Description
A fall-scented batch of classic, New York-style black-and-whites. For the base cookies, I love Sally’s method (her “Black and White Cookies” recipe). You’ll want to make a double batch of those (just cookies, no icing).
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- A double batch of Sally’s black and white cookies, baked (just the cookies, no icing!)
- 5 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted (sift after measuring)
- 7 tablespoons whole milk
- 3 tablespoons light corn syrup, divided
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 scant tablespoons pumpkin purée
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Instructions
- Using a hand mixer or stand mixer (this icing gets thick!), beat together the sugar, milk, one tablespoon corn syrup, vanilla, and salt until smooth. Transfer a little more than half of the mixture to a small bowl and set aside—that’ll be your “vanilla” portion.
- To the remaining mixture, add the pumpkin purée, the remaining corn syrup (one tablespoon), and spices; mix thoroughly to combine.
- Place the cooled cookies flat side up, then use an icing spatula or dinner knife to spread the white vanilla icing over half of each. Let that half firm up a bit, at least 10 to 15 mins, before continuing the frosting process, spreading the spiced icing over the other half of the cookie. (During the firming-up time, you might want to continue mixing the spiced icing portion so as not to let it harden in the mixing bowl; you can either do so by hand or run your mixer on the lowest (“stir”) setting.
- Wait another 10 minutes for the second half of the icing to firm up, then serve and enjoy! The cookies will stay fresh for two days in an airtight container; you can also house them in the refrigerator and they’ll last up to four days.
Notes
- The cookies will stay fresh for two days in an airtight container; you can also house them in the refrigerator and they’ll last up to four days.
- As Sally notes, it’s important to bake these cookies as soon as you make the dough; the baking powder “activates” as soon as it hits the wet ingredients, so this isn’t a great make-ahead recipe. That said, you can bake the cookies ahead of time, wrap well and store in an airtight container overnight at room temperature, then ice the following day.
- Generally speaking, to add onto both of the comments above, you’ll want to note that these are “cake-y” cookies; the moisture and fluffiness is key, so you don’t want to wait too long to serve them.