Lemon Cornmeal Cookies with Brown Butter & Honey Glaze

This weekend I had a wonderful friend come from out of town to visit, so I made these cookies for her arrival.  My initial plan was to make oatmeal cookies, since I bought a HUGE tube of Quaker Oats last week.  In my search I ended up at Martha Stewart's site and the cookie of the day - Cornmeal Cookies.  Believe me, I was hesitant. Cornmeal? In cookies? I decided to step out and take a chance anyway, despite my fears. 

....And they were delicious.  Crispy, crumbly and not very corn tasting at all.  I love this recipe for a few reasons: 1. They use cornmeal which is one of those pantry ingredients that most people rarely use; but it's very versatile and very economical. 2. They are light and fresh tasting, especially with the addition of the lemon and the light glaze. 3. Unlike many cookie recipes they are not overly sweet, and I can actually see these being made into a savory snack with the addition of some herbs or cheese (hmmm, sounds like a test recipe, no?) .

They also made for a beautiful presentation (especially when Elias is cutely lurking in the background), and one of those snacks where you eat one and walk away but can't help coming back again!

Lemon Cornmeal Cookies adapted from Martha Stewart
Prep time: 10 minutes    Cooking time: 15 minutes
Cost : $2.73  Yield: 2 dozen cookies

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled), plus more for shaping
1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract 

1 teaspoon lemon extract

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cornmeal, and salt; set aside.
2. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add egg and vanilla; beat until smooth. With mixer on low, gradually add flour mixture, mixing just until combined.
3. Drop dough by heaping tablespoons, about 2 inches apart, onto two large baking sheets; flatten slightly with floured fingertips. Bake until edges are golden, 14 to 16 minutes, rotating sheets halfway through. Transfer cookies immediately to a wire rack; let cool completely.

Brown Butter & Honey Glaze

• 4 tb. unsalted butter
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• splash of vanilla

 1. Heat butter over medium-low heat in a small sauce pan until it 

2. Add sugar, honey and extracts and stir until smooth. Drizzle or ice cookies.

Print