Easy Cornbread Cookies with Honey Buttercream Frosting

I’ve never had Crumbl Cookies’ cornbread cookies that everyone was raving about, but I’m still willing to bet this homemade version is better! Lord have mercy, I’m hooked, y’all!

These golden, sweet, buttery cornbread cookies are so soft, chewy, and thick. And that fluffy whipped honey buttercream frosting just takes already delicious cookies to the next level.

If Sweet, Buttery Cornbread and Brown Sugar Cookies Had A Baby

I’ve gotten into cookie stamping lately, and so I’ve been trying out all kinds of cookie recipes to see which ones are stampable. My adventures landed me on cornbread cookies. I took one bite and thought Sweet baby Jesus, and the grown one, too!!! These are incredible!

I surely wasn’t expecting to be that impressed, but I’ve already made them three times.

What Do Cornbread Cookies Taste Like?

This is the exact question that intrigued me when I saw these cookies! I just had to know what they tasted like.

To cornbread cookies taste like a homemade version os sweet Jiffy cornbread combined with a brown sugar cookie. It’s definitely more cookie than cornbread, but it has that light corn flavor just like cornbread.

And since there is yellow cornmeal in the dough and the cookie dough is rolled in cornmeal before baking, you get a hint of that rustic cornbread texture.

These cookies divine all by themself, but the whipped honey buttercream is the icing on top! The heavy cream in the batter makes the frosting light and airy, and the generous sprinkling of salt makes it taste like sweetened whipped butter.

Two words for ya, MAKE IT!

Watch Me Make These Cornbread Cookies With Honey Butter Cream Frosting From Start To Finish!

Step into my kitchen, and I’ll show you how to make these cornbread cookies step-by-step! I’ll show you exactly how to roll them in the cornmeal for that classic cornbread texture!

Cornbread Cookie Recipe

Ingredients

For The Cornbread Cookies

• All-purpose flour
• Finely ground yellow cornmeal, divided
• Cornstarch
• Baking powder
• Salt
• Unsalted butter, softened
• Granulated sugar
• light brown sugar, packed
• honey
• large egg
• egg yolk
• vanilla extract

For The Honey Buttercream Frosting

• Unsalted butter
• Powdered sugar
• heavy whipping cream
• honey
• vanilla
• salt

How To Make Cornbread Cookies

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
2. Place 3 tablespoons of cornmeal on a plate and set aside (This is for rolling the cookie dough balls)
3. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, remaining cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
4. In another large bowl, cream together butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and honey for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
5. Mix in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract.
6. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients with a rubber spatula, mixing until a soft dough forms and all the dry ingredients are incorporated. Do not overmix.
7. Using a small cookie scoop, scoop out the dough and roll it into a ball.
8. Roll the cookie dough ball in the cornmeal and then place it on the prepared baking sheet. Space cookies about 2 inches apart. (You can flatten the balls slightly if you prefer a flatter top)
9. Bake for 8-10 minutes. (The center should look slightly undone)
10. Allow the cookies to rest on the hot baking sheet for 3-5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Cool completely for frosting.

How To Make Honey Buttercream Frosting

1. Add softened butter to a large bowl and beat until smooth and fluffy.
2. Gradually mix in powdered sugar, honey, and vanilla extract.
3. Add heavy whipping cream a little at a time.
4. Beat for 3 minutes or until frosting has the texture of whipped butter.
5. Sprinkle generally with 2-3 pinches of salt (after each addition). You want the saltiness to balance out the sweetness so that it tastes like a sweet butter)
6. Spread or pipe the frosting onto each cookie. (A little goes a long way. Drizzle with honey just before serving if desired.

FAQs

Do these cornbread cookies need frosting? I personally think they are fine without it! A little plain in appearance but delicious nonetheless! The airy honey buttercream frosting definitely complements it so well, though!

Why are my cornbread cookies dry? You likely overbaked them, which is easy to do. You have to take them out of the oven when the top and edges are set, and the inside looks slightly undone. For my studio oven, it’s 8 minutes; for my home oven, it’s 10 minutes. So cut one open at the 8-9 minute mark and check.

Can I use white cornmeal? White cornmeal works, but yellow cornmeal gives that signature golden cornbread color and texture.

How To Store

Store cool cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3-4 days. Store frosted cookies in the refrigerator and let them come to room temperature before serving. If the cookies are frosted, place each layer between parchment paper.

You can also freeze the dough balls and baked unfrosted cookies as well.

Ready To Make These Delicious Cornbread Cookies?

Grab the full recipe below and let me know how you like it!

Get the Recipe:

Cornbread Cookies With Honey Buttercream Frosting

Soft and chewy cornbread cookies made with yellow cornmeal and topped with fluffy honey buttercream frosting.

Prep Time: 20 minutes mins

Cook Time: 9 minutes mins

For The Cookies

• ½ cup + 3 tablespoons yellow cornmeal, divided (fine ground)
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1½ tablespoons cornstarch
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup unsalted butter softened
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup light brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons honey
• 1 large egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

For The Honey Buttercream Frosting

• ¼ cup unsalted butter very soft, but not melted
• 1 teaspoon honey
• ⅕ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream
• salt (2-3 generous pinches)

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside.

• Place 3 tablespoons of cornmeal on a plate and set aside (This is for rolling the cookie dough balls)

  ½ cup + 3 tablespoons yellow cornmeal, divided

• In a large bowl, whisk together flour, remaining ½ cup cornmeal, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.

  1½ cups all-purpose flour, 1½ tablespoons cornstarch, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt

• In another large bowl, cream together butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and honey for 3 minutes, until light and fluffy.

  ½ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons honey

• Mix in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract.

  1 large egg, 1 egg yolk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients with a rubber spatula, mixing until a soft dough forms and all the dry ingredients are incorporated. Do not overmix.

• Using a small cookie scoop, scoop out the dough and roll it into a ball.

• Roll the cookie dough ball in the reserved cornmeal and then place it on the prepared baking sheet. Space cookies about 2 inches apart. (You can flatten the balls slightly if you prefer a flatter top)

• Bake for 8-10 minutes. (The center should look slightly undone)

• Allow the cookies to rest on the hot baking sheet for 3-5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Cool completely for frosting.

Make The Frosting

• Add softened butter and honey to a large bowl and beat until smooth and fluffy.

  ¼ cup unsalted butter, 1 teaspoon honey

• Gradually mix in vanilla extract and powdered sugar.

  1 cup powdered sugar, ⅕ teaspoon vanilla extract

• Add heavy whipping cream a little at a time.

  1 tablespoon heavy whipping cream

• Beat for 3 minutes or until frosting has the texture of whipped butter.

• Sprinkle generally with salt ( taste after each addition). You want the saltiness to balance out the sweetness so that it tastes like a sweet butter)

  salt

• Spread or pipe the frosting onto each cookie. (A little goes a long way.) Drizzle with honey just before serving if desired.

Mo’s Recipe Tips

Use finely ground yellow cornmeal. Use fine or medium-ground yellow cornmeal. Not a cornmeal mix or a coarse-ground cornmeal, which can give these cookies too much of a gritty bite.
Don’t overbake. Cornbread cookies can go from soft to dry quickly because they continue cooking after they leave the oven. Bake them for 8-10 minutes. Pull them from the oven when the edges and tops are set, but the middle looks slightly undone.
Let them cool on the baking sheet. This is the step that gives them that soft, moist, chewy texture that is so amazing. Let them sit on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes after removing them from the oven.
Use real, quality butter. Butter is a strong flavor in these cornbread cookies, so use a quality brand of real butter. Skip the margarine.
Don’t skip the salt in the frosting. The generous pinches of salt balance out the sweetness perfectly!
 

---

Calories: 3654kcal, Carbohydrates: 528g, Protein: 38g, Fat: 160g, Saturated Fat: 95g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g, Monounsaturated Fat: 43g, Trans Fat: 6g, Cholesterol: 763mg, Sodium: 1506mg, Potassium: 709mg, Fiber: 13g, Sugar: 314g, Vitamin A: 5005IU, Vitamin C: 0.3mg, Calcium: 304mg, Iron: 14mg

Want more delicious cookies? Check these out!