Discover the magic of Baltimore with these iconic cookies! Baltimore’s storied Berger cookies, a product of that city’s DeBaufre Bakeries, are a close relation to New York City’s Black and Whites (a.k.a. Half and Halfs or Half Moons).
Baltimore’s Berger-style Cookies (Two Copycat recipes)
Discover the magic of Baltimore with these iconic cookies! Baltimore’s storied Berger cookies, a product of that city’s DeBaufre Bakeries, are a close relation to New York City’s Black and Whites (a.k.a. Half and Halfs or Half Moons). These cake-like cookies are piled with thick, rich chocolate icing — the thicker the better. Note that the cookies themselves are rather dry, so the over-the-top amount of icing, rather than being overkill, is just right. While we can’t claim this recipe makes “the real thing,” King Author Baking feels it’s close to the original — and perfect for those of you who can’t get to Baltimore. While the fudge icing for these cookies is missing the original Berger cookies’ signature taste (think Hostess cupcake icing), we feel its consistency is identical, and its deep chocolate flavor perfect with its vanilla cookie base.
Below are two similar Berger-style cookie recipes. The first is from King Author Baking and the second recipe is from Home Made Interest Simple Entertaining.
Both stress it’s the amount of chocolate icing per cookie that makes them delicious.
Ingredients
#1 – (King Author Baking Baltimore Berger Cookies recipe):
Cookie
- 5 1/3 tablespoons 74g unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon King Arthur Pure Vanilla Extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 cup 99g granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 1/2 cups 180g King Arthur Unbleached All-Purpose Flour
- 1/3 cup 74g milk
Icing
- 2 cups 340g semisweet chocolate chips
- 1 1/2 tablespoons 28g light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon King Arthur Pure Vanilla Extract
- 3/4 cup 170g heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups 170g confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
#2 Home Made Interest Simple Entertaining – Berger Cookie recipe
Cookie
- 1/3 cup Butter
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon Baking powder
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- 1 Large egg
- 1 1/2 cups Bob’s Red Mill Brand Organic Unbleached All Purpose White Flour used by many bakers for a light, airy dessert
- 1/3 cup Milk
Icing
- 1 cup Bittersweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup Semisweet Chocolate chips
- 1 tablespoon Light corn syrup
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup Heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cups Powdered sugar
Instructions
Instructions for Recipe #1 – (King Author Baking Baltimore Berger Cookies recipe):
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Lightly grease (or line with parchment paper) two baking sheets.
- To make the cookies: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the butter, salt, vanilla, and baking powder.
- Beat in the sugar, then the egg.
- Add the flour to the wet ingredients alternately with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour. Do this gently; there’s no need to beat the batter.
- Using a spoon or a tablespoon cookie scoop, drop the dough onto the prepared cookie sheets. The balls of dough should be about 1 1/4″ in diameter.
- Flatten each mound of dough to a circle about 1 1/2″ across; wet your fingers or a knife, or grease the bottom of a drinking glass or measuring cup to do this.
- Leave 2″; to 2 1/2″ between each cookie, for expansion.
- Bake the cookies for about 10 to 11 minutes, or until they’re a mottled brown on the bottom (carefully tilt one up to look), but not colored on top.
- You may see the barest hint of browning around the edges, but these cookies are supposed to be soft and cake-like, so don’t over-bake them.
- Remove the cookies from the oven, and let them cool right on the pan as you make the frosting.
To make the icing:
- Place the chocolate chips, corn syrup, vanilla, and cream into a large microwave-safe bowl, or into a large saucepan.
- Heat the mixture until it’s very hot; the cream will start to form bubbles. Remove from the heat, and stir until smooth.
- Beat in the confectioners’ sugar and salt. Let the icing cool to lukewarm.
- Dip each cookie into the lukewarm icing; swirl the cookie around to really give it a good coating.
- Set the cookies back on the baking sheet.
- Spread the remaining icing evenly atop the cookies. If it’s too soft and flows off the cookies, let it set a bit, until it’s firmer.
- It’ll feel like you’re piling on a lot of icing; that’s precisely the point!
Storage information:
- Allow the icing to set completely, then store the cookies airtight in a single layer. Keep at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.
Instructions for Recipe #2 – (Home Made Interest Simple Entertaining): copycat Berger Cookie recipe:
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set to the side.
- In the bowl of your mixer beat together butter, vanilla extract, baking powder, and sugar.
- Add the egg and beat until the mixture just starts to come together.
- Slowly add the flour a ½ cup at a time alternating it with the milk.
- Scoop about a tablespoon of cookie dough and drop it on the baking sheet. Repeat this step spacing the dough about 2 inches apart – makes about 24.
- Lightly grease the bottom of a measuring cup and press it gently down on the dough balls, flattening them slightly so they are about 1 1/2 inches across.
- You will need to grease the measuring cup several times during the process so the dough doesn’t stick to it. I just used a little non-stick spray.
- Bake the cookies for 8-10 minutes. These cookies are cake-like so you don’t want the bottoms getting fully brown. They are done when the bottom is a mottled brown.
- Once cookies are done remove them from the oven and place them on a cooling rack.
To Make the frosting:
- Place the two types of chocolate chips in a bowl.
- In a separate, microwave safe bowl, add the heavy cream and microwave it for 30 seconds at a time until it begins to boil.
- Pour the boiling milk over the chocolate chips and let it sit.
- Add the light corn syrup to the chocolate and stir until it is smooth.
- Stir in the powdered sugar and let them mixture sit for 5 minutes to cool slightly.
- Take each cookie and turn it over, dipping the flat bottom in the chocolate icing.
- Let the chocolate mixture continue to cool and then using a knife scoop up more chocolate and spread it over each cookie.
- If you can see swirls in the icing after you spread it over the cookie then it is the right consistency.
- In the end the chocolate should be about the same thickness as the cookie (a 1:1 ration).
- Let the chocolate set and then store in an airtight container until ready to serve.
- Enjoy!
Notes
Notes for recipe #1: https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/baltimore-berger-cookies-recipe
“While the fudge icing for these cookies is missing the original Berger cookies’ signature taste (think Hostess cupcake icing), we feel its consistency is identical, and its deep chocolate flavor perfect with its vanilla cookie base.” Notes for recipe#2: https://www.homemadeinterest.com/berger-cookie/
“While your baked cookies cool you can make the icing. Those little cookies are good but, in my opinion, the icing is really want makes a Berger cookie. It’s a rich, thick ganache that is almost like fudge spread over the top of the cookie. When I say thick I mean thick. The ratio of chocolate icing to cookie should be 1:1. See! I told you these cookies are amazing! To get that much icing you start by dipping the bottom of the cookie into it. You read that right, finished Berger cookies have a distinctive rounded bottom and that’s because you turn the cookie upside down when icing and dip the flat side. After each cookie has been dipped you go back with a knife or a small icing spatula, scoop up more frosting and spread it on each cookie. Don’t freak out that it looks like too much chocolate…never mind I know you’d never think that! 😉 Just an FYI, you might have to let the icing cool slightly to thicken up a little. You don’t want it running off the edges of your cookies. Don’t bother trying to get the chocolate smooth. Berger cookies have a very rustic look so the fudge-y icing should have some texture to it.”
“While the fudge icing for these cookies is missing the original Berger cookies’ signature taste (think Hostess cupcake icing), we feel its consistency is identical, and its deep chocolate flavor perfect with its vanilla cookie base.” Notes for recipe#2: https://www.homemadeinterest.com/berger-cookie/
“While your baked cookies cool you can make the icing. Those little cookies are good but, in my opinion, the icing is really want makes a Berger cookie. It’s a rich, thick ganache that is almost like fudge spread over the top of the cookie. When I say thick I mean thick. The ratio of chocolate icing to cookie should be 1:1. See! I told you these cookies are amazing! To get that much icing you start by dipping the bottom of the cookie into it. You read that right, finished Berger cookies have a distinctive rounded bottom and that’s because you turn the cookie upside down when icing and dip the flat side. After each cookie has been dipped you go back with a knife or a small icing spatula, scoop up more frosting and spread it on each cookie. Don’t freak out that it looks like too much chocolate…never mind I know you’d never think that! 😉 Just an FYI, you might have to let the icing cool slightly to thicken up a little. You don’t want it running off the edges of your cookies. Don’t bother trying to get the chocolate smooth. Berger cookies have a very rustic look so the fudge-y icing should have some texture to it.”
