Two-Tone Cookies

By charlotteh371

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 7 tbsp (3 1/2 oz) unsalted butter, at room temp
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 large eggs, at room temp
• 2 cups (about 7 1/2 oz) bleached cake flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp table salt
• 6 tbsp whole milk, at room temp
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 3 tbsp plus 1 tsp water as needed, divided
• 1/4 tsp blue food-coloring gel
• 1 tbsp unsweetened cocoa

Preparation

Step 1

preheat oven to 350 with oven rack in middle position. line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. beat granulated sugar and butter in a large bowl with an electric mixer on medium high speed until light and fluffy, about 2mins. beat in vanilla, stop to scrape down sides of bowl using rubber spatula. add eggs 1 at a time, beating well after each addition; stop to scrape down sides of bowl.

whisk together flour, baking powder and salt in a bowl. add flour mixture to butter mixture alternatively with milk, beating on medium until combined and smooth, 1 to 2mins. stop to scrape down sides of bowl.

using a 2 1/2 tbsp scoop, dollop batter into 14 equal portions, spaced 5 inches apart on baking sheets. shape each into a 2 1/2 round using the back of a spoon. place 1 baking sheet in preheated oven. bake until cookies spring back to the touch but have not browned around edges, 11 to 13mins. remove from oven. transfer parchment paper with cookies to a wire rack to cool, about 15mins. repeat process with the second baking sheet. when all cookies have cooled, remove from parchment paper and place on wire rack.

sift powdered sugar into a large bowl, whisk in 2 1/2 tbsp water until smooth (if needed, whisk in up to an additional 1/2 tbps water until glaze is smooth). divide glaze evenly among 3 small bowls. stir in blue food coloring gel into the first bowl. stir cocoa and 1/2 tsp water into the second bowl, adding up to 1/2 tsp water by the drop until smooth and spreadable but not runny. do not add anything to the third bowl.

frost 1 half of each cooled cookie with desired glaze using a small metal spatula. allow to set, 15 to 20 mins. frost remaining halves with other desired glaze, just touching the border of the first glaze. allow to set, about 30 mins.