Alright, today is the day I teach you all how to make checkerboard cookies from scratch! They are basically a delicious buttery sugar cookie, made with chocolate and vanilla dough. If you’re looking for something fun, simple, and delicious, this recipe is for you!
How I got started making these cookies
When my blog was first started years ago, I called it “Sugar and Spice and Everything Nice.” It was intended to be a blog where I could share recipes (as I currently do); however, since I was pretty young and had a lot still to learn, I wanted it to be a way that I could try new things in the kitchen and just post about what I had learned. That said, I was not really planning to share the recipes for those “Learning projects;” rather, just the experience I had gained in the process.
A major flop
To make the checkerboard cookies, I found a cookbook that I liked and chose their cookie recipe as my guinea pig for the week.
The recipe that I chose looked simple, and I felt confident that I could make them easily. Yet somehow, the texture of the two different types of dough were totally different. The chocolate dough was much stiffer than the vanilla; and as a result, when the cookies went into the oven, the vanilla portion melted into a flat pool and the chocolate portions stood up like little wooden pegs throughout.
I was not impressed, to say the least! However, I dutifully gave an honest report on the recipe flop here on my blog.
Embarrassing exposure
At the time, I knew Pinterest was a place to get your blog out there, so I shared this picture of my cookies (below, with my original watermark) pre-baked, on there. To my embarrassment, that picture drove quite a bit of traffic to my blog… and, I’m pretty sure those who visited were probably hoping to find a good recipe… and instead, they found my recipe flop report. I have been slightly embarrassed (and anxious to redeem myself!) ever since.
Making successful checkerboard cookies
Since my blog still receives traffic from Pinterest from that old picture, I thought it was about time I baked up a fresh batch of cookies with my own recipe, which I knew would turn out. I am happy to report that they did, and I now have a simple way for you to make these cookies easily and successfully on your own!
Black and white cookies
The “black and white” pattern of checkerboard cookies are achieved by making two batches of butter cookie dough, both chocolate and vanilla. The two different types are then rolled into long ropes, sandwiched together in the correct pattern, and then sliced into cookies to be baked.
Tips on making the best checkerboard cookies
Having done this both successfully and unsuccessfully, here’s my advice for making these perfectly:
- Follow the recipe
- Allow the dough to rest overnight
- Use a bench scraper or the flat blade of a knife to make the edges of each long rope more square
- Weigh your dough portions with a kitchen scale to make them equal weights
- Brush the dough with egg white or water while you stack the layers to help them stick together
- Dust your surface with icing sugar instead of flour to keep the dough sticky when it is pressed together.
- Read on in this post if you want to see why I didn’t do steps 2&3 listed above
What kind of cocoa to use for checkerboard cookies
I used black cocoa, which makes them have a much more “Black and white cookie” look. You can of course use regular cocoa powder, but note that they will have a more brown look than my finished cookies do in these images.
What kind of dough is used for checkerboard cookies
I am using a basic sugar cookie dough for mine. I have found it the most consistent and reliable. Other recipes might call for a butter cookie dough, which would be honestly very similar.
Making the cookies look homemade
Above, I mentioned that you can use a scale and a bench scraper to improve the look of your cookies. For me, I didn’t care that they look “Perfect.” I wanted my cookies to be, and look, homemade. So, if you don’t want to bother getting the absolute “Perfect” checker pattern, you can feel free to skip weighing the dough and perfectly squaring off the edges of your cookie dough strips. You’ll still get a beautiful result!
How to make checkerboard cookies
You will need:
- Ingredients (see recipe card)
- Mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Sharp knife
- Pastry brush
- Miniature sieve (optional)
- A bench scraper or knife (optional)
- Kitchen scale (optional)
- Baking trays
- Parchment paper (optional)
Making the dough
You will need to make two different types of dough to create this checkerboard pattern: chocolate and vanilla. For the best results, these cookies should be made ahead of time, and they should be allowed to rest overnight for the flavour and structure of the dough to reach its full potential.
Making the checkerboard pattern
The checkerboard pattern is achieved by dividing the two different types into sections, and then rolling out each piece into a long rope. The ropes are then alternated, then cut and stacked to continue alternating the pattern until you have created a perfect square log. The logs are then refrigerated until firm, and then sliced into cookies and baked.
Scroll down for the recipe!
Checkerboard Sugar Cookies
Delicious, patterned chocolate and vanilla sugar cookies that look like little checker boards. A fun project for a rainy day!
Ingredients
For the Vanilla Dough:
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 large egg
- 1-1/4 cups all-purpose flour
For the Chocolate Dough:
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1 large egg
- 2 Tbsp black cocoa powder (or regular cocoa powder)
- 1-1/8 cup all purpose flour (1/8 cup = 2 Tbsp)
Instructions
For the Vanilla Dough:
-
In a small/medium sized mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the vanilla and egg, and then add the flour until you have a fairly stiff dough. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate a minimum of 2 hours, or overnight.
For the Chocolate Dough:
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In a small/medium sized mixing bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Add the vanilla and egg, and then add the flour and cocoa until you have a fairly stiff dough. Wrap in plastic and refrigerate a minimum of 2 hours, or overnight.
Assembling the Checkerboard Cookies:
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Divide each kind of dough into 8 sections. Roll each section into an 18" log (about 1/4" thick) on a surface dusted with a bit of icing sugar or flour (icing sugar will help the layers stick together better once the pattern has been created).
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Press two ropes of each kind of dough alternately beside each other (chocolate, vanilla, chocolate vanilla). Brush the strip with a little bit of water or egg white (optional) to help the next layer stick.
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Cut the long strip of striped dough in half, turn one side over, and set it on top of the first section with the pattern alternating. Press together lightly, cut in half again, and stack the halves (with a tiny bit of egg white or water between the layers), making sure the pattern is still correctly lined up. Press the dough firmly into a square log (a bench scraper helps with this).
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Repeat with the other strips of dough until you have 4 square logs. Wrap the logs in plastic and refrigerate overnight.
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Cut the logs into 8-9 slices each (about 1/4" thick), and bake the cookies on parchment lined baking sheets at 350 degrees F for 8-10 minutes or until done. Cool on wire racks.
Recipe Notes
To freeze checkerboard cookies:
Prepare the dough up to the point of slicing the cookies. Lay the sliced cookies out onto a parchment lined baking sheet, and freeze until solid. Place the frozen cookies into a freezer safe bag or container, and store until ready to bake. Bake from frozen, adding a couple of minutes to the total baking time.
Other ways to use this dough
- Marbled cookies: One fun way to use some of your chocolate and vanilla dough is to knead them together slightly to created a “Marbled” look. Roll the marbled dough into a log, slice into cookies, and then bake as directed for perfect little marbled rounds.
- Spiral cookies: You can also roll out the vanilla dough and chocolate dough until quite thin (about 1/4″), set the chocolate dough on top of the vanilla, and then roll the whole thing into a log. Slice the log into cookies, and bake as directed for beautiful little black and white spiral cookies.
If you make this recipe, I would love to hear how your cookies turned out! You can feel free to leave me a comment or tag me in your photos on Instagram @naomicakesofficial!
–Naomi
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Ohhh, Naomi! I love your story and your determination to try again! Thanks for your honesty. Our electricity went out last night while I was reading, so I didn't find out what happened until just now. It was like a cliff hanger 🙂 I don't know, your cookies look like little tables in a cafe…”Cafe Edibles”?! Looking forward to reading more about your adventures and seeing your photos! Great post!
Kim Etter
Great story…your cookies remind of life…sometimes it's just plain messy…good job as usual…I always enjoy the read!
hhhhhhh i love this story thanks for sharing it with us it helps me to know that even amazing cooks mess things up sometimes