Every time I walk into a bakery in Germany, I get greeted by these large black and white cookies called Amerikaner. The are kuchen cookies (cake cookies), light and airy with a distinct half black and half white glaze. Do not confuse them with Schwarzweiss Gebäck - which also have a black and white pattern but are proper crunchy cookies.
Let me show you how to make these Amerikaner Cookies from scratch. They come together in 30 minutes with minimal prep and are perfect for beginner bakers. Best of all, they are bakery quality!
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Cookie or Cake?
These light and pillory pastries are more cake than cookie. They are not made from cookie dough but a cake dough made with baking powder (affiliate link). They are then piped onto the baking tray.
Even the size of the Amerikaner are not cookie-like. The ones you can get in the backery have a large diameter of about 15 cm /40 inches and are definitely too large to dip into cup of tea.
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients you’ll need to bake homemade Amerikaner.
- Unsalted Butter -
- Granulated sugar
- Vanilla Extracts
- Eggs - Bind the ingredients and provide moisture and structure. They help achieve a softer, cake-like consistency. The yolk, in particular, also adds richness to the cookie dough.
- All-purpose flour - UK Plain flour, Germany type 405
- Salt - balances the sweetness of sugar and slightly enhances other flavors.
- Cornstarch - is a true all-arounder, playing multiple roles in this cookie dough. It creates a softer (more tender) crumb, ensures the cookies don’t spread too much, and also gives them a subtle rise in the oven.
- Baking powder (affiliate link) - is a leavening agent, here to ensure your cookies rise and develop a fluffy, airy texture.
- Milk - Provides moisture, ensuring your cookies don’t end up crumbly and dry.
For the glaze:
- Powdered sugar – This forms the foundation of the glaze, creating a smooth, glossy finish that pairs beautifully with the rich chocolate coating.
- Lemon juice - It gives the cookies a tangy lift and a feeling of freshness. It works well to counteract the sweetness of sugar and chocolate, therefore balancing the flavors.
- Semi-dark chocolate - just a thin coating of melted semi-dark chocolate gives these cookies the perfect smooth, and even finish.
Recipe Steps
- Prep the Baking Tray Preheat the oven to 180°C (355°F). Line a baking tray with parchment paper and draw 8 cm (3-inch) circles for even sizing.
- Make the dough: Whisk the butter, sugar, and vanilla extract until creamy. Add eggs one at a time, mixing well. In a separate. bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cornstarch, and salt. Gradually add to the wet mixture, alternating with milk. Mix until smooth.
- Pipe the Batter & Bake Transfer the batter to a piping bag (affiliate link) (or plastic bag with a small hole) and pipe it onto the marked circles. Bake for 12–15 minutes until golden. Let cool completely.
To Decorate
- Prepare the Icing Whisk powdered sugar and lemon juice until thick and creamy. Adjust with more sugar or juice if needed.
- Apply Icing Spread icing over half of each cookie. Let it set. Melt the chocolate (see notes). Coat the other half of each cookie.
- Let Set and Serve
Once the chocolate sets, they’re ready to serve.
How to Ensure the Cookies Are Equal
Looking to achieve consistent cookie sizes throughout your batch? It all starts with proper preparation. Follow these simple tricks to ensure reliable, uniform cookies every time.
- Start by drawing circles on your parchment paper. These circles will act as your guide when piping the dough, helping you maintain an even size.
- Leave enough space between each circle to allow for expansion while baking, preventing the cookies from sticking together.
- Once you've finished piping, take a moment to check the batter. Use a clean finger or spoon to smooth out any inconsistencies or uneven edges, ensuring each cookie has a smooth, even shape.
By following these steps, you'll have perfectly sized cookies that bake evenly and look uniform with minimal effort.
Origin of the Name
As is often the case with culinary history, there are several theories about the origin of the name for these cookies.
- The first theory is that the name stems from the post-war presence of American soldiers in Germany, who were the ones to introduce baking powder (affiliate link) to locals.
- The second theory is that they got their name from the New York Black and White Cookies. They look very similar and the recipe is not too different.
- Last but not least, the term "Amerikaner" may be linked to the use of ammonium bicarbonate (referred to as "Ammonium" in German) in the original recipe.
- They are also known as Half-Moon Cookies or Half-Half Cookies because of their distinctive pattern.
FAQ
Aim for slightly firm, light golden-brown edges. The center should remain soft to the touch as they will continue to bake from residual heat after you take them out of the oven.
Start checking around the 12th-minute mark. If the cookies still look pale, they need a few more minutes in the oven. If the center feels hard, remove them immediately as that’s a sign they’ve been overbaked.
Mini-Amerikaner are bite-sized versions of these delicious cookies, ideal for kids' parties. Their smaller size makes them perfect for little hands, and they can be decorated in many fun ways.
Storage
Those cake cookies taste best the day they are made. To keep your Amerikaner as fresh as possible, aim for the following:
- Room temperature: store them in a cookie tin (affiliate link) or another airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
- Refrigerated: If storing for longer, you can transfer them to a fridge which should extend their shelf life for up to 1 week.
These cookies freeze well. Place them on a small lined baking sheet in a single layer and place in freeze. Once frozen, you can transfer them to any freezer-safe container.
If you’re storing them in a larger box, I always recommend lining each layer with a sheet of parchment paper to prevent sticking and make cleaning a breeze.
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More German Pastries:
Recipe
Amerikaner - German Black and White Cookies
Ingredients
For the batter
- 120 g unsalted butter softend at room temperature
- 100 g granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 eggs medium size
- 240 g all-purpose flour
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tablespoon corn starch
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 80 ml milk
For the glaze
- 75 g powdered sugar
- 3 tsbp lemon juice
- 100 g semi-dark chocolate
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 180°C (355°F). Line a baking tray with parchment paper. Using a pen, draw 8 cm (3-inch) circles on the parchment to ensure evenly sized cookies.
- Place the softened butter, sugar, and vanilla extract (affiliate link) in a bowl and whisk until creamy. Add in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition.
- In a separate bowl, combine the flour, baking powder (affiliate link), cornstarch, and salt. Gradually add this to the wet mixture, alternating with the milk. Mix until fully incorporated.240 g all-purpose flour, 1 pinch salt, 1 tablespoon corn starch, 2 teaspoon baking powder (affiliate link), 80 ml milk
- Transfer the batter into a piping bag (affiliate link) fitted with a round tip nozzle. (Alternatively, use a plastic bag and cut a small hole in the bottom.) Pipe the batter in equal portions onto the marked circles on the parchment paper.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes or until lightly golden. Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before decorating.
To decorate
- Sift the powdered sugar into a bowl. Whisk in the lemon juice, one spoon at a time, until you achieve a thick, creamy consistency. If the icing is too runny, add more powdered sugar. If it’s too thick, add a few drops of lemon juice.75 g powdered sugar, 3 tsbp lemon juice
- Spread the icing over half of each cookie using a knife or palette knife. Allow it to set.
- Melt the dark chocolate (see notes for instructions). Use a pastry brush (affiliate link) or palette knife to spread the chocolate over the other half of each cookie.
- Once the chocolate has set, the cookies are ready to serve.100 g semi-dark chocolate
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