Peppermint Black-and-White Cookies

I didn’t grow up in a baking household. As the Asian immigrant lore goes, our oven (and dishwasher, while we’re at it) was, indeed, used primarily for storage. That isn’t to say that we didn’t love baked goods. One of my favorites growing up was the classic black-and-white cookie found in many New York City bakeries and Jewish delis. It was a real treat to pick one up after a museum or gallery trip with my mom. She’d usually go for a date rugelach while I’d beeline to the giant graphic treats, nibbling my way across each flavor and down, being sure to get a balanced mix of both vanilla and chocolate. My preference for a soft cakey cookie can probably be traced back to my love for these. This cookie is a riff on the extra-large New York classic shrunk down to the size of a chubby chocolate chip cookie, featuring refreshing peppermint extract (when in doubt, be stingy) and a sprinkle of festive crushed candy canes.

An offset spatula might feel like an overly cheffy restaurant utensil, but its function is multifaceted at home. I use it to smooth out anything that needs leveling (like the glaze on these cookies), as a gentle fork-lift for prying things off a baking sheet, or even to help scrape out the last of the mayo in the jar.

BAKER’S NOTE: For the smoothest, shiniest application, a thick glaze works best—loose enough to spread, but stiff enough to “stand” on its own. Add more water or corn syrup at the end if needed to get to the right consistency. Glazing the white sides first gives them enough time to set before starting on the chocolate.