Checkerboard Cookies
Recipe and step-by-step instructions on how to make tasty Checkerboard Cookies.Yield: 144, 1x1-inch (2.5cm x 2.5cm) cookies (made from 4 small cookie logs) or 36, 2x2-inch (5cm x 5cm)cookies (made from one large log)
Ingredients
- 3 cups All-purpose flour 430 grams
- 1 1/4 cup powdered sugar 160 grams
- 1/8 tsp salt
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp Vanilla Extract
- 2 sticks unsalted butter 226 grams room temperature butter
- 1/3 cup cocoa - preferable Dutch 33 grams
- 4 tbsp boiling water
- 1 tbsp lemon zest (optional)
- 1 tsp lemon extract (optional)
Instructions
Bloomed Cocoa Powder
- Into the bowl, add 1/3 cup (33 grams) sifted cocoa powder. Pour 4-5 tablespoons of boiling water over cocoa powder. Whisk well until a smooth paste is formed. Cover well with food wrap and allow to cool completely.
Cookie Dough Base - Reverse Mixing Method
- In a small dish, whisk one whole egg and one egg yolk (reserve the egg white for later), and add 2 teaspoons of Vanilla Extract. Set aside.
- Into a large mixing bowl, sift 3 cups (430 grams) all-purpose flour, 1 1/4 cups (160 grams) powdered sugar, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Whisk to combine.To the flour mixture, add room temperature unsalted butter. Beat on medium speed until butter is evenly dispersed throughout, and the mixture has a consistency similar to sand. This will take about 2-3 minutes. If using a stand mixer, use a wire attachment for this step.
- Into the flour-butter mixture, pour the egg mixture and beat on medium speed until large chunks of dough are formed. If using a stand mixer, use a paddle attachment for this step.
- Weigh the cookie chunks, and divide them equally into two mixing bowls
Vanilla/Lemon Cookie Dough (uncolored)
- If making vanilla-flavored dough, you don't need to do anything else; just gather the dough into a ball.If adding additional flavors, now it's time to add them. Into the 1st half of the cookie chunks, add 1 tablespoon of lemon zest and 1 teaspoon of lemon extract. Beat until combined, about 20 seconds, and gather the dough into a ball.
Chocolate Cookie Dough
- Into the 2nd half of the cookie chunks, add cooled, bloomed cocoa powder. Beat on medium speed until well combined and homogeneous, about a minute. Gather the dough into a ball.
Layer Vanilla and Chocolate Dough
- Roll out each dough into a 10-inch by 8-inch rectangle. Chill well for about an hour.Brush the vanilla layer with egg white, and place the chocolate layer on top of it. Cut a two-layer sheet in half. Brush the top chocolate layer with egg white and stack the second half on top of it. Ensure it is layered with dough alternating to create a striped pattern. Cover with food wrap and chill until firm.
Checkerboard Cookie Log
- Make 1/4-inch (6mm) markings on the short end of the layered sheet (striped) of cookie dough.With a sharp knife, cut the 1/4-inch (6mm) strips of striped cookie dough.Stack 4 strips, brush each strip with egg wash and layer them, alternating vanilla and chocolate layers, creating a checkerboard pattern.Repeat until you have 4 cookie log forms.Wrap each log in food wrap and chill again until firm.To make a large cookie log, 'glue' 4 cookie logs using egg whites.*see blog post for step-by-step pictures
Bake
- Slice the cookies 1/4 inch (6mm) thick and transfer them to a baking sheet lined with parchment or a perforated mat. Bake at 350℉ (180℃) for about 9-10 minutes for large cookies and about 7 minutes for smaller cookies.
Notes
- How long do cookies keep? Baked cookies keep in an airtight container for up to 10 days.
- Can I freeze the cookies? Sure, baked cookies can be frozen for up to 3 months. You can also freeze unbaked cookie logs, wrapped well in food wrap, and stored in a freezer-safe container or ziploc bag.