NYC Vegan Black and White Cookies

NYC Vegan by Michael Suchman and Ethan Ciment from Vegan Mos is the first plant-based cookbook to celebrate the famous foods of New York City.

As a 40-year resident of New York City (and Brooklyn born), I have been hoping to see this book for a long time. Who better to write it than Michael Suchman and Ethan Ciment, who are known for their popular blog the VeganMos. When they are not developing recipes and walking their dogs Charlie and Riley, you’ll find Michael running his husband Ethan’s podiatry office. (I should know, as Dr. Ethan helped me heal a very bad ankle injury a few years ago.)

Written by these native New Yorkers as a tribute to the city they love, this cookbook brings the iconic tastes of New York City to your kitchen with simple and delicious vegan recipes. From the diners and delis of Brooklyn to the traditions of Little Italy and Chinatown, NYC Vegan will take you on a flavorful tour of The Big Apple. The recipes are appealing, and the photography by Jackie Sobon is terrific in this cookbook, which is also a guidebook to New York City.  Now, I grew up eating the non-vegan versions of these Black and White Cookies. Thanks to Michael and Ethan, I can eat them again as a vegan. This is a wonderful book to own and to gift.

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NYC Vegan Black and White Cookies

Thanks to a famous episode of Seinfeld, the black and white cookie, once only known to New Yorkers, garnered national attention. In that episode, Jerry used the black and white as a metaphor for racial harmony. Although called a cookie, these treats are actually made from a stiff cake batter and baked free-form on a cookie sheet. Once found only in bakeries, today the black and white can be found in almost every grocery store and bodega in New York.

Yields 18 cookies

Author Michael Suchman and Ethan Ciment

Ingredients

*Cookies:*

• 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 cup nondairy butter
• 1/4 cup nondairy milk, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

*Icing:*

• 3 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
• 1/4 cup boiling water, plus more if needed
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2/3 cup nondairy semisweet chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 (18 x 12-inch) baking sheets with parchment paper. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
2. In another large bowl, combine the sugar and butter and beat until creamy, about 5 minutes. Add the milk and vanilla and beat until incorporated. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture in batches, beating after each addition, until combined.
3. Scoop the dough, 1/4 cup at a time, onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the scoops 3 inches apart. Flatten them slightly with your hands (keep your hands wet to prevent the dough from sticking). Allow room between the scoops as the cookies will spread as they bake.
4. Bake the cookies for 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the cookies to cool 2 minutes on the baking sheets and then carefully flip the cookies over and transfer them, upside down, to a wire rack to cool completely.
5. While the cookies are cooling, make the icing. In a large mixing bowl, combine the confectioners’ sugar, boiling water, and vanilla. Mix well to get a spreadable icing. Add a little more water, if needed. Using an offset spatula, spread a thin layer of icing onto the flat side, the former bottom, of each cookie. Return the cookies to the wire rack to dry. You should have about 1/2 cup of icing left.
6. While the white icing is drying, melt the chocolate chips in a microwave or double boiler. When the chips are all melted and smooth, whisk the melted chocolate into the remaining icing. The chocolate icing should be thicker than the white, but still be spreadable. If it is too thick, add a little hot water to thin it out. Use the offset spatula to frost one half of each cookie over the white icing. Return the cookies to the wire racks to dry. Store leftovers in a covered container for up for 5 days.

Recipe Notes

From NYC Vegan, copyright © 2017 by Michael Suchman and Ethan Ciment. Used by permission. Photo by Jackie Sobon.

I have a copy of NYC Vegan for one lucky reader this week. Follow the instructions below to enter. U.S. residents only, please. Contest ends at midnight on June 6th. Good luck!

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