Checkerboard Squares
Submitted by ashultz1
Checkerboard cookies, a visually striking shortbread-style cookie with alternating vanilla and chocolate squares. An impressive icebox cookie for holiday tins.
YIELD
1 batchPREP
20 minCOOK
25 minREADY
3 hrsCheckerboard cookies look like a second-grade art project in the best way, and they’re an old-school bakery classic that’s begging for a comeback. The cookies are built by layering rectangles of vanilla and chocolate shortbread-style cookie dough, slicing them into strips, restacking with alternating colors, and slicing again into a perfect checkerboard pattern.
The trick is chilling. A full 2 hours in the fridge firms the dough so the clean slice stays clean. Skip this step and the soft dough squishes, blurring the pattern into a muddy mess. Cold dough is the difference between bakery-window cookies and “what were those supposed to be?"
The base recipe uses cookie mix as a shortcut, but the layering technique works with any shortbread or sugar cookie dough split in half. Cocoa powder goes into one half to create the chocolate contrast.
Pro Tips
- Roll each dough rectangle to exactly the same thickness. Uneven layers make wonky checkerboards.
- Use waxed paper or parchment between layers for clean transfer and no sticking.
- Use a long, sharp chef’s knife for slicing, not a serrated blade. Serrated tears the dough.
- Press each stack gently to bond layers before chilling. Too hard and you deform the squares.
Variations
- Swap cocoa for matcha for a green-and-vanilla checkerboard.
- Add a teaspoon of almond extract to the vanilla dough for an almond-chocolate combo.
- Dust cooled cookies with powdered sugar or drizzle with white chocolate for a fancier finish.
Ingredients
Directions
At low speed, beat until mixture forms a dough.
Divide dough in half; remove one half from bowl.
To dough in bowl, add cocoa powder; knead to mix well.
On work surface, on separate sheets of waxed paper, roll each half of dough to 9×6 inch rectangle.
Using paper to lift dough, invert plain dough onto top of chocolate dough.
Remove paper from plain dough. Using long chef’s knife, cut doughs lengthwise into 2 inch wide strips.
Stack strips, removing waxed paper and alternating colors.
Cut stack lengthwise into three equal strips.
Stack strips so colors alternate; gently press stack so dough layers stick together.
Wrap stack in plastic wrap; refrigerate 2 hours.
Preheat oven to 375℉ (190℃).
Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.
Remove plastic wrap from dough; cut stack crosswise into ¼ inch slices.
Place slices checkerboard side down on prepared baking sheets; bake 8 min or until golden.
Transfer to wire rack to cool.
With pastry bag and writing, decorate cookies with dots of chocolate and icing.
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