Description
These honey cornbread sugar cookies deliver everything you love about classic cornbread in cookie form. They’re rich and buttery, lightly sweetened with honey, and finished with a tender, crumbly bite that practically dissolves on your tongue. Think cozy, nostalgic, and just a little unexpected.
Ingredients
Scale
Cookie Dough
- 1/3 cup honey, preferably aromatic and mild
- 1 1/2 cups bread flour or all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1/2 cup cold salted butter, cut into small cubes
- 2 egg yolks, brought to room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
For Rolling
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
Instructions
- Get Everything Ready
- Combine the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a bowl and whisk until evenly mixed. This helps ensure the cookies bake evenly later on.
- Pour the sugar for rolling into a separate small bowl and set it aside. Having everything measured and ready before mixing makes the process smoother and helps prevent overworking the dough.
- Beat the Butter, Sugar, and Honey
- Place the cold butter cubes into a mixing bowl along with the granulated sugar and honey. Using a hand or stand mixer, beat on medium speed for about 3–4 minutes, until the mixture looks pale, fluffy, and well-aerated.
- The mixer will soften the butter naturally while incorporating air, which gives the cookies their signature texture without needing softened butter.
- Add Yolks and Vanilla
- Mix in the egg yolks and vanilla extract. Beat for about one minute, just until everything is fully blended.
- Pause to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl so no streaks remain. This step ensures the dough stays smooth and evenly mixed.
- Bring the Dough Together
- Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture. Mix on low speed until the dough just comes together and no dry flour remains.
- Stop mixing as soon as the dough forms. Overmixing can make the cookies dense instead of tender. The dough should feel slightly tacky but easy to handle.
- Shape, Coat, and Chill
- Divide the dough into about 10 equal portions and roll each into a smooth ball.
- Roll each ball generously in the reserved sugar, then place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Once all the dough balls are ready, transfer the entire tray to the freezer for at least 2 hours or up to overnight.
- Chilling the dough helps control spreading and improves the final texture.
- Bake
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Arrange the frozen dough balls on the prepared sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 12–15 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden while the centers still look soft.
- Avoid overbaking — the cookies will continue to firm up as they cool.
- Cool and Enjoy
- Remove the cookies from the oven and let them rest on the baking sheets for 5–10 minutes. This allows them to finish setting without drying out.
- Transfer to a wire rack and cool completely. As they cool, the cookies develop their signature crumbly, cornbread-inspired texture.
- Enjoy warm, at room temperature, or with a glass of milk or cup of coffee — they’re good every way.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Desserts
Nutrition
- Calories: 1900
- Fat: 85 g
- Carbohydrates: 270 g
- Protein: 25 g