Sunday, September 6, 2009

[Cookie 039] Cornmeal-Thyme Cookies

Thyme

I am not dead! Just in New York.

Sorry I haven't been posting that regularly, but it's been rather hectic since I arrived here on the right-hand coast of the country. I simply love where I'm living this year, but one of the more difficult things about my location is that I no longer live around the corner from Trader Joe's. Sure, there's a Whole Foods a few blocks away, but seriously--you think I'm made outta money or something?? I did manage to find a supermarket in Chinatown, which is pretty decently priced, but doesn't carry everything I need.

But don't worry; I know where to buy alligator claws now. More on this later.

Cornmeal-Thyme Cookie Dough

Anyway, I'm going to make this post a short one. These Cornmeal-Thyme Cookies are really really really good. I'm a big fan. Their so good, in fact, that I didn't get a chance to take a photo of the finished cookies before they were all consumed! Tragic, I know. But they were that good.

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Thyme

I really wanted to make them before I left because my mom was growing some Thyme in her garden--but it was actually Lemon-Thyme, which obviously has a slightly more lemony flavor. But it worked really nicely with the currants that are also in the cookie. All in all, these cookies have a great unique flavor at first bite, and a nice soft texture that contrasts the crispiness of the cornmeal inside the dough.

Cornmeal-Thyme Cookies

So, while you go off and make these, I'll go off and try to find a place to buy some more cookie-baking ingredients. My roommates are gettin' antsy! (And apologies in advance if I don't post for a few more days--still getting settled in! Exciting!)

Cornmeal-Thyme Cookies
Makes about 3 dozen

Ingredients
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 cup stone-ground yellow cornmeal
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 8 ounces (2 sticks) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 1/4 cups sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3/4 cup dried currants
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1/2 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme

Directions
  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees, with racks in upper and lower thirds. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside. Whisk together flour, baking soda, cornmeal, and salt in a medium bowl.
  2. Put butter and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; cream on medium speed until pale and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Mix in eggs, 1 at a time. Add flour mixture; mix on low speed until just combined. Mix in currants and thyme.
  3. Using a tablespoon or a 1 1/2-inch ice-cream scoop, drop rounded balls of dough onto lined sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake, rotating and switching positions of sheets about halfway through, until pale golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer cookies, on parchment, to a wire rack. Let cool completely.

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{End Results}
Baking Difficultly: 1/5 (Insanely simple, really.)
Ingredient Accessibility: 3/5
Tastiness: 4/5
Attractiveness: 3/5 (Meh...not stunning)
Is it worth it?: Yes! I've never had a cookie flavored with a savory herb, but it works very nicely!

{Pairings}
Drink: Earl Grey Tea.
Song: Time -- Cat Stevens
Activity: These would be great at an English/Garden Tea party!

6 comments:

Flike said...

mmmmn cornmeal is my FAVORITE!! do more cookies involving corn!!! i love cornbread. i had some corn PONE over the summer, and it was sooooo good.

-claire

Flike said...

lolz @ cat stevens' Time

Barbara E said...

I miss your cookies! So much that I broke down and made the oatmeal cookies from the recipe of the Quaker oatmeal box. Sigh... they didn't compare with yours.

Poorni Pillai said...

Cornmeal and herbs are a beautiful combination. I bet these cookies are amazing! Yum.

Foodiewife said...

If you hadn't posted such beautiful photos and raved about these, I would not have considered making these. I grow two kinds of thyme, so I just might try these. Are they sweet and savory? How sweet...

They sound very different. OK, you've peaked my interest.

Great post!

Patricia Scarpin said...

I'm always intrigued by the usage of herbs in sweet recipes, and these sound and look very interesting!