Rebecca Emily Martin

Cornmeal Lime Cookies from Flour

I’m recovering from some baking fails over the last week as well as some occupational hazards.  Yes, food blogging can be quite hazardous to your health…or at least your hands and arms.   I wear my kitchen injuries like a badge of honor but the latest was the worst ever.  What can be worst than burning your arm with a screaming hot cast iron pan that just came out of the oven?  Well, smashing your pinky finger with a hammer.  Yes…a hammer.  Why I was using a hammer in my kitchen you’ll find out later this week.  For right now, I bring you these cookies – the only treat you will ever need to recover from just about any injury.  And just the thing I needed to nurse my pinky finger back to health. 

The star of this cookie is my buddy lime.

It gets a nice crumbly texture from the cornmeal but it’s the lime that will make your eyebrows perk after your first bite.  You’ll need the zest for the actual cookie and both the zest and juice for the glaze.  Oh yea – the glaze – don’t skip it.  It’s like that extra ‘lil something that makes them just right.  Like that extra stoke of lipstick or nail polish, like the extra spritz of perfume that will take from from hmmm to va va voom.

Cornmeal Lime Cookies

Adapted From: Flour
Yield: About 38 Cookies

Ingredients:

For The Cookies
2 cups (280 grams) all purpose flour
1/2 cup (100 grams) medium-course yellow cornmeal
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons (175 grams) granulated sugar
2 tablespoons finely grated lime zest (about 4 limes)
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For The Lime Glaze
1 cup (140 grams) confectioners’ sugar
2 teaspoons water
2 tablespoons fresh lime juice (1 to 1 1/2 limes)
1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lime zest (about 1 lime)

Directions:

Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicon mats.

In a small bowl, whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt to combine and set aside.

Using a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar on medium speed for about 5 minutes (or until light and fluffy), making sure to scrap down the sides of the bowl every couple of minutes. Add the lime and beat for another minute. Add the eggs and vanilla and continue to beat until thoroughly combined, about 2-3 minutes. Reduce the speed to low and slowly add the flour mixture until the dough is evenly mixed.

Scoop batter using a small ice cream scoop place them on the lined baking sheet 2 inches apart. Bake for about 18 minutes or until the cookies are pale and brown on the edges (do not let the tops of the cookies brown). Completely cool on a cooling rack before glazing.

While the cookies are cooling, to make the glaze whisk the sugar, water, lime juice and zest in a small bowl. Brush the cookies with a thin layer of the glaze and let them set.