Half Moon Cookies

Whether you're a fan of chocolate of white half-moon cookies, I have both recipes right here for you.


If you grew up in Utica New York like I did, you sure know what kind of cookies these are, soft, delicious and frosted rounds.


You also know that Utica is famous for Tomato Pie, Italian Greens, Italian Lemon Ice, Pizza Fritta, Chicken Riggies, Manny's Cheesecake, Oscugnizzo Pizza, and Rosato Chocolate Cookies.

If you are looking for a recipe on how to make a copycat half-moon cookie from Upstate New York, you came to the right blog!


Upstate Utica NY is famous for these and where I grew up.


Half Moons or as some other states and areas, refer to them as (Black and Whites), but not as we call them half-moons period, in Upstate Utica, New York.


The origin of the black-and-white cookie in New York City is commonly traced to Glaser's Bake Shop in Yorkville, founded in 1902 by Bavarian immigrants.


Half-moon cookies, however, can be traced to Hemstrought's Bakery in Utica, New York, around 1925.


There isn't one time in my childhood anyone ever called these black and whites, and we still don't.


Sure there is always a debate about something, but I can tell you after over 30 + years of making this cookie recipe, you are going to smile with a cherished memory if you live anywhere near Utica.


These half-moons are fabulous!

So Many Varieties in Local Bakeries

When I was growing up in Utica, New York, I remember vanilla cookie half-moons, later came chocolate cookie then all kinds of topping and flavors came out over the year.


I have made all white frosted with coconut, jelly and coconut, milk chocolate frosted and white frosting. Dark chocolate frosting and white frosting and even peanut butter frosted!


Hemstrought's was the go-to bakery,  Star bakery and when we would have a chance to drive to New York Mills, Holland Farms had the biggest variety and still do to date.


For a short while when I worked in the Sangertown Square Mall, Hemstroughts had a small section of a bakery I would go to every morning on my break from Sears that I worked at for coffee and a half-moon cookie!

Home Town Best Cookies Ever!

I grew up around fabulous bakeries in Utica, NY, some are still there and well known for these delicious beauties.


Although no recipe as ever come close to our childhood memories, these cookies will certainly put a smile on your face.

A Pit Stop Every Time

Whenever you move away from home, you always have to go back for visit to those childhood memory foods, this is one of them for me.


If you have had the pleasure of sampling some of their traditional half-moon cookies in the Utica-Rome area in Upstate NY, you will go back again for sure.


My trip home wouldn't be complete without stopping by those local fantastic bakeries at home.

Really a Simple Recipe

My recipe is a simple vanilla cookie base or chocolate.


They are easy to make and fun to decorate.


Get the kids involved they will love helping out too!

The Batter Is Very Thick

The batter is a sweet vanilla cookie dough or chocolate.


It's thick and holds it's shaped very well while baking to make a perfect circle.

Baking The Cookies

I have always used parchment paper to bake them on, then invested in the Silpat mat and they perfectly brown and cook evenly either way.


The cookie sheets tend to over-brown the bottoms and get crispy, which isn't the way they should be.

Chocolate or Vanilla?

Now, this is a matter of preference!


My dad only likes the vanilla ones with jelly, coconut, and white frosting.


The rest of the family wanted a full chocolate moon meaning all chocolate frosting on chocolate cake cookies!


There is no right or wrong, bakeries in Utica N.Y., made all different kinds, chocolate, vanilla, frosted, with jam, assorted flavored frostings.


Many half moons can be tinted to whatever holiday theme or event is current.


Orange for Halloween, red, and green for Christmas, just to name a few.

The Cookie

Honestly, the cookie itself is delicious plain with nothing on it!


I love the delicious cake-like vanilla batter the best.


Chocolate is the most popular sold there in my hometown according to polls taken.

Making Memories

This recipe makes the best memories in the kitchen.


Childhood memories are just the best, I made them with my mom and now with my kids when they were little.


They also loved decorating them with sprinkles, crushed favorite candy bars and candy corn around Halloween.


Cookies and kids go famously together, this is the best place to start with traditions, especially if you were born and raised in Utica.


Now they are both grown and both sons will pass on the same tradition to their family.
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My Dad's favorite below was always with raspberry jam and shredded coconut on a vanilla half-moon cookie.

Original Cookies

The icing is always fluffy not smooth.


Everyone seems to make them different don't be fooled by the imitation boxed kind.

I have seen those store-bought ones shown below with smooth icing, not authentic!

Utica Style

Fluffy white frosting and a delicious chocolate fudge icing are always on the best bakery half-moons, so if you see smooth icing, that's not how they should look.


Again, I will stress however, everyone is different on what they not only call these (they're not black and whites!) to how the frosting should be.

This is a copycat version of my hometown and not of supermarket brands.

Black and Whites?

I had never heard the term Black and White Cookies when I lived in Upstate New York. They were only called Half Moons there.


When I moved to Florida, I saw that some of our local grocery stores had half-moon cookies, (not good at all or like my hometown version).


That is the first time I ever heard them called black and white cookies.

My Hometown Story

There is a definite story behind these.


I actually got this recipe from a friend that had worked in the local bakery years and years ago, he cut it down after starting out with 25 lbs of flour, now long since gone and I still treasure his recipe.


I still will continue to make this recipe as it is one of the easiest and the closest to the bakery-style version.


They have been more than just a cookie in our family. Our memories shared by this cookie are numerous.

Ingredients You will Need for Half-Moon Cookies

Vanilla Half Moons

• sugar
• shortening
• eggs
• flour
• baking powder
• salt
• pure vanilla
• milk

• Chocolate Half Moons
• flour
• baking powder
• baking soda
• sugar
• butter softened
• cocoa sifted
• salt
• eggs
• vanilla extract
• milk

Take You Pick

Chocolate is usually the number 1 most asked for half-moon cookie.


I personally like the vanilla and can change the topping and frosting, either one you love is right here.


So what are you waiting for?


Let's bake!

These Freeze Well

I know they some times make more than you need.


Just freeze them on a cookie sheet, stack with wax paper when frozen in between and take out as needed.


Always frost them freshly out the of the freezer, it prevents crumbs!

Utica New York Still has the best half moons!

Growing up in the Utica/Rome area, it wouldn't be unusual to see these cookies at every bake sales, house parties, bridal showers, school functions.


Through the years they have definitely have become a famous Cookie Icon for those area's, it's their part of the history which is known in every household.


This recipe is tried and true, won't disappoint you.

Half Moon Cookies Pin for later

Tips for Best Results

• Cream the sugar and shortening together with a mix and the rest by hand
• Always use homemade frosting recipes
• Bake on parchment
• Use an ice cream scoop for uniformity
• Don't overbeat the cookie dough
• Don't overbake the cookies

Don't Miss Some Of Our Other Favorites

Chicken Riggie Fest
Upstate NY Greens
Tomato Pie Upstate NY Style
Italian Lemon Ice
Pizza Fritte Feast Fried Dough

half moon cookies, black and white cookies, Utica Bakery cookies, cookies from Utica, Vanilla cookies, chocolate cookies

cookies, desserts

Italian, American

Yield: 12Author: Claudia Lamascolo

Half Moon Cookies

prep time: 8 min cook time: 12 min total time: 20 mins

These recipes for half-moons are my childhood favorite cookies. The cookie is soft and sweet with chocolate and vanilla icing on top.

ingredients:

• Vanilla Half Moons
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 1/2 cup shortening
• 2 eggs
• 3 1/2 cups flour
• 2 tablespoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 tablespoon pure vanilla
• 1 cup milk
• For the Chocolate Lovers
• Chocolate Half Moons
• 3 3/4 cups flour
• 3/4 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons baking soda
• 2 1/4 cup sugar
• 16 tablespoons butter softened
• 3/4 cup cocoa, sifted
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 2 eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• Both recipes should proceed with the same instructions just different ingredients
• you can use these frosting recipes for both vanilla and chocolate half-moon cookies however I also will have other variations in the instructions for more frosting recipes 
• Dark Chocolate Frosting
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup dark unsweetened cocoa powder
• 4 tablespoons butter softened
• 2 tablespoons shortening
• 1/4 cup milk or more
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch salt
• Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 4 tablespoons softened butter
• 2 tablespoons shortening
• 7 tablespoons milk or more until you reach desired consistency
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch salt

instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees using the middle rack. Grease a cookie sheet or line a cookie sheet with parchment paper or use a Silpat mat.
2. Mix sugar and the shortening with a hand mixer until they are well combined. This will look grainy using an electric mixer.
3. Add the eggs mixing each one by hand.
4. Then add the flour alternating with milk, add vanilla, then add all the rest of the dry ingredients in a bowl mix well. Overbeating this will result in a tough cookie and not soft and moist.
5. Drop using an ice cream scoop or by heaping well-rounded tablespoons on a greased cookie sheet, (make sure these are molded to be round.) Use a floured finger if you have too to round them properly.
6. Bake on 350 degrees hot oven at least 3 inches apart so they don't touch when they expand cooking. Bake until slightly browned on the bottom but not too dark.
7. Around 8 to 12 minutes. Do not overbake.
8. Cool and frost the FLAT side of the cookies.
9. Frosting Recipe:
10. Vanilla Basic Recipe mix all the ingredients together until smooth, add more milk if too thick.
11. Chocolate frosting: mix all the ingredients listed for chocolate frosting above and mix until smooth, add more milk if too thick.
12. Second variation:
13. Whipped Cream Frosting:
14. (several bakeries make a cooked whipped frosting like this one instead this is vanilla only)
15. 2 tablespoons flour
16. 1/2 cup milk
17. Cook, stirring constantly, until pasty consistency. Cool. (Do not use this mixture until it is really cold).
18. In a medium-size, bowl beat the following two ingredients together
19. 1/2 cup shortening
20. 1/2 cup granulated sugar
21. Beat 4 minutes.
22. Add
23. 1 teaspoon vanilla
24. Beat 4 minutes.
25. Add
26. Cooled flour mixture
27. Beat 4 minutes.

Calories
225

Fat (grams)
15

Sat. Fat (grams)
6

Carbs (grams)
22

Net carbs
14

Sugar (grams)
20

Created using The Recipes Generator

Half Moon Cookies Pin for later

More Hometown Treats from Utica New York!

New York Style Pusties


Almond Paste Cafe Cookies


Rosato Cookies

Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2009. It was edited and re-published in 2020