Here is a quick-and-easy, gluten-free cookie recipe for any occasion!
Play around and have fun with this recipe – it’s adaptable! Feel free to substitute some honey for the sugar, some almond meal/flour for the corn flour, and throw in a handful of freshly chopped herbs like rosemary or thyme.
The Esalen kitchen’s favorite? Create a thumbprint cookie with a dollop of homemade jam. In a recent workshop, we made a batch of Esalen Garden Lemon Thyme & Raspberry Jam…mmm! Fresh fig jam nestled into this cookie is another favorite.
Corn Flour Cookies
Makes 4 dozen cookies
4 cups corn flour
1/2 lb. softened, room temperature
butter
2 cups sugar
2 eggs
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 cup (up to 1 cup) of water, milk or orange juice
Preparation:
1. In a mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the butter at low speed.
2. Add sugar and mix until a bit fluffy. Add egg, vanilla, cinnamon and your chosen liquid. Mix until a bit fluffy and well-combined.
3. Add ½ of the corn flour, mix until combined and then add your chosen liquid a little at a time. Finally, add the rest of the corn flour until a soft dough forms that resembles play-doh.
4. Form a small ball. If it does not hold together or cracks on the edges when pressed, then add a teaspoon of liquid at a time until the dough holds together, is not sticky, and does not crack on the edges.
5. Now the fun begins! You can make any shape or size: coins, balls, thumbprints, or roll the dough and make cookie cut-outs.
6. As you go, place the cookies on a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper.
7. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Bake for 18-20 minutes until slightly brown. Remove from oven, wait for 3 minutes and then transfer cookies onto a rack to cool.
8. Glaze or sprinkle cookies with powdered sugar once they are cool.