Brown Butter Cornbread Cookies
- Cook Time: 32 minutes
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (226g) unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup fine yellow cornmeal
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- Extra sugar for rolling (optional)
Instructions
- Place the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Melt the butter, then continue cooking while whisking constantly. The butter will foam up and then develop little brown bits at the bottom. Once it smells nutty and looks amber in color, immediately remove it from the heat and pour it into a heat-proof bowl. Let it cool for about 15-20 minutes until it is no longer hot to the touch but still liquid.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the cooled brown butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Whisk or beat with a hand mixer until well combined. Add the egg, honey, and vanilla extract. Mix again until the batter is smooth and slightly pale.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, fine cornmeal, baking soda, and salt. Make sure there are no large clumps of flour or cornmeal so the texture remains consistent throughout the cookie.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Use a spatula to fold the mixture together until just combined. Be careful not to overmix, as this can make the cookies tough. The dough should be soft and slightly oily from the brown butter.
- For the best texture, chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough (about 2 tablespoons each) and roll them into balls. If desired, roll the balls in a little extra granulated sugar for a sparkly finish.
- Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are just golden brown and the tops look set. The centers might still look slightly soft, but they will firm up as they cool. Let them rest on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.