Corn has a natural sweetness and makes an excellent ingredient in baked goods. The cornmeal cookie, also known simply as a corn cookie, was first made by Native Americans. As one of their staple foods, corn was ground into cornmeal and used to create a variety of recipes, including this one. In their most traditional form, Native American corn cookies would have been made without wheat or dairy and cooked on a hot griddle. This simple recipe for cornmeal cookies produces a sweet treat similar to traditional sugar cookies, although they are less sweet and made using cornmeal in place of some of the wheat flour. It also includes milk, sugar, and flour, along with indigenous ingredients like honey and cornmeal. Additional ingredients such as herbs, spices, fruits, and nuts can be included to give the cookies more flavor. The recipe shows the mixing of culinary cultures in post-settlement America, with European ingredients and culinary techniques that led to changes in traditional Native American recipes.
Recipe Servings: 20
Ingredients
- Nonstick cooking spray, as needed to grease baking sheet
- ⅓ tsp salt
- ¾ cup sugar (this can be reduced based on sweetness preference)
- ¾ cup butter
- ½ cup honey, maple syrup, or dark molasses
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, beaten
- ½ cup cornmeal
- 1¾ cups flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¾ cup raisins, dried berries, or nuts (optional)
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Grease a baking sheet using nonstick cooking spray.
- Cream together the salt, sugar, and butter in a large bowl.
- Add either the honey, syrup, or molasses along with the vanilla and eggs. Beat the mixture until it is well blended and creamy.
- Combine the cornmeal, flour, and baking powder in a separate bowl.
- Add the dry mixture to the creamy mixture gradually while stirring.
- Stir in any of the optional add-ins, if using.
- Drop tablespoonfuls of the dough onto the baking sheet.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes or until lightly golden-brown.
- Remove the cookies from the oven and let cool.
- Repeat steps seven through nine until all the batter is used. Be sure to re-grease the baking sheet between batches.
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