If you’ve ever wanted a cookie that looks as delightful as it tastes, these Checkerboard Cookies are for you! With their eye-catching pattern and buttery, melt-in-your mouth texture, they’re the perfect balance of style and taste.

I hope you’re not fooled by the intricate appearance because once you get the hang of assembling the dough, they’re surprisingly simple to make. These Checkerboard Cookies combine classic vanilla and rich chocolate cookie doughs, giving you the perfect mix of flavour and contrast in every bite.

Each Checkerboard Cookie reveals a satisfying crunch followed by a tender, buttery crumb, a treat that’s elegant on the holiday platter or alongside your afternoon coffee. They’re also great conversation starters, and people will always ask “how did you assemble such a pattern?”. The secret’s in the cutting and chilling!

Apart from how easy these get once you get the hang of it, I would also like to add that these are make-ahead friendly, making them great gifts. Furthermore, you get two flavours in one cookie where buttery, vanilla and cocoa components complement each other perfectly. There’s no need at all to pick between the two.

Here are some tips for making the perfect Checkerboard Cookies, some of which I am still mastering too!

  • Chill the dough, and keep chilling! Chilling between every major step (after making of individual vanilla and chocolate dough) and also before stacking and slicing for the final bake is key to getting sharp, defined edges. Warm dough might lose its shape very fast especially in a warm and humid weather.
  • Measure and cut with precision. Use a ruler or pastry scraper to measure equal lengths of dough. The cleaner your cuts, the more defined your checkerboard patterns would be.
  • Use parchment paper during assembly. I prefer to work with a parchment paper base so that the cookie dough won’t stick to any surfaces, or potentially even smudge. The non-stick properties of the parchment comes in very handy here!
  • Use a sharp knife for slicing. A clean, sharp knife ensures crisp and smooth edges, which also makes it easier for you to stack them when creating the checkerboard pattern!

I’ve also included a video guide for a reference, and nonetheless, you can still reach out to me if you’ve any questions! Without further ado, the recipe for these Checkerboard Cookies!

Checkerboard Cookies
by Javier Tan November-02-2025

These Checkerboard Cookies come with an eye-catching pattern and are buttery, melt-in-your-mouth, the perfect balance of style and substance.

Ingredients (Vanilla)

  • 1/3 Cup or 85g of Butter, Softened at Room Temp
  • 1/3 Cup or 35g of Icing Sugar
  • 1/2 Tsp or 2.5ml of Vanilla Essence
  • 2/3 Cup + 2 Tbsp or 110g of Plain Flour

Ingredients (Chocolate)

  • 1/3 Cup or 85g of Butter, Softened at Room Temp
  • 1/3 Cup or 35g of Icing Sugar
  • 1/2 Tsp or 2.5ml of Vanilla Essence
  • 2/3 Cup or 90g of Plain Flour
  • 3 Tbsps or 15g of Cocoa Powder

Instructions

  1. Firstly, cream together the butter and icing sugar until light and fluffy, approx 2 minutes.
  2. Then, whisk in the vanilla.
  3. Fold in the flour until a dough is formed, and shape to a rectangle / cuboid shape using a pastry scraper.
  4. Repeat the earlier steps for the chocolate. dough with the addition of cocoa powder.
  5. Then, refrigerate both dough for 30 minutes to solidfy, before measuring and slicing into strips.
  6. Assemble the strips into a checkerboard pattern (alternate vanilla and chocolate). Refrigerate 5 mins before slicing using a sharp knife.
  7. Bake at 160C for 12 – 14 minutes till nicely golden brown (Adjust accordingly based on size)
  8. Serve and enjoy!

Details

  • Prep time: 1 hour
  • Cook time: 20 mins
  • Total time: 1 hours 20 mins
  • Yield: Makes at least 32 – 38 Checkerboard Cookies (depends on size)

Notes:

  1. If you would like to be updated for more recipes which I strive to create to perfection for sharing and for free, do check out my Instagram, Facebook Page, or YouTube 🙂 Thank you so much for all of your support! Feel free to tag me or link back here!
  2. Stores well at room temperature for up to 3 weeks, best consumed within the first couple of weeks.
  3. Please do not copy and paste the recipe without my permission, but feel free to link back here!

Enjoy!
– Bakeomaniac, Javier Tan