Just gonna say it, these cookies are insanely delicious! A thin and chewy cookie with a slightly coarse cornmeal texture topped with a dollop of honey buttercream. Inspired by Crumbl's cornbread cookies, these are a unique treat that you have got to try for yourself!!
So, What Do These Taste Like?
I love making desserts using cornmeal. Cornbread made in a cast iron skillet and drizzled with honey is one of my very favorite foods... ever. I delved into the idea of using cornmeal in desserts when I created one of my very favorite recipes on this blog - sweet cornmeal cake with buttermilk ice cream
When I saw that Crumbl had released a limited cornbread cookie this past fall, I filed the idea away in my head and knew I wanted to create something similar for myself. I don't live near a Crumbl and so, unfortunately, did not get to try their version of the cornbread cookie. Instead, I took inspiration from the appearance and flavor description of their cookie and created this recipe that I KNOW you will love.
These cookies are perfectly thin and chewy and have a little bit of a coarse bite due to the addition of heartily-flavored yellow cornmeal. The top is dolloped in the center with a sweet honey buttercream... because honey and cornbread is always a delightful pairing.
Want to see what Crumbl's Cornbread Cookie looked like? Click here.
What Ingredients Do I Need?
For The Cookies:
- All-Purpose Flour and Yellow Cornmeal - These cookies combine flour with the cornmeal to create a unique texture. Use a fine ground cornmeal (not polenta) for best results. You can also use white cornmeal, though I think yellow has a stronger flavor.
- Brown and White Sugar - The combo of both sugars results in a chewy, tender cookie. The acidity in the brown sugar reacts with the baking soda, adds some molasses undertones, and the white sugar contributes to tenderness.
- Honey and Vanilla Extract - Delicious flavorful elements that taste lovely with the cornmeal.
- Egg - Adds structure and moisture.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda - A power combo of leavening agents.
- Salt - The ideal flavor intensifier.
For The Honey Buttercream:
- More Honey - But of course, right?
- Powdered Sugar - sift it to get all of those annoying little lumps out of there.
- Butter - Make sure it's good and soft so you can blend it into the sugar well.
- Salt - I always add a lil' pinch of salt to my frostings to both enhance the flavor and cut the sweetness just a tinge.
- Milk - You can use milk, cream, or even water to thin out the frosting until it is the right consistency. Don't add too much! Just a teaspoon at a time.
Do I Need To Chill The Dough?
I recommend letting the dough for cornbread cookies chill for at least 30 minutes, or the longer the better.
Chilling/resting the dough serves two purposes:
- Hydration: During the chilling process, the dry ingredients - especially the cornmeal - have more time to absorb the liquid ingredients, softening the cornmeal and contributing to a more tender cookie
- Spreading: These are thin, chewy cookies, but you don't want them to spread too much. Chilling the dough firms up the butter and helps them to spread just the right amount when in the oven.
How Do I Make Them All The Same Size?
I use this Oxo Good Grips 1.5 TBS Cookie Scoop to make all of my cookies uniform in size, which also helps them bake evenly on the pan.
Scoop the dough until you have a flattened scoop. Click the handle to release the dough, and then use your hands to form them into a ball.
Place the dough balls onto the parchment-covered baking sheet and give them plenty of space, since they will spread in the oven. Lightly press down with the heel of your hand, making a thick disk (don't press it too thin!)
Using this technique will create lovely, uniform, almost perfectly round cornbread cookies!
Doesn't Crumbl's Version Drizzle With Honey?
Yup! Crumbl's version of the cornbread cookie drizzles the cookie with honey. I chose not to do that since I knew I'd have leftovers I wanted to store, and I was afraid the honey would soften the cookies too much and end up a sticky mess.
If you want to drizzle on a little honey prior to serving, go for it, it'll be delicious!
Can I Freeze These Cookies?
Yes, the baked cookies can be frozen either frosted or unfrosted.
Freezing unfrosted cookies: Place cookies in a zip-top freezer safe bag, squeeze out the air, and freeze up to 3 months for best flavor and texture. Thaw on the counter when ready to serve.
Freezing frosted cookies: "Flash Freeze" the cookies by placing them on a single layer on a baking sheet and placing into the freezer for an hour. Then transfer them to a zip-top freezer safe bag and freeze as indicated above.
What is Flash Freezing?
Flash freezing has a couple of different definitions, but many home bakers use this phrase to describe freezing delicate/decorated goods or items they don't want to stick together in the freezer. It involves freezing the items separately from each other - usually spread on a baking sheet - for an hour or two before placing them all together in a freezing bag. Though this isn't technically flash freezing - which involves a very quick freeze at cryogenic temperatures - it's a useful technique when freezing frosted cookies.
Print
Cornbread Cookies
These sweet cornmeal cookies were inspired by Crumbl's limited fall release of their cornbread cookie. Thin and chewy with a pleasant coarse texture from the cornmeal, each one is topped with a dollop of sweet honey buttercream.
- Total Time: 25 mins + cooling and time for extra batches
- Yield: 18-20 cookies 1x
Ingredients
Cornbread Cookies
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup white granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp honey
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour, measured by spooning and leveling
- ¾ cup yellow cornmeal
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
Honey Buttercream
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened
- 2 tsp honey
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1 cup sifted powdered sugar
- Pinch of salt
- Milk or Cream to thin out frosting
Instructions
Make The Cookies
- Cream the butter with white and brown sugars until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and honey. Mix until combined and smooth.
- In a second bowl, mix together the flour, cornmeal, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet in 2-3 additions, mixing on low until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl, cover, and chill for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350F. Prepare 2 large baking sheets by covering with parchment paper.
- Use a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop level amounts of dough. Release the dough into your hands, roll into a ball, and place on the cookie sheet, leaving at least 2-3 inches between each one.
- Use the heel of your hand to lightly press down on each ball to form a flat disk. Return remaining dough to refrigerator.
- Bake for 9-10 minutes or until cookies are lightly golden. Allow to cool on the sheet for 3 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.
- Repeat baking steps with the other sheet. Bake as many batches as needed to use all of the dough, making sure to always use a cooled baking sheet.
Make The Buttercream
- In a bowl, mix the butter with the honey and vanilla extract until creamy. Add the powdered sugar and salt and mix until a thick frosting has formed.
- Add a little milk, just one teaspoon at a time, mixing after each addition, until the frosting has thinned out a bit. It should not be runny but should appear smooth and creamy - thicker than a glaze.
- Add a dollop of buttercream in the center of each fully cooled cookie. Alternatively, you can spread a thin layer of frosting onto each cookie or pipe designs.
- Keep leftovers airtight in a cool place at room temperature.
Notes
Recommended Equipment
Oxo Good Grips 1.5 Tablespoon Cookie Scoop (I use this thing ALL the time)
Wilton 2-pack Nonstick Baking Sheets
KitchenAid 7-Speed Hand Mixer (honestly, I use this more than my big stand mixer)
Chilling the dough and using parchment paper as opposed to greasing the pan will help the cookies spread less. These cookies are supposed to be thin and chewy, but you don't want them flat and brittle.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven
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Eliza
These cookies are absolutely delicious! I really wanted a drizzle of honey, so to counteract that extra sweetness I used one teaspoon of Diamond Crystal kosher salt (look up conversions if you use Morton's or iodized - they're not the same) instead of one-half teaspoon. It made for a sweet and salty cookie combination that is totally irresistible! Bonus: the honey does not make the cookie soggy for ~48hrs (can't attest for longer - they didn't last).
I'm always so hesitant trying online recipes, but Erin's obvious knowledge of baking techniques and spot-on description of the perfect, chewy cookie gave me the push I needed to trust her recipe and I'm so glad I did!
Elsie S. Stewart
I tried this recipe and it's really good.
Delilah
Perfection!
Rae Marie
Hands down, this is the best Cornbread Cookie recipe on the internet. The recipe is easy-to-follow and the results are exactly as described: a soft cookie with a delightful balance of salty & sweet. (l accidentally overbaked a batch and, even though they were crunchy, the flavor was still outstanding.)
Erin
Oh thank you so much, Rae! I'm thrilled to hear you loved these cookies - they are in my Top 5 for sure!!
Marissa
OMG! These were SOOOO good!! My new favorite cookie!
Erin
So glad you loved them, Marissa!