Half Moon Cookies

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour (2 cups)
• Baking powder (1 teaspoon)
• Salt (1/2 teaspoon)
• Unsalted butter (1/2 cup, softened)
• Granulated sugar (1 cup)
• Eggs (2 large)
• Milk (1/4 cup)
• Vanilla extract (1 teaspoon)
• Unsweetened cocoa powder (1/4 cup)
• Powdered sugar (2 cups)
• Hot water (2 tablespoons)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined.
3. In a large bowl, beat the softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy, approximately 3-5 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
4. Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk. Start and end with the flour mixture, mixing until just combined.
5. Using a rounded tablespoon, drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the tops are set. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
6. While the cookies are cooling, prepare the icing. In a large bowl, combine the powdered sugar, cocoa powder, and hot water until the mixture is smooth and glossy. If the icing is too thick, add a little more hot water, one teaspoon at a time, until the desired consistency is reached.
7. Once the cookies are completely cool, use a spatula to spread the chocolate icing on half of each cookie. For the vanilla icing, reserve half of the icing mixture, omit the cocoa powder, and add a splash of milk and a few drops of vanilla extract. Blend until smooth and then spread on the remaining half of each cookie.