Oh, those cookies made with cornmeal. They have a crispy exterior, a chewy inside, and a flavour that is reminiscent of sweet buttery corn in each and every mouthful. They have it all!
These cookies managed to captivate my attention from the very first taste, and ever since I tried them, I’ve made sure to include them in my assortment of go-to treats.
Although I use a variety of icings when I make them, the sour cream frosting is by far my favourite. Because cornmeal is traditionally made with sour cream, I can’t help but see it as the ideal topping for cookies made with cornmeal.
The Northern Italian sweets known as zaletti served as the source of my creativity. These cookies are made with cornmeal and are flavoured with vanilla, lemon zest, and raisins that have been marinated in grappa. They have the flavour like cornbread and are best served warmly from the oven (check out my cornbread cookies recipe too).
Because I want to provide a dish that was appropriate for children, in addition to catering to my personal preferences, I adapted my recipe somewhat. Grappa is not something that should be given to children, but if you want to create this version, I will include some suggestions on how to produce zaletti that is appropriate for children.
Picking The Cornmeal As Your Option
Cornmeal is a straightforward commodity that may be prepared in a wide variety of ways. If you are looking for cornmeal for a dish, you could find yourself in the grain aisle staring down a bag of grits, polenta, fine cornmeal, blue cornmeal, or any number of other varieties.
Every form of cornmeal has a specific use, and the following is a rundown of some of those uses:
- The purest and most refined type of cornmeal is known as a corn flour. You can create cookies with this that almost melt in your mouth, or you can use it to make tempura batter for your seafood.
- Cornmeal, both fine and medium, may be used in the preparation of the aforementioned baked goods, including cookies, muffins, and pancakes.
- Cornmeal with a coarser texture should only be used for breading since it will cause grittier textures in baked goods like cakes and muffins. This cornmeal breading is delicious on catfish, as well as on any other sort of fish.
- Polenta and grits are other names for yellow and white cornmeal, respectively, and may be used in the same way that coarse cornmeal is used.
- Blue cornmeal is a kind of cornmeal that is produced by grinding blue maize. Its hue gives it a delicious and unusual taste. Try using this one for the cookies if you can get your hands on it in the form of fine cornmeal.
In the Event That You Desire To Prepare Zaletti Cookies
The wonderful Italian Zaletti cookies, which are packed with raisins that have been steeped in rum and have a foundation made of thick butter, served as the idea for these.
You may make the cornmeal cookies according to the recipe that I will provide you; all you need to do is add one-half cup of raisins that have been steeped in rum. In order to properly rehydrate the raisins, you need three tablespoons of black rum.
You may use hot water or water that has been flavoured with rum extract to soak your raisins in order to make a version that is suitable for children. You may also use dried black currants or dried blueberries in place of the raisins in this recipe.
After the cookie dough has been prepared, the raisins should be folded into it while it is still warm and stirred until they are completely absorbed. After that, you will give the cookies their final form and bake them according to the instructions provided in the recipe.
Advice on How to Bake the Ideal Cornmeal Cookies
To begin, bring the butter to room temperature. The butter should be at room temperature before you begin. If you use cold butter, it will not combine properly with the sugar, and you will not end up with fluffy butter; rather, you will end up with a mixture that has a grainy texture. You shouldn’t use melted butter either since it won’t be able to transform into a fluffy mixture and it will lose its capacity to contain air if you beat it.
Bake use of a combination of sugars; while I used caster sugar this time, when I make cookies I often use a combination of brown sugar and caster sugar. Both of them provide distinctive qualities to the dish: the caster sugar imparts crispiness, while the brown sugar adds depth to the taste and a little bit of wetness.
Always add some all-purpose flour. If you prepare these cookies without adding any all-purpose flour, the end result will be cookies that are overly dense. Always add some all-purpose flour to prevent this from happening. The cornmeal will provide flavour and a touch of crunch to the cookies, which will have a nice soft texture thanks to this combination. However, the cookies will also have some taste from the cornmeal.
Bake the cookies for 11–12 minutes. Take care not to overbake them, since this will cause the cookies to become unpleasantly hard. When you first take them out of the oven, the cookies will be quite soft; but, as they cool down, they will become crisper. If you overbake cookies, they will become very hard, nearly like a rock.
Instructions For Making The Icing
The frosting makes all the difference. This ordinary cookie is elevated to the level of a delectable gourmet delicacy by using it. Because sour cream and cornmeal are such a delicious combination, I decided to make icing using sour cream.
This frosting calls for butter, powdered sugar, lemon juice, and sour cream as its main ingredients. The tartness of the frosting is a welcome contrast to the sweetness of the biscuits.
Cookies made with Cornmeal
Time required for preparation: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 12 minutes
Servings: 12 cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup room temperature butter
- ¾ cup caster sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla essence 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour ¾ cup cornmeal
- ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tablespoon of freshly grated lemon zest.
- As the finishing touch:
- 1 tablespoon of whipped cream
- 1/3 of a cup of butter at room temperature
- 1 fluid ounce of powdered sugar
- ½ tbsp lemon juice
Instructions
- Put the oven on to preheat at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. A baking sheet should be prepared with parchment paper.
- In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar together until the mixture is light and airy.
- Add egg and vanilla. Mix until it is silky smooth and airy.
- Combine the flour, cornmeal, and baking powder using a folding motion.
- Mix together well by stirring.
- Form the dough into balls and put them in a single layer on the baking sheet. Each one should be pressed down to make it flat. Cookies should be baked for 11–12 minutes and then allowed to cool on a wire rack.
- To make the icing, combine the butter, sour cream, and powdered sugar in a bowl and mix until smooth. Mix in some lemon juice, then beat until you have a fluffy texture.
- Place the frosting in a piping bag and pour it over the cookies, or simply use a spoon to spread the frosting all over the cookies.
- Accompany the freshly prepared tea with some freshly baked biscuits.