Did you know that you can have a bit of New York at home with these Easy Half Moon Cookies? The very best part is that the recipe starts with a cake mix and ends with one simple frosting that is divided to make both vanilla and chocolate.
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Why this Recipe Works
To get the wonderful cakey cookies that you expect from a traditional black and white cookie we have added sour cream to the cookie dough. It works great in this recipe and the Copycat Lofthouse Cookies.
There is also only egg whites in the dough to keep the cookie a nice shade of white. That combination, along with a simple frosting gives you the perfect cookie.
Being able to create both the vanilla and chocolate frosting from one batch of frosting is just the icing on the cake cookie!
What Goes Into this Recipe
Cake Mix Cookie:
- Vanilla Cake Mix: The perfect starting point for a cake like cookie.
- Butter: Used in a softened form to give the cookies a nice thick texture.
- Egg Whites: The whites of the eggs are added to keep the cookie a pure white color.
- Sour Cream: A secret ingredient for getting a soft cakey cookie.
Frosting:
- Powdered Sugar: Added to give the frosting a smooth and sweet texture and taste.
- Cocoa Powder: Added to half of the frosting to give you both vanilla and chocolate.
- Milk: Used to thin out the frosting perfectly.
- Vanilla Extract: Gives the frosting a wonderful flavor.
- Corn Syrup: It is a wonderful ingredient to use in order to get your frosting to set up quickly.
- Salt: Used to offset the sweetness of the frosting.
See recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How to make this Half Moon Cookie
1. Begin by combining the cookie ingredients {using egg whites instead of the whole egg helps keep the nice white color}. Combine everything with a hand held mixer {or by hand}.
2. Scoop mounds of dough using a medium cookie scoop onto a silicone mat {or parchment} lined baking sheet. The cookie dough mounds can be close together {but not touching} because we are going to refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes. Normally I am not someone with enough patience to refrigerate dough but I find recipes like Cookies and Cream Whoopie Pies and these Half Moon Black and White Cookies you need to. It helps give you the shape you want.
3. Once the dough has chilled, roll each mound of dough into a smooth ball and place onto a silicone mat {or parchment} lined baking sheet.
4. Bake your half moon cookies in a 350 degree oven for 11-13 minutes. When you are going for a cakey cookie it is important to not under bake the cookie. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool completely on the cookie sheet.
Icing Half Moon Cookies
5. To ice the cookies, turn them on their tops because they are actually going to become the bottom of these Black & White Cake Mix Cookies. Combine the icing ingredients and then divide it into two bowls. In one of the bowls add the cocoa powder and mix. Using an offset spatula add the vanilla {aka white} icing to half of the cookie. The addition of corn syrup to the icing will allow the icing to set up fairly quickly.
6. Then go back with the chocolate {aka black} icing and frost the other half of the cookie. Allow them to set up completely and then you can add them to a serving plate or store in an airtight container.
Expert Tips
- Don’t skip chilling the dough. This step helps the cookies from spreading during baking.
- Be sure that the cookies are completely cooled before frosting.
- Use the bottom of the cookie as the top to get a nice smooth top, just like the cookies you would buy in New York.
- Be sure to divide the frosting in half and add cocoa powder to one half. This will give you both the black and white frostings.
- Allow the cookies to set up completely before stacking.
Recipe FAQs
This cookie is believed to have been created in 1902 by Glaser’s Bake Shop in Manhattan by Bavarian immigrants.
A vanilla or white cake mix works best for this recipe to get a traditional flavor. If you are wanting to try something different a chocolate or red velvet cake mix would be delicious.
You do not have to make homemade icing. If you prefer to use store bought frosting, use a vanilla and divide in half. Add the same amount of cocoa powder to half.
Also be sure to thin the frosting down with milk to get a nice spreadable consistency.
This recipe can be made gluten free by using a gluten free vanilla cake mix.
These Half Moon Cookies will stay fresh for 3-4 days as long as they are covered tightly or stored in the refrigerator.
Do you love easy Cake Mix Cookies? Try these recipes:
Did you try this recipe?
Leave a ⭐️ review below and tag @practicallyhomemade on Pinterest!
Half Moon Cookies with a Cake Mix
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 box vanilla cake mix {15.25 oz.}
- 1/2 cup butter {softened}
- 3 egg whites
- 1/4 cup sour cream
Icing
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 3 1/2 tbsp milk
- 1 tbsp corn syrup
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tbsp cocoa powder
Instructions
Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350° and cover baking sheets with silicone liners or parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl combine cake mix, butter, eggs and sour cream. Using a hand held mixer {or mix by hand}, mix the ingredients until just combined. There may be small bits of butter in the dough.
- Scoop dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet using a medium cookie scoop. Refrigerate the dough scoops for at least 30 minutes.
- Once chilled, add cookie scoops to a cookie sheet and bake for 11-13 minutes or until the edges and top of the cookie are set and the top is starting to crack. Remove from the oven and allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet. Continue until all of the cookies are baked.
Icing
- Combine the icing ingredients {minus the cocoa} and whisk until smooth. You want the icing to be thick enough to stay on the cookie but thin enough to spread. Adjust by adding more powdered sugar or milk.
- Divide the icing into two separate bowls. In one of the bowls add the cocoa and whisk. You will have a bowl of vanilla icing and a bowl of chocolate.
- Turn the cookies over onto their tops because the bottom of these cookies are what will be icing and will become the top of the cookie.
- Spread vanilla icing onto half of the cookies– the flat side. Spread chocolate icing onto the other half and allow the icing to set completely, about 1 hour, before serving.
- Store the half moon cookies in an airtight container once the icing is set for up to 4 days or freeze {without icing} for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Don’t skip chilling the dough. This step helps the cookies from spreading during baking.
- Be sure that the cookies are completely cooled before frosting.
- Use the bottom of the cookie as the top to get a nice smooth top, just like the cookies you would buy in New York.
- Be sure to divide the frosting in half and add cocoa powder to one half. This will give you both the black and white frostings.
- Allow the cookies to set up completely before stacking.
Nutrition
