Passover-Friendly Black and White Cookies

Editor’s Note: The recipe is from the cookbook ‘Nosh: Plant-Forward Recipes Celebrating Modern Jewish Cuisine,’ by Jewfolk Food Podcaster Micah Siva. The recipe is used with her permission.

A New York deli staple, black and white cookies hold a special place in our household. My late father-in-law was “a kid from the Bronx,” and he raised my husband to appreciate deli classics, especially black and white cookies. The connection to his father, his childhood, and his memory lives on in the food memories they shared together. I have been searching for a sweet, soft, lemon-scented cookie topped with a layer of chocolate and vanilla frosting. I wanted a Passover dessert that I would crave all year round, and these cookies are just that. It is a vegan, gluten-free, and Passover-friendly recipe that I think rivals your deli favorite. If serving these during Passover, make sure your ingredients are Passover-friendly. 

COOKIES

1½ cups almond flour, sifted

¼ cup arrowroot starch

1 teaspoon baking powder

¼ teaspoon sea salt

1 tablespoon melted coconut oil

¼ cup maple syrup

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

½ teaspoon lemon zest

1½ teaspoons lemon juice

FROSTING

1½ cups powdered sugar

½ teaspoon vanilla extract

2 teaspoons lemon juice

1 to 2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon light agave syrup or corn syrup

2 to 3 tablespoons cocoa powder 

Make the cookies

In a medium bowl, whisk together the almond flour, arrowroot starch, baking powder, and salt. Add the coconut oil, maple syrup, vanilla, lemon zest, and lemon juice, and mix well until combined. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to overnight.

Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper.

Divide the dough into 8 equal pieces and roll them into balls. Transfer the balls to the prepared sheet pan and press each one into ½-inch-thick circles. Note: The cookies will not spread.

Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, or until just golden. Let cool on the sheet pan for at least 20 minutes or until fully cool. Icing warm cookies will make them appear messy, and the icing will not set.

Make the frosting

In a medium bowl, combine the powdered sugar, vanilla, lemon juice, and water, 1 tablespoon at a time, whisking to combine. The frosting should be quite thick and run off the spoon in thick ribbons, holding its shape for 2 to 3 seconds before settling back into the bowl. Whisk in the agave.

Divide the frosting equally between 2 bowls. In one bowl, add the cocoa powder. If it looks too thick, add an additional 1 to 2 teaspoons of water.

Using an offset spatula, spread the vanilla frosting on one-half of the bottom (flat) side of the cookie. Place the cookie on a clean sheet pan. Repeat with the rest of the cookies, place in the refrigerator, and let rest for 20 minutes, until the frosting is set.

Spread the chocolate frosting on the other side of the cookies and return them to the refrigerator to set for about 20 minutes.

Note:

Store for up to two weeks in an airtight container in the fridge, or 3 weeks in the freezer. Layer the cookies with wax paper to prevent sticking during storage.