Half Moon Cookie Recipe
User Reviews
4.8
Half Moon Cookie Recipe
Description
The Half Moon Cookie batter uses sour cream, shortening, sugar, and eggs beaten together with vanilla extract, then flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt added for a tender crumb. The relatively thin batter is dropped in generous dollops and spread into 2½ to 3-inch rounds on parchment-lined sheets. Baking at 375 degrees produces a soft cookie with pale golden edges.
Two buttercream frostings—vanilla and chocolate—are prepared separately using softened unsalted butter, confectioners sugar, vanilla extract, and cream or milk. The chocolate frosting incorporates cocoa powder. The frostings are thick enough to maintain a defined line between flavors, applied to the flat cookie bottoms rather than the domed tops, giving the classic contrasting appearance.
These cookies store best unfrosted at room temperature for several days or refrigerated once frosted. The rich buttercream pairs well with the soft sour cream cookie base, making them suitable for gatherings or gifting.
Substitutions allow using your favorite buttercream recipe or store-bought frosting. Cooling cookies for several minutes on the sheets before transferring helps retain shape and prevents breakage. Using a dark cocoa powder for the chocolate frosting deepens the flavor.
Ingredients
Cookie Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons shortening
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups flour
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter softened, unsalted
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
- 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting
- 1/2 cup butter softened, unsalted
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners sugar
- 1/4 cup cocoa powder
- 1-2 tablespoons heavy cream or milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch salt
Instructions
Make Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare cookie sheets by lining them with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Combine the sour cream, shortening, and sugar in a mixer bowl. Beat at medium speed until light and fluffy.
- Add the egg and vanilla and mix well.
- Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Stir to mix the dry ingredients.
- Add half of the flour mixture to the creamed mixture. Beat until just combined. Then add the remaining flour mixture and beat until it is mixed in. The batter will be thinner than most cookie dough but thicker than cake batter.
- Drop about 1/4 cup of batter onto the prepared baking sheet. Use a spatula or knife to spread it into rounds about 2 1/2 to 3 inches in size. Leave space between the cookies. You will only be able to fit 3 or 4 cookies per sheet.
- Bake them in a preheated oven for 12-15 minutes. Halfway through the baking time, pull the sheets out and change the position of the sheets on the oven racks. This will help ensure they bake evenly.
- They are done when the middle is firm, and the bottoms are light brown.
- Let the cookies cool on the sheets for 5 minutes. Then move them to a wire rack to finish cooling. Don't frost them until they are completely cool.
Make Icing
Vanilla Buttercream Frosting:
- Combine the softened butter, vanilla, powdered sugar, and pinch of salt in a mixing bowl.
- Whip it on high speed until light and creamy.
- Add the heavy cream a tablespoon at a time until the frosting reaches a spreadable consistency.
Chocolate Buttercream Frosting:
- Combine the softened butter, vanilla, powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and a pinch of salt in a mixing bowl.
- Whip it on high speed until it is creamy.
- Add the heavy cream a tablespoon at a time until the frosting reaches a spreadable consistency.
Frost
- To frost the cookies, first, flip them upside down. The frosting goes on the flat bottoms of the cookies, not the domed tops.
- Use a frosting spatula to spread half of the cookie with vanilla icing and the other half with chocolate. Most people put a thicker layer of chocolate frosting than vanilla on the cookies.
Notes
- Cool cookies on baking sheets for about 5 minutes before removing to maintain shape and prevent breakage.
- The buttercream frostings should have a thick consistency to clearly separate the chocolate and vanilla halves.
- Frost the flat bottom of the cookies rather than their domed tops for the traditional half-and-half look.
- Unfrosted cookies keep at room temperature for 3 to 4 days; frosted cookies keep 1 day at room temperature or 3 to 4 days refrigerated.
- Store frosting in the refrigerator for a few weeks if not used immediately.
- Use dark chocolate cocoa powder in the chocolate frosting to intensify the flavor.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 10Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 545 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 545kcal | 27% |
| Carbohydrates | 67g | 22% |
| Protein | 3g | 6% |
| Fat | 30g | 46% |
| Saturated Fat | 16g | 80% |
| Polyunsaturated Fat | 3g | 18% |
| Monounsaturated Fat | 9g | 45% |
| Trans Fat | 2g | 100% |
| Cholesterol | 75mg | 25% |
| Sodium | 128mg | 5% |
| Potassium | 125mg | 3% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 51g | 102% |
| Vitamin A | 707IU | 14% |
| Vitamin C | 0.1mg | 0% |
| Calcium | 45mg | 5% |
| Iron | 1mg | 6% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
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