Cornbread Cookies are soft and chewy drop cookies that bring all the cozy flavor of classic cornbread into an easy, no-fuss dessert. Made from scratch with no box mix, they're topped with a creamy honey butter frosting that takes them over the top without feeling overly sweet.
Cornbread Cookies Recipe Essentials
- 🍽️ Course: Dessert
- ⏱️ Cooking Time: 11 minutes
- 🍴 Servings: 12
- 🌽 Flavor Profile: Sweet, buttery, slightly nutty with honey richness
- 🫖 Best Served With: Coffee, tea, or as a sweet snack on its own
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: Yes, store in fridge up to a week (best after cooling fully before frosting)
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I first fell in love with the Crumbl cornbread cookie, and it inspired me to create my own homemade version that I could enjoy anytime. I wanted something just as soft and buttery, but made from scratch in my own kitchen. This recipe is perfect for cornbread lovers who enjoy it on the sweeter side!
For cornbread lovers, try this recipe for homemade cornbread and gluten-free cornbread to add to your next meal.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It includes the best parts of sweet cornbread: You get the sweet honey and rich butter flavor in every bite, making these cornbread cookies just sweet enough but still with plenty of cornbread flavor.
- Start to finish is under an hour: Preparing the dough, baking, cooling, and frosting takes less than an hour in total. This is so impressive for a homemade cookie recipe!
- It uses pantry staples: You don't need to worry about purchasing any obscure or hard-to-find ingredients. This cornbread cookie recipe is made entirely of pantry and kitchen staples.
Ingredients
These ingredients are most important to get the perfect texture and flavor in these cornbread cookies.
- Cornmeal: You may use white or yellow cornmeal for this cornbread cookie recipe. Yellow cornmeal has a stronger flavor, and I like to use it for these blueberry corn muffins. Go for fine or medium ground for the best texture, as coarse ground would be too gritty.
- Honey: I add honey to the frosting to bridge the flavors of the cookie and the frosting. It gives off a honey butter flavor, which is classic for cornbread.
- Butter: You'll need softened, salted butter for the cookies and the frosting. If you only have unsalted, add ¼ teaspoon to the cookie dough and a pinch or two to the frosting. The salt helps with balance.
- Egg: Many cornbread cookie recipes use egg yolks for richness, but mine calls for a whole egg. This keeps the cookies a little lighter but still soft and chewy.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Unfrosted cookies: Skip the frosting and serve these cornbread cookies unfrosted. If you like, you may add a drizzle of honey instead.
- Add jalapeno: Include some heat with a teaspoon of minced fresh jalapeno or a ¼ teaspoon of jalapeno powder. It's a winning combination of sweet and spicy.
- Gluten-free: Try this recipe with your favorite gluten-free flour blend, just as I use in this gluten-free cornbread mix.
- Maple frosting: Swap the honey for the same amount of maple syrup. It has sweetness that complements the cookies with some extra depth.
How to Make Cornbread Cookies
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease your cookie sheet with nonstick cooking spray or line it with parchment paper.
Step 1: Cream the butter and sugar. Add the softened butter with the brown and white sugar to a mixing bowl, and beat them with an electric mixer until they are creamy.
Step 2: Add the egg. Beat in the egg until it's well mixed.
Step 3: Stir in the dry ingredients. Now you can add and stir in all the dry ingredients.
Step 4: Scoop the dough. Use a cookie scoop to portion the cookies onto the prepared baking sheet.
Step 5: Bake the cookies. Flatten the cookies slightly and bake them for about 11 minutes. While the cookies bake, make the frosting.
Step 6: Frost and serve. After the cookies cool, spread the frosting onto each one. Enjoy a cornbread cookie with a scoop of lemon blueberry ice cream.
Expert Tips
- Avoid overmixing the dough: Mix the ingredients for the cornbread cookie dough until they are just combined to prevent them from becoming tough and dense.
- Use a cookie scoop: One of the best ways to ensure all the cookies are uniform is to use a cookie scoop to portion the dough. You're guaranteed to get the same amount of dough for each cookie.
- Fixing thin or thick frosting: If the frosting is too thick, add an extra teaspoon of honey or a splash of milk, and add more as needed. If it's too thin, start by adding ¼ of the powdered sugar at a time.
- Refrigerator storage: Keep your cornbread cookies in an airtight container for up to a week in the refrigerator. Add layers of parchment paper if you need to stack them to keep the frosting neat.
- Freezer directions: You may freeze these cookies without frosting. Place them in a freezer bag or an airtight container and keep them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature and prepare the honey butter frosting fresh.
These churro cookies are another Crumbl copycat recipe that's worth a try.
Serving Suggestions
- Brunch ideas: The savory and sweet flavor of these cookies goes well with brunch items like yogurt parfaits with chocolate strawberry granola and mimosas.
- Drinks: Keep it simple and serve these cookies with hot coffee or cold milk.
- Cookie Tray: Add them to a cookie tray along with these tiramisu cookies and Nutella stuffed cookies.
Cornbread Cookies Recipe FAQs
This usually happens when the butter is too warm or partially melted. You want it softened, but still thick and creamy-not greasy or runny. If the dough starts to feel too soft or warm, just pop it in the fridge for about 20 minutes before scooping and baking your cornbread cookies.
These cornbread cookies taste just like a sweet and buttery cornbread muffin. The honey butter frosting ties the flavors together since there's no honey in the cookie dough.
No, cornmeal is a non-negotiable ingredient. It's what gives the cookies their flavor and texture, and without it, they would be a plain sugar cookie.
You can, just without the frosting. The frosting needs to be refrigerated to stay fresh because it contains dairy.
Of course! Prepare and bake the cookies up to 3 days in advance, then keep them in the refrigerator. Leave them unfrosted and make the frosting and frost the cookies the day you plan to serve them.
Cornbread Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- ½ cup salted butter, softened 120 grams
- ½ cup light brown sugar 60 grams
- ½ cup white granulated sugar 50 grams
- 1 large egg
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour 180 grams
- ½ cup cornmeal 60 grams
- 1 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
Frosting
- ½ cup salted butter, softened 120 grams
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F.
- Add the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar to a mixing bowl. Use an electric hand mixer on high speed to whisk the ingredients until the sugars are dissolved.
- Blend in the egg until it is thoroughly beaten and well incorporated with the creamed sugar. Reduce the speed of your mixer and gently mix in the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and baking soda.
- Use a cookie scoop or large spoon to drop balls of cookie dough onto a baking sheet. Flatten your cookies slightly and bake for 11 minutes.
- Once your cookies come out of the oven, let them cool while you prepare the frosting. Whisk together the butter, powdered sugar, and honey until smooth and creamy.
- Use a small spatula to frost your cookies. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
- The cornbread cookies spread too much when the butter is too warm or starting to melt. It should be softened, but still thick and creamy-not oily or loose. If the dough feels too soft or warm, chill it in the fridge for about 20 minutes before scooping and baking your cornbread cookies.
- Mix the cornbread cookie dough just until everything is combined to keep the cookies soft and prevent them from turning tough or dense.
- You can store the cookies at room temperature, just leave off the frosting. Since it contains dairy, the frosting needs to be refrigerated to stay fresh.
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