Checkerboard cookies are a buttery fanciful cookie that are super easy too! Just make the dough, form logs and freeze them to make instant cookies, that look so pretty and taste so so good!
Try my popular Double Chocolate Cookies and these Easy Chocolate Chip Cookies next if you are team Chocolate. Find all the festive Cookie Recipes from Greedy Eats at one place.
These cookies are perfect for when you can't decide between chocolate and vanilla. Really why should you have to choose, right? You can have both chocolate and vanilla if you make these Cookies.
Taste and Texture:
- Soft Buttery Crumb: These cookies are also called as slice and bake cookies or icebox cookies. Once you have shaped and refrigerated the dough, you cut it into cookie shape before baking. Aim for around ⅓-12 inch thickness per cookie. That way your cookies will stay incredibly soft in the centers and till be slightly crispy on the edges.
- Slight crunch from chocolate sprinkles: Now if you are anything like me, you will love and appreciate just a slight contrasting crunch that sprinkles bring in to the cookies. Though sprinkles are totally optional here.
- Perfect balance of chocolate and vanilla: These two classic flavors are sure to delight you. We are adding just a bit of coffee with cocoa to enhance the chocolate flavor, but you can totally skip it if needed.
If you wish to go that extra mile, you can flavor the vanilla dough with orange extract/zest. Strawberry, mint or even lemon extract will work wonderfully well here. Use a few drops of orange food coloring for orange flavor, pink food coloring for strawberry and green food coloring for mint flavor to make your cookies even more appealing.
Recipe Ingredients and Substitutions:
This recipe needs very minimal ingredients. Even though it involves two flavors, this recipe is a one bowl wonder. When any recipe uses less ingredients to come together, you have to be careful to use quality ingredients for that perfect outcome.
Let us quickly check what you will need to bring this cookie dough together:
- Butter: You will need unsalted butter at room temperature. Make sure to take butter out of refrigerator prior to starting to make the dough.
- Eggs: 1 egg plus 1 egg yolk at room temperature is perfect for binding.
- Baking powder: Leavener helps these cookies to rise just a touch. Make sure your baking powder isn't stale before adding it to the dough.
- Flour: We are using all purpose flour as the base of this recipe.
- Cocoa powder: To give chocolate flavor to these cookies cocoa powder gives a nice rich chocolate flavor.
How to make these Cookies:
Full recipe is written in the recipe card, but I would want to discuss the steps on how to create the checker pattern.
- Prepare the dough recipe as written in the recipe card.
- Divide the dough in half and remove one portion from the mixer.
- Add the cocoa powder and coffee to the remaining dough and mix until it is combined.
- Shape both portions of dough into square logs approximately 2- inches in diameter and 6- inches in length. Make sure the logs are the same size. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes, so it’s easy to slice.
- Once the dough has chilled, slice each log into 9 equal strips. First, slice the dough into 3 long strips, then turn the dough ¼- turn and slice it into 3 more even strips.
- Form the checkerboard pattern laying 3 strips of dough in alternating flavors onto a cutting board. Top the 3 strips with 3 more alternating flavors. Repeat this one more time until you have a square with 9 strips.
- Press the logs together, keeping the square shape, but making sure they hold together. There should not be any gaps in between the strips.
- Place the logs back in the refrigerator to chill so they are easy to slice into cookies.
- Slice the dough logs into cookies and bake!
Double panning a batch of cookies:
Using two pans to bake cookies is a good way to prevent the bottoms from burning. Two pans at the bottom help in slow absorption of heat resulting in slower browning of cookies at the bottom.
To make these cookies gluten-free and with vegan butter:
In most recipes you can substitute Cup4Cup gluten-free flour or Bob's Red Mill. Also butter can be replaced with any vegan butter of choice. The texture may be slightly different than if you used all purpose flour.
Why did my cookies turn out dry?
Dry cookies can be due to a number of different things; mixing the batter too much, a too hot oven, or adding too much flour. Make sure not to mix the batter any more than required to combine the ingredients.
Ensure your oven is properly calibrated and always place cookie sheets on the middle rack. Measuring the ingredients correctly goes a long way!
Why didn't my checkerboard pattern work?
Sometimes this happens and it take some practice to get it right. Making sure the logs stick together is key to achieving the this pattern. Oh and also, working with cold dough is the best way (and the only way!) to get distinct patterns and sharp and neat square cuts and edges. So always work with chilled dough, always!
Can the dough be made in advance?
Yes, this recipe can be made in advance and the dough can be frozen. It will keep in the freezer for several months.
Should I refrigerate cookies after baking?
More Christmas cookies you will love:
If you liked this recipe, give it a star review. Also, tell me in the comments below, how did this turn out for you! And don’t forget to share your creations with me on Instagram at #greedyeatsblog Also follow me on Pinterest and Facebook!
Recipe
Checkerboard Cookies
Equipment
- 1 Hand/stand Mixer
- 2 Cookie Sheets
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter (unsalted, room temperature)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk (at room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 and ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoons salt
- 3 cups all purpose flour
- ⅓ cup cocoa powder unsweetened
- 1 teaspoon espresso powder
- ½ cup chocolate sprinkles (jimmies) optional
Instructions
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar for 2 minutes.
- Add in the egg, the yolk, vanilla, baking powder, and salt. Mix for 1 minute or until smooth, scraping the sides of the bowl as necessary.
- Turn the mixer to low and add in the flour, mixing until just combined.
- Divide the dough in half and remove half of the vanilla dough from the mixing bowl.
- Add the cocoa powder and coffee powder (if adding) to the remaining dough and mix until incorporated.
- Shape each portion of dough into a squared log, 2- inches tall and 6- inches long. Make sure both logs are the same size.
- Place dough on a baking sheet and cover with plastic wrap. Place dough into the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour.
- Using a sharp knife slice the dough into thirds, lengthwise. Then turn the dough one turn and cut into thirds again. You will have 9 strips. Repeat the process with the other dough. You should have 18 strips total.
- Lay 1 piece of vanilla dough, one piece of chocolate, and another piece of vanilla on a flat surface next to each other. Top the 3 strips with alternating colors. Repeat this once more, so you have a square log. Press the dough strips together tightly, keeping the square shape. Repeat this with the remaining dough.
- Refrigerate again for at least 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Remove the dough from the refrigerator and slice into ¼- inch cookies.
- Place the pieces on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 9-10 minutes, or until set. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Luna s
They look so cool! I think my kids would have fun making these.
Joy
yummy. these look so cute and sound pretty easy to make. i am downloading the recipe right now.
Claudia
I have to make these! My husband and son will flip over them. I'll never tell them how easy they are, though. LOL
Beth
This is such a fun idea! I love the flavor of the dough, and making the cookies seems very straightforward.
Nisha
These cookies are so cute, and it is interesting to know how they are made. I am sure they taste awesome! Hope to try them soon.