Friday, February 12, 2010

Cookie or Cracker?

I subscribe to Martha Stewart's Cookie of the Day emails. I swear that woman (or her flunkies) will make cookies from about anything. These daily emails will be either annoying or interesting depending on your mood. Recently, the cookie recipe sent was made from cornmeal and it intrigued me. Was it going to be sweet or savory? Was 3/4 cup of sugar going to be too much or too little? I wanted to find out.

Made with our super bowl fare as an 'alternative' to the sweet Rocky Road Whoppers I baked. Here's was my thought process: You know how there are two schools of cornbread eating? Some people like it savory and some people like their cornbread sweet. Of course there are other who like their cheesy or spicy....These 'cookies' would be great with chili! I liked the slight sweetness of them. I rubbed a little butter on the tops which provided a salty edginess that complimented the sweetness. I found that I couldn't stop eating these cookies. They were so different that they were really really good. They weren't salty/savory or overly sweet either. I am definitely making these again since the snow is keeping me homebound.


Cornmeal Cookies
adapted from Martha Stewart.com

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) butter, room temperature
3/4 cup sugar (I used splenda)
1 large egg
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
melted butter for cookie tops

  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; brush with melted butter and let cool completely.
Again, these were uncommonly good....I am thinking about checking out her recipes for Lemon Zucchini Cornmeal Cookies and Lime Cornmeal Glazed. Hmmmm.

1 comment:

Rachelle S said...

lol, I get those cookie emails too. I use cornmeal in a biscotti I make, and love it. It gives is a great crunch.