing to set for about 20 minutes before serving.  Store the cookies loosely covered at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.  

Tips for Black and White Cookies

First, don’t overbake the cookies!  Since these are larger cookies, you’d think they’d need several minutes extra to set, but it turns out that’s not the case.

My cookies turned light brown right around the 11 minute mark and were ready to come out at 12 minutes.

Since everyone’s will vary a little bit based on slightly different oven temperatures, baking sheets, and even parchment paper, make sure you watch the cookies.  When they appear set in the center and are just starting to turn light brown, it’s time to take them out.   This will ensure you get a nice cakey, slightly chewy texture.

Second, for a neat line down the center of the cookies, I recommend two things.  First, make sure you use the white icing first.  This way you can “draw” a nice clean line with the black icing.  Also, make sure the white icing has set before icing with the black.  That way it will be easier to get that clean line without the two icings mixing.

Third, the amount of water you’ll need for each icing will vary slightly, so add in the water slowly.  You want a texture that’s thick enough to give you a good layer of icing but also easily spreadable.  If your icing thins out too much, just add a bit more of the powdered sugar until you get the consistency you want.

I hope you’re ready for the best grain free version of these iconic black and white cookies!

Grab your ingredients and preheat your oven because it’s time to bake – let’s go!

Homemade Black and White Cookies {Grain Free, Paleo Options}

Black and White Cookies {Grain Free, Paleo Option}

Get ready for a real treat!  These homemade Black and White Cookies taste just like everyone's favorite New York City style bakery cookies - so much so that you'd never guess they're grain free!  This gluten free and grain free cookie recipe has dairy free and paleo options so everyone can enjoy these classic cookies at home!  

Author: Michele Rosen

Prep Time: 40 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Chill Time: 20 mins

Course: baking, Dessert

Cuisine: Gluten-free, grain free, Paleo

Keyword: baking, chocolate, cookies, grain free

Servings: 9 cookies

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4.69 from 22 votes

Ingredients

Cookie Dough:

• 2 1/4 cups blanched almond flour
• 1/2 cup tapioca flour or arrowroot
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup grass fed butter softened or palm oil shortening or vegan butter for a dairy free option
• 1/2 cup pure maple sugar
• 1 large egg at room temperature
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 tsp lemon extract optional

White Icing:

• 1 1/2 cup organic powdered sugar or powdered monk fruit for a paleo option
• 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoons + 2 teaspoons water or a few drops more, as needed

Black Icing:

• 1 1/4 cup organic powdered sugar or powdered monk fruit (for paleo), OR make your own paleo powdered sugar*
• 1/4 cup raw cacao powder or unsweetened cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 tablespoons 2 teaspoons water or a few drops more, as needed

Instructions

Cookie dough:

1. Preheat your oven to 350° and line 2 large shiny metal baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a large bowl, combine the almond flour, tapioca, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl using an electric hand mixer, creamy together the butter or shortening with the maple sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg, then the vanilla and lemon extracts. Slowly beat the dry mixture into the wet on low speed until a dough forms. Place the bowl in the refrigerator for 20 minutes.
3. Use a 1/4 cup scoop or measuring cup to scoop the dough onto the cookie sheet, then use your hand to shape and flatten it to a 1/2-3/4” disc, depending on your preference for thinner or thicker cookies. Repeat with the remaining dough to make 8-9 cookies.
4. The cookies will spread so space them at least 2” apart, placing 4-6 on each baking sheet. I found that four cookies to a baking sheet is ideal for plenty of space.
5. Bake on the middle rack in the preheated oven for 11-13 minutes or until beginning to turn light brown. Bake in two separate batches for even browning.
6. Remove the cookies and allow them to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then carefully transfer them with a wide thin spatula to wire racks to cool completely.

Icing:

1. While the cookies cool, make the icing. Prepare the white icing first. In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar or monk fruit, vanilla extract, lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of the water. Add drop by drop more water if the icing is too thick at this point. You want it thick enough to spread easily on the cookies but not so thin that it doesn’t stay in place.
2. Using a small spatula or offset spatula for frosting, ice half of each cooled cookie with the white icing. Allow it to dry while you prepare the black icing. You can use the same bowl if you wish. Combine the powdered sugar or monk fruit with the cacao powder, vanilla, and 2 tablespoons of the water. Whisk well, then add drop by drop more water if needed to get the right consistency to spread the icing on the cookies.
3. Once the white icing has set, use the same spatula (cleaned) to ice the other half of each cookie with the black icing, overlapping slightly to draw a clean line over the white icing in the middle. Repeat with all the cookies, then allow the black icing to set for about 20 minutes before serving. Store the cookies loosely covered at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. Enjoy!

Recipe Notes

*You can blend either maple sugar or coconut sugar in a high speed blender or food processor to make your own paleo friendly powdered sugar.  I only recommend this for the black icing since the color will be light to dark brown depending on which sugar you use.

**Nutrition is calculated for one very large cookie, based on 9 cookies total, using organic powdered sugar instead of monk fruit.

Nutrition

Calories: 477kcal

Carbohydrates: 62g

Protein: 7g

Fat: 25g

Saturated Fat: 8g

Trans Fat: 1g

Cholesterol: 45mg

Sodium: 256mg

Potassium: 87mg

Fiber: 4g

Sugar: 48g

Vitamin A: 342IU

Vitamin C: 1mg

Calcium: 80mg

Iron: 2mg

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Want More Paleo Cookie Recipes?  Try One of These!

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One Bowl Easy Peanut Butter Cookies

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