Cornbread Cookies with Honey Butter Glaze

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Stand mixer or hand mixer
• •Two rimmed baking sheets
• •Parchment paper
• •Wire cooling rack
• •Small saucepan for glaze

Instructions

1. 1

   Cream butter and sugar

   In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and sugar together until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes with a hand mixer or stand mixer. The mixture should turn pale and increase noticeably in volume. Add the honey and beat for another minute until fully incorporated. The honey will make the mixture look slightly glossy.

   Truly soft butter matters here. It should yield easily when pressed but not be greasy or melted. If your kitchen is cold, cut the butter into pieces and let it sit for 30 minutes.
2. 2

   Add egg yolks and vanilla

   Add the egg yolks one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the bowl with a rubber spatula to ensure everything is evenly mixed. Add the vanilla extract and beat briefly to combine. The mixture should be smooth and cohesive.

3. 3

   Combine dry ingredients

   In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Take a moment to run the cornmeal through your fingers. You want fine-ground meal that feels like fine sand, not coarse polenta. The mixture will be pale gold with visible cornmeal speckles.

4. 4

   Form the dough

   Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in two additions, mixing on low speed just until combined. The dough will look slightly grainy from the cornmeal. This is exactly right. Do not overmix or you'll develop gluten and toughen your cookies. The dough should be soft but scoopable.

   If your dough seems too soft to scoop, refrigerate it for 20 minutes. Cornmeal absorbs liquid more slowly than flour, so the dough will firm up as it rests.
5. 5

   Chill the dough

   Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 days. This rest is essential. The cornmeal hydrates, the butter firms, and the cookies will hold their shape better in the oven. Cold dough also spreads less, giving you thicker, more tender cookies.

6. 6

   Shape and bake

   Preheat your oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough and roll into balls, placing them 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets. Flatten each ball slightly with the palm of your hand. The cookies should be about 1/2 inch thick. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, rotating the pans halfway through, until the edges are golden and the centers look just set. They'll firm as they cool.

7. 7

   Prepare the honey butter glaze

   While the cookies bake, melt 4 tablespoons of butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat. When the butter is fully melted and just starting to foam, remove from heat and stir in the honey. The mixture will bubble briefly. Stir until smooth and glossy. Keep warm but not hot.

8. 8

   Glaze and finish

   Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. While still slightly warm, drizzle with the honey butter glaze using a fork or small spoon. Work in thin, overlapping lines across each cookie. Immediately sprinkle with flaky sea salt. The glaze will set as the cookies cool completely, about 15 minutes.

Chef Tips

• •Seek out fine-ground yellow cornmeal, not coarse polenta or instant grits. Bob's Red Mill and regional Southern mills produce the right texture. The cornmeal should feel like fine sand between your fingers, not like tiny pebbles.
• •Local honey makes a difference here. The flavor comes through clearly in both the dough and the glaze. Wildflower or clover honey works beautifully. Avoid anything too assertive like buckwheat, which can overpower the cornmeal.
• •These cookies are forgiving about timing. Slightly underbaked gives you a softer, more cake-like texture. A minute longer produces crisp edges with tender centers. Both are delicious in different ways.
• •For gifting or shipping, let the glaze set completely before stacking. Place parchment between layers. The cookies travel well and actually improve overnight as the flavors meld.

Advance Preparation

• •Cookie dough can be refrigerated for up to 2 days before baking. Let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes if too firm to scoop.
• •Shaped dough balls freeze beautifully for up to 2 months. Freeze on a baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 2 minutes to the baking time.
• •Baked and glazed cookies keep at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days. The glaze may soften slightly but remains delicious.
• •Unglazed cookies can be frozen for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature and drizzle with freshly made glaze before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 cookie (about 48g)