Southern Corn Meal Cookies are essentially buttery sugar cookies made with both flour and corn meal, which makes an incredible difference. This cookie is delicately crisp, with an interesting texture and an unexpectedly appealing rich grain flavor.
For occasions when you want to serve something a little fancier, the cookie dough can be formed into mini tart shells. They are crisp, slightly chewy and sturdy, so they are easy to fill and will hold up for several days.
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Southern Corn Meal Cookies
1 1/4 cups butter, softened
1 1/2 cups sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups Martha White® All-Purpose Flour
1 cup Martha White® Self-Rising Corn Meal Mix
1 teaspoon salt
Sugar for coating dough
HEAT oven to 375°F. Combine butter and sugar in large mixing bowl. Beat with electric mixer on high speed until light and fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla.
BLEND in flour, corn meal and salt on low just until well blended.
ROLL dough into 1-inch balls. Roll in shallow bowl of sugar. Place balls on baking sheet about 1 inch apart. Flatten slightly with fingers.
BAKE 13 to 15 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Remove from baking sheet and cool on wire rack.
Makes 4 1/2 dozen cookies
Variations
Lemon: Add 1 tablespoon grated lemon peel with vanilla. Drizzle baked cookies with glaze made with 1 cup powdered sugar and 2 teaspoons lemon juice, if desired.
Almond or Pecan: Stir 1 1/2 cups finely chopped sliced almonds or pecans into dough.
Southern Corn Meal Cookie Tartlets
1 recipe Go To Southern Corn Meal Cookies (found at www.marthawhite.com)
Raspberry, Lemon Cream or White Chocolate Ganache Filling
Raspberries, strawberries, mint, lemon curls and/or Smuckers® Hot Fudge Topping for garnish, optional
HEAT oven to 400°F. (For dark non-stick pans, heat to 375°F.) Prepare cookie dough as directed. Scoop out 1 slightly heaping tablespoonful. Roll into a ball. Place in mini muffin cup. Press down center. (Do not try to form into tart shell. The dough will rise.)
BAKE 11 to 14 minutes or until golden brown about edges. Remove from oven. While warm, press center of each with handle of wooden spoon to form a cup. Cool 10 minutes in pan. Remove from pan. Cool completely on wire rack. Prepare filling(s) of choice. Fill tart shells with about 1/2 teaspoon filling. Store in refrigerator.
Raspberry Filling
1 1/2 cups frozen raspberries
1 tablespoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons lemon juice
1/4 cup sugar
COMBINE all ingredients in small saucepan. Slowly bring to a boil over medium high heat.
Cook and stir until thickened. Cool.
Makes 1/2 cup (enough to fill 24 tartlets)
Lemon Cream Filling
1/3 cup Dickinsons® Lemon Curd
4 ounces cream cheese, softened
BEAT lemon curd and cream cheese together until smooth and creamy.
Makes 1/2 cup (enough to fill 24 tartlets)
White Chocolate Ganache Filling
1/4 cup heavy whipping cream
1 cup white baking chips
MICROWAVE whipping cream in small microwave safe bowl, about 1 minute or until boiling. Add baking chips. Stir until melted. Cool until thickened.
Makes 1/2 cup (enough to fill 24 tartlets)
Dickinsons is a trademark of The J.M. Smucker Company.
