---

One recipe. Two kinds of cookie. Darkness and light, good and evil, order and chaos. Vanilla and chocolate.

WHAT WILL YOU BAKE FOR?

1/2 cup butter, unsalted, softened (2 sticks)
1 cup all purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
1/8 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon almond extract
1 teaspoon instant coffee diluted with 1 tsp warm water
3 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
Amano Bling (nonpareils, multicolored sugar, edible glitter, silver dragées in the shape of giant lions, etc.)

In a mixing bowl, cream butter with an electric mixer on high for half a minute. Add the sugars, egg, vanilla, almond extract, baking soda, and about half the flour. Beat until combined, then beat in remaining flour. Transfer half the dough to another bowl, add the coffee and the cocoa to one half and beat to combine.

Drop by rounded teaspoons (or get a cookie scoop, you'll never look back) two inches apart on an ungreased cookie sheet. Sprinkle liberally with sugar-beads. Bake at 375 degrees for six to eight minutes or until edges are golden. Cool for a minute on the cookie sheet, then carefully transfer to a wire rack. Cookies will be very thin and buttery. If you would like your forces to be more robust, substitute 1/4 cup shortening for one of your sticks of butter. Makes about a dozen fighters for each side. If any last more than a few hours, keep them stored in an airtight container well away from the Emperor. It's like that guy's got a hollow leg or something, where does he put them?

Archetypal crossover combat was never so tasty.