Semi-Homemade: Black & White Cookies

I have an embarrassing confession. As I sit here preparing this post, on one tab I have open the recipe page for the Paleo diet and on the other tab, the wiki page for black and white cookies. I guess this perfectly exemplifies the dichotomy that is my diet. 

Prior to becoming a resident New Yorker, and one who can now tell you we have Jerry Seinfeld to thank in part for making thse cookies famous, I spent a summer soaking up my final weeks of freedom. Naturally, this allowed for plenty of down time, so in between trips to ikea, I discovered that Betty knows the secret for transforming a plain jane bag of sugar cookie mix into a mean Black and White cookie.

So whether you eat the chocolate or vanilla side first, or head straight to the middle to get the best of both worlds, these treats don't disappoint. The sweetest part about it - the simplicity of the batter.

The recipe (Thanks Betty)

Cookie
1 pouch (1 lb 1.5 oz) Betty Crocker® sugar cookie mix
1/2 cup buttermilk
1/4 cup butter or margarine, softened
1 teaspoon grated lemon peel
2 eggs

Icing
3 cups powdered sugar
1/4 cup whipping cream
2 tablespoons butter or margarine
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/3 cup dark chocolate chips (2 oz)
1 tablespoon whipping cream

Heat oven to 350°F. In large bowl, stir cookie ingredients until batter-like dough forms.

With medium cookie scoop or heaping tablespoon, scoop dough 3 inches apart onto ungreased cookie sheets.

Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until edges are light golden brown. Cool 5 minutes; remove from cookie sheets. Cool completely.

Place powdered sugar in large bowl; set aside. In small microwavable bowl, microwave 1/4 cup cream and 2 tablespoons butter on High about 1 minute; stir until butter is melted. Add butter mixture and vanilla to powdered sugar; stir until mixture is smooth.

In medium microwavable bowl, microwave chocolate chips and 1 tablespoon cream on High 1 minute; or until melted. Stir half of vanilla icing into melted chocolate mixture until smooth and well blended. If necessary, add additional cream to thin both vanilla and chocolate icing.

For each cookie, turn cookie flat side up; spread chocolate icing in thin layer on half of cookie. Spread other half with white icing. Store covered at room temperature.