Black Cake Cookies Recipe (Caribbean Christmas Cookies)
These black cake cookies have all the rich, fruity flavor of traditional Caribbean black cake, but in cookie form. They’re made with rum-soaked fruits, warm spices, and a little browning, with crunchy edges and a tender center.
Apparently, making black cake cinnamon rolls wasn’t enough for me. I had some more ideas for those soaked fruits, and cookies were next on the list.
Now, I knew I wanted these to taste like black cake, but I didn’t want them to have the texture of cake. I wanted an actual cookie, with a little crunch around the edges and a soft, tender middle.
It took a few rounds of testing, including some cookies that weren’t quite as pretty as I wanted, but I finally got them where I wanted them. And yes, quite a few cookies disappeared during testing.
If you already have soaked fruits prepared for your Christmas baking, here’s another way to put them to use.
Ingredients You’ll Need
These black cake cookies use many of the same ingredients you’d find in a traditional Caribbean black cake, with a few adjustments to give them that cookie texture.
- All-purpose flour: Gives the cookies structure and helps them hold their shape.
- Butter and shortening: I used a combination of both. The butter adds flavor, while the shortening helps with the cookie’s texture.
- White and brown sugar: A combination of both adds sweetness, with the brown sugar bringing a little extra richness.
- Egg: Helps bind everything together.
- Soaked fruits: The star of these cookies! I use my smooth, ground fruits, just like I do for my black cake. Make sure the fruits are well blended so they mix evenly into the dough.
- Browning: Just a little adds color and gives the cookies that familiar black cake appearance.
- Vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg: Add the warm, spiced flavors we associate with Caribbean Christmas baking.
- Baking powder and salt: The baking powder provides a little lift, while the salt balances the sweetness.
How to Make Black Cake Cookies
These cookies are easy to put together, but don’t skip chilling the dough. It makes the dough easier to handle and shape.
- Cream the butter and sugars. Beat the softened butter, shortening, white sugar, and brown sugar together until creamy and well combined.
- Add the wet ingredients. Mix in the egg, vanilla extract, and browning until combined.
- Combine the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Make the cookie dough. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing just until combined. Add the ground soaked fruits and mix until evenly distributed.
- Chill the dough. Cover the bowl and refrigerate for approximately 2 hours. The dough will firm up, making it easier to scoop and shape.
- Shape the cookies. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Use two level cookie scoops for each large cookie. Roll the dough into balls, then flatten evenly to approximately ¼ inch thick. Leave space between each cookie.
- Bake. Bake for approximately 18 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers are cooked through.
- Cool. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. The edges will become crunchier as they cool.
Tips for the Best Black Cake Cookies
- Use smooth, ground soaked fruits. The fruit mixture should be well blended so it incorporates evenly into the dough. Large pieces of fruit can affect the texture and shape of the cookies.
- Don’t skip chilling the dough. Refrigerating the dough for about 2 hours makes it firmer and easier to scoop and shape.
- Keep the cookies the same size. I used two level cookie scoops for each large cookie. Try to keep the portions consistent so they bake evenly.
- Flatten the dough evenly. Aim for approximately ¼ inch thick. You can use your palm or the bottom of a flat glass. Just be careful not to press one side thinner than the other. I learned that one the hard way!
- Want rounder cookies? While they’re still hot from the oven, you can place a round cookie cutter slightly larger than the cookie around it and gently move it in circles to tidy up the edges. It’s optional, and a few imperfect edges won’t hurt anything.
- Let the cookies cool. They may feel a little soft when they first come out of the oven, but the edges become crunchier as they cool. Give them about 10 minutes on the baking sheet before moving them to a wire rack.
How to Store Black Cake Cookies
Once the cookies have cooled completely, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
For longer storage, you can freeze the baked cookies in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 2 months. Separate layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Thaw at room temperature before serving. Keep in mind that the edges may lose some of their crunch during storage.
Frequently Asked Questions
The rum-soaked fruits are what give these cookies their distinctive black cake flavor. Regular dried fruits won’t provide the same taste or moisture, so I wouldn’t recommend substituting them directly.
The dough is quite soft because of the ground fruits. Chilling it for about 2 hours firms it up, making it easier to scoop and shape before baking.
Unlike traditional black cake, these cookies use only a small amount of browning. They’ll have a rich brown color rather than the very dark appearance of black cake. The soaked fruits still provide that familiar flavor.
The edges should look set, and the centers should be cooked through without any wet, raw dough. The cookies will continue to firm up as they cool, developing crunchier edges.
More Recipes Using Soaked Fruits
If you have some soaked fruits left over from your Christmas baking, here are a few more ways to put them to use:
- Black Cake Ice Cream: A creamy frozen treat made with Caribbean black cake.
- Dasheen Black Cake: A different take on traditional black cake made with dasheen.
- Cassava Black Cake: Another twist on the Christmas classic, made with cassava.
These black cake cookies are another way to get creative with your soaked fruits. They might not all come out perfectly round, but as long as they have those crunchy edges, tender centers, and plenty of black cake flavor, I’m happy!
Recipe
Black Cake Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- In a large mixing bowl, cream the butter, shortening, white sugar, and brown sugar until creamy and well combined.
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, and browning. Mix until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, mixing just until combined.
- Add the ground soaked fruits and mix until evenly distributed.
- Cover the dough and refrigerate for approximately 2 hours.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Use two level cookie scoops for each cookie. Roll into balls and flatten evenly to approximately ¼ inch thick. Leave space between cookies.
- Bake for approximately 18 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers are cooked through.
- Let cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
Nutrition
Notes
- Use smooth, ground-up fruits for the best texture.
- Chill the dough before shaping.
- Keep the cookies evenly sized and flattened so they bake consistently.
- The edges become crunchier as the cookies cool.
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Recipe Printed From ThisBagoGirl.com
