• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • Mug Cake Recipes
  • Military Care Packages
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • About
  • Recipe Index
  • Mug Cake Recipes
  • Military Care Packages
  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
    • Bloglovin
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • Twitter
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Slice and Bake Cookies

    Yin Yang Slice-and-Bake Cookies

    By Wendy Sondov · Published: Aug 19, 2016 · Modified: Feb 23, 2022 · This post may contain affiliate links · As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Jump to Recipe

    Yin Yang Slice-and-Bake Cookies are the melding of ancient Chinese philosophy with cookies that are simultaneously very vanilla and intensely chocolate. Think of them as enlightened comfort food.

    Yin Yang Cookies, half vanilla with a chocolate chip and half chocolate with a white chip.



     I read a lot of blogs and have noticed that I am not the only one who feels like time is rushing by at a seemingly accelerated pace. Our lives can feel hectic and stressful even when we are surrounded by the best of circumstances.

    I find the current state of politics and world strife to be extremely disheartening. It’s a challenge to be personally positive and balanced when the news is so full of negativity and imbalance.

    I am one little person. I can’t stop wars, hatred, or injustice, but I can try to be a teeny tiny ripple on the positive side, doing my teeny tiny part in making the world a better place, one smile at a time.

    Black and white Yin Yang Cookies.

    One bite of Yin Yang Slice-and-Bake Cookies will definitely cause a smile. The chocolate side (yin) of these crunchy cookies gets its deep flavor from dark cocoa. The vanilla side (yang) has just enough creamy vanilla flavor to balance the chocolate.

    Yin Yang Slice-and-Bake Cookies are made with vegetable shortening, which gives them crunch and also makes them a great desert-safe cookie. I know that some people are opposed to using vegetable shortening instead of butter in baking.

    Generally, I prefer using butter too. However, not in these cookies. The crunch and the flavor are amazing just the way they are. I wouldn’t change a thing.

    Closeup of half chocolate and half vanilla Yin Yang cookie.

    Creating the Yin Yang design took a few attempts. The final method I chose is a lot easier to do than it is to describe. I hope the photos help make the process clear.

    The dough is made all vanilla, then half of the dough becomes chocolate with the addition of cocoa. The chocolate and the vanilla dough is each rolled into a fat log.

    To easily create the droplet shape (either side of the yin yang), place a rolling pin on top of a dough log lengthwise. Gently press down on one half of the log, creating a slope that ends in a thin edge. Repeat with the second log.

    Then, place the thicker part of the vanilla log on top of the thinner part of the chocolate log. Roll the combined log to round the shape and gently connect the two flavors.

    The log is refrigerated to firm the dough so that it holds its shape when sliced. Semi-sweet and white chocolate chips are pressed into the cookies before baking.

    Process image collage: two dough logs, press log into tear drop shape, put logs together, slice.

    Would you like to save this?

    We'll email this post to you, so you can come back to it later! Plus, you’ll get more great recipes and tips from us each week!

    Yin Yang Slice-and-Bake Cookies are not only delicious, but are also an edible reminder to strive for balance in life. They are my wish for world harmony in cookie form.

    I included Yin Yang Slice-and-Bake Cookies in my “getting to know you” military care package that I sent out this week to my new soldier. Wishes for world harmony are especially meaningful for our deployed service members.

    These two-flavored cookies were also used for an additional part of this care package’s theme. Watch for the care package post in a few days, to read about the game I concocted for this box!

    Cookies on a white square serving plate.

    You can read more about desert safe ingredients and find an index of all of the desert safe recipes on The Monday Box by clicking here.


     

    More slice and bake cookie recipes

    Celebrate reading with these fun Dr. Seuss Cookies! These easy cookies are sure to thrill all the fans of "Green Eggs and Ham".

    Hamantaschen are traditional triangular cookies for the Jewish holiday of Purim. This creative recipe makes easy slice and bake hamantaschen.

    Beautiful Almond Sand Dollar Cookies look just like real sand dollars! Perfect for beach themed parties or care packages.

    Chocolate Rugelach has a flakey pastry dough wrapped around a chocolate fudge filling. When sliced, these cookies are swirled and sparkling.

    Ready to bake? Join the free membership group to get new recipes and a newsletter delivered to your inbox! You can also stay in touch on Facebook, Pinterest, and Instagram. I’d love to stay in touch!

    Yin Yang Slice-and-Bake Cookies

    Yin Yang Slice-and-Bake Cookies

    These crunchy, slice-and-bake cookies are simultaneously very vanilla and intensely chocolate.
    4.25 from 4 votes
    Print Rate
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Chill time: 1 hour hour 30 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 2 hours hours 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 30
    Calories: 292kcal
    Author: Wendy Sondov

    Ingredients

    • 3 cups all-purpose flour
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • ⅔ cup butter flavored vegetable shortening
    • 1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
    • 2 large eggs
    • 1 tablespoon milk
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 3 tablespoons cocoa
    • 30 White chocolate chips
    • 30 Semi-sweet chocolate chips

    Instructions

    • In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, salt, and baking powder. Set aside.
    • In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the shortening and sugar.
    • Add in eggs, milk, and vanilla. Beat to combine, until smooth.
    • Gradually add in the flour mixture until fully incorporated.
    • Remove half of the dough onto a sheet of wax paper.
    • Mix the cocoa into the remaining dough.
    • Place the chocolate dough onto another sheet of wax paper.
    • Roll each half of the dough into a log about 8” long. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate for about 30 minutes to firm slightly.
    • To create each half of the yin yang circle, lay a rolling pin down the length of the dough log and gently press down, indenting half of the log creating a slope that ends in a thin edge at the bottom. Repeat with the other dough log.
    • Place the thicker part of the vanilla log on top of the thinner part of the chocolate log.
    • Roll the combined log to round the shape and gently connect the two flavors. Wrap in wax paper and refrigerate at least 1 hour until firm.
    • When ready to bake: preheat the oven to 350° F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
    • Slice dough log into ⅜” thick slices. Press a white chocolate chip into the chocolate dough and a semi-sweet chip into the vanilla dough. Place the cookies 1”-2” apart on the prepared cookie sheet.
    • Bake for 12 minutes. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring onto a wire rack to cool completely.
    • Store in an airtight container at room temperature for at least 2 weeks.

    Notes

    Packing tips
    Double wrap pairs of cookies, with bottoms together, in plastic wrap. Place in airtight containers or ziplock bags.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 292kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 13mg | Sodium: 76mg | Potassium: 188mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 31IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 40mg | Iron: 3mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @TheMondayBox or tag #themondaybox!

    Save

    Save

    You might also like:

    Sugar cookies with green circle centers that look like green eggs.Dr Seuss Green Eggs and Ham Theme Sugar Cookies Funfetti Cookies
    « Coconut Milk Cookies
    Rainbow Cake Mix Cookies for Military Care Package #23 »
    • Share
    • Tweet

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jenny

      November 29, 2022 at 10:12 pm

      I swear I followed the directions, but they were so crumbly when I brought them out to cut them, and I did a poor job and they were more just smooshed together than a yin yang shape. LOL I'm sure they'll still taste good! LOL

      Reply
      • Wendy Sondov

        November 30, 2022 at 8:40 am

        Sorry to hear that your dough was crumbly which made it hard to slice. That sounds like too much flour. If you scooped the flour with the measuring cup, that could be the problem. Scooping compacts the flour and you end up with too much. Spooning flour into the measuring cup then leveling off the top with a knife, is the best method (other than using a scale) for accurate measuring. Hopefully, the baked cookies still tasted good!

        Reply
        • Jenny

          December 05, 2022 at 4:08 am

          5 stars
          They tasted great. 🙂 I just finished packing up my box for my soldier, and I was thrilled to include them (even though my note to him said I wasn't a baker and while they didn't look like the Yin Yang symbol, they were supposed to! To blame me and not the recipe! LOL).

          Reply
    2. Susan

      February 07, 2021 at 2:44 am

      2 stars
      Okay, I’m sorry, but I don’t know what the good reviews are for. These were AWFUL. We did exactly as the recipe follows, WAY TOO MUCH VANILLA and comes out with that concentrated bitter alcohol vanilla extract flavour.

      Disgusting. They’re cute and pretty to look at, that’s it.

      Remade these later with vanilla beans instead, nicer flavour but honestly pretty plain and boring after one or two. Again, pretty to look at but don’t expect much going on in these.

      Reply
      • Wendy Sondov

        February 07, 2021 at 9:32 am

        Sorry you weren't pleased with your cookies, Susan. This recipe only calls for 2 teaspoons of vanilla, hardly a huge amount. The truth is that vanilla comes in many different qualities. I use Nielsen-Massey vanilla and have NEVER had an alcohol flavor. I suggest that you may have low quality or old vanilla. These cookies are meant (as the post explains) to have two intensely flavored sides. If you reduce the flavoring, as you did, the resulting cookies would be plain sugar cookies.

        Reply
    3. Patrick

      August 31, 2019 at 8:02 am

      5 stars
      Thanks for the great recipe - both for the design and the actual cookie dough which was easy to work with.

      I used a sugar/Stevia mix to cut down the sugar, using just over half of your stated amount of sugar. I also used unsalted butter, because the shortening you mentioned isn't easy to get in the UK. All fine in terms of outcome!

      I flavoured the choc side with a teaspoon of fine ground instant coffee for a mocha hit, and used ground cardamom in the white side, (so the cardamom does appear in both colours of dough, but goes well with the mocha and adds an eastern vibe). I didn't do the rolling technique you use in the recipe, but used a half yin yang cookie cutter - a bit fiddly but no sweat if you keep the dough cool.

      I did make the dough into a roll, chilled it, then cut it into 3/8ths slices, then used the cutter. When it came to using the scraps from the first cutting, I rolled the two colours separately into slabs of equal thickness by putting a takeaway container lid on either side of the dough and used those to support the rolling pin. Hadn't thought of doing this before, and it worked well. Benefit is that by nesting more than one lid on top of the other, you can raise the height of the supports to whatever you like. Result!

      Thanks again.

      Reply
      • Wendy Sondov

        August 31, 2019 at 11:31 am

        Hi, Patrick! I am delighted that you enjoyed the Yin Yang cookies! Thank you for the detailed description of your adaptations! I am sure there will be other readers who will find your notes helpful! I smiled while reading about your takeaway lid invention. For a long time, I used identical cookbooks on either side of my dough for even thickness. Then I purchased (very inexpensive) balsa wood dowels at the hardware store ( 1/4", 1/8", etc.) and used those. The squared off dowels are easier to work with than the round ones. With the dowels, not only was my dough even, but I could achieve the exact thickness I wanted! Recently, I have been using a rolling pin with discs on the ends that are adjustable for various thicknesses. Super easy! I'm loving this rolling pin and it is very inexpensive. If you are interested in looking at what I am talking about, here is an Amazon link (affiliate) https://amzn.to/2Ur8KRK . Happy baking!

        Reply
    4. Michelle Lentz

      October 18, 2018 at 10:06 pm

      5 stars
      Thank you. These are going to be a hit with my friends. We are doing a Yin Yang balancing ritual (Pagan). So these are going to be perfect.
      I added a lil almond extract to the white side for a lil added touch. Yum. And I love the chocolate chip dots. So cute.
      My dough was a lil dry. Might be from my house being a lil dry. So I just added a lil more liquid. Milk in the white and coffee in the chocolate. It was perfect. So if anyone asks, because it may depends on where they live.
      Thanks again. Can't wait to try another recipe.

      Reply
    5. Robin

      September 11, 2016 at 9:25 am

      These are adorable, I can't wait to make them. Thank you for sharing your post at the Creative Muster Party. PINNED!

      Reply
      • The Monday Box

        September 13, 2016 at 8:43 am

        Thank you, Robin! I was pleased with how easy these turned out to be. Thanks for hosting AND for pinning. 🙂

        Reply
    6. Reeni

      September 08, 2016 at 8:29 pm

      I LOVE these! I've been wanting to make those NY black and white cookies with a ying yang design but I think these are better! Almost too "cool looking" to eat but I bet they're delicious. I'm thinking of sending some care packages for the holidays this year because of you. You're inspirational.

      Reply
    7. Michelle

      September 06, 2016 at 6:05 pm

      So creative!
      I love this idea! I too feel time has escaped me.
      I need to slow down and enjoy a cookie!
      Thanks
      Michelle

      Reply
      • The Monday Box

        September 06, 2016 at 6:13 pm

        Thanks, Michelle! If it takes a cookie to make the world slow down, then so be it! 🙂

        Reply
    8. Gina

      August 27, 2016 at 1:00 pm

      I make your desert-safe cookie recipes all the time and send them overseas (I have commented to you on the SA DAT Facebook page). 2 of my guys just got boxes of cookies this week, and already asked for more - I will be making these to include in my next care packages!

      Reply
      • The Monday Box

        August 29, 2016 at 10:20 pm

        Thank you so much, Gina! It is wonderful to know that the desert-safe recipes are making it to our deployed military heroes in good condition! Thank you for letting me know here and on the SA DAT Facebook page that your adoptees are enjoying the cookies! That is the whole reason for my desert-safe recipes. Your kind comments let me know that these recipes are reaching their intended audience! 🙂

        Reply
    9. Saltandserenity

      August 27, 2016 at 12:28 pm

      I strive to achieve balance in all areas of my life every day. Some days are easier than others.
      These yin yang cookies are the perfect symbol for balance! They put a big smile on my face. The little dark chocolate and white chocolate chips look like eyes.
      Can't wait to recreate them.

      Reply
      • The Monday Box

        September 02, 2016 at 10:01 pm

        I think smiling is instrumental in achieving balance, so I am delighted that these made you smile, Cindy! I am perpetually imbalanced (in all areas if my life), but I can dream. 🙂

        Reply
    10. Stephanie | Worth Whisking

      August 22, 2016 at 11:02 am

      I love the idea behind these cookies, Wendy! Yes, it is so challenging sometimes to find balance in our day-to-day. These cookies are a sweet reminder to slow down and gain perspective. Cheers to you for making the world a better place one smile at a time! 🙂

      Reply
      • The Monday Box

        September 02, 2016 at 10:22 pm

        Thank you, Stephanie! Not every day can be balanced, but it is a goal. I agree that one smile at a time CAN make the world a better place!

        Reply
    11. Ashley@CookNourishBliss

      August 22, 2016 at 9:26 am

      Time is definitely rushing by at a crazy pace - I mean, I still can't get over where summer went. It's nuts. But man, these cookies would absolutely bring a smile to my face! They are just so cool Wendy!!

      Reply
      • The Monday Box

        September 02, 2016 at 10:36 pm

        Thank you, Ashley! I hope your move went smoothly! I bet you could use a little yin-yang right now! 🙂

        Reply
    12. Winnie

      August 21, 2016 at 4:58 am

      These cookies are soooooooooo BEAUTIFUL !!
      I really must make them. My nephews (and I have so many) would be thrilled

      Reply
      • The Monday Box

        August 21, 2016 at 7:17 am

        Thanks, Winnie! What fun to have a ton of nephews! It must be joyous chaos when everyone gets together! 🙂 Slice-and bake is such an easy way to prepare dough ahead of time and then just slice off what you need. (Though with a house full of nephews you may need them all!)

        Reply
    4.25 from 4 votes

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    I'm Wendy, a baker, care package maker, and smile creator. On The Monday Box you’ll find care package inspiration and recipes for delicious treats that make it easy for you to share home baked love. Let’s spread happiness, one cookie at a time!

    More about me →

    Patriotic treats

    • Brownie with a sandwich cookie inside that is filled with red, white, blue icing.
      4th of July Brownies
    • Spritz Cookies Recipe with Shortening
    • 4th of July Cookies
    • Spiral Sparkler and Flag Cookies for Military Care Package #14
      Spiral Sparkler and Flag Cookies
    • White mug cake with star sprinkles and pie filling.
      Red, White, and Blueberry Mug Cake

    Super easy mug cakes

    • Microwave Peach Cobbler
    • 3-2-1 Molten Lava Cake
      Lava Cake in a Mug
    • Chocolate cake in a mug topped with cherries and almonds.
      Black Forest Mug Cake
    • Orange Mug Cake in a white mug topped with orange marmalade.
      Orange Mug Cake
    • Piña Colada Mug Cake
    • Closeup of pineapple slice and maraschino cherry on top of vanilla mug cake.
      Pineapple Upside Down Mug Cake

    Most Popular

    • Closeup of raisin biscuit squares with golden crust speckled with raisins.
      Golden Raisin Biscuit Cookies
    • Sliced loaf of honey cake on a white platter.
      Honey Applesauce Cake
    • Espresso Chocolate Shortbread Cookies- melt-in-your-mouth buttery shortbread made even better with added espresso and chocolate! | The Monday Box
      Espresso Chocolate Shortbread Cookies
    • Chocolate frosted mug cake a bowls of mix-ins
      Cake Mix Mug Cake

    Footer

    ^ back to top

    About

    Contact

    Privacy Policy

    Disclaimer

    As Seen On

    Copyright © 2012 - 2025 The Monday Box, All Rights Reserved.

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.