Brown Butter Cornbread Cookies - soft, chewy cookies bursting with toasty brown butter flavor and yellow cornmeal, topped with a dreamy honey buttercream. Sweet, a little savory, and dangerously easy to eat four in one sitting.
I have a problem where I cannot leave a stick of butter alone on the stove without browning it. Send help, or better yet, send more butter. That habit is exactly how these brown butter cornbread cookies happened. I was making a batch of regular cornbread cookies, got distracted browning butter for something else entirely, and had a small revelation: why was I not putting this nutty, toasty butter directly into the cookie dough. So I did. The dough came together, the cookies baked up with crisp edges and chewy centers, and I knew immediately this was a keeper. A little honey buttercream and a drizzle on top sealed the deal.
If cornbread cookies are your thing, you'll want to check out my crumbl copycat cornbread cookies for a sweeter mall-cookie vibe, my blueberry cornbread cookies with maple butter for a fruity twist, or my fluffy cake-like cornbread recipe if you just want the classic side dish done right.
Why You'll Love These Brown Butter Cornbread Cookies
- The brown butter does double duty, going into the dough for flavor and into the frosting for an extra nutty finish.
- They have that perfect cornbread chew, soft in the middle with just enough structure to hold their shape.
- The honey buttercream and honey drizzle keep things from getting too sweet or too savory. It's the sweet spot, literally.
- One bowl, one saucepan, no fancy equipment required.
- They taste like a cross between your favorite cornbread and a cookie, which sounds weird until you take a bite and immediately understand.
Ingredient Overview
A quick rundown of what's going into these brown butter cornbread cookies and why each ingredient earns its spot.
- Unsalted butter - browned for the dough and reserved for the frosting, this is the backbone of the whole recipe.
- White sugar and brown sugar - the combo gives you sweetness plus a little chew from the brown sugar.
- Egg and egg yolk - the extra yolk adds richness and helps with that soft, dense cookie texture.
- Honey - shows up in the dough, the frosting, and the drizzle, because more honey is never a bad call.
- Vanilla and butter extract - the butter extract is not optional, it pushes that browned butter flavor even further.
- All purpose flour and cornstarch - the cornstarch is the secret to a softer, more tender cookie.
- Cornmeal - this is what makes these cornbread cookies and not just butter cookies with an identity crisis.
- Baking soda and baking powder - working together for the right amount of lift and spread.
- Powdered sugar and a pinch of salt - for the frosting, balancing out all that honey and butter.
How to Make Brown Butter Cornbread Cookies
- Brown the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often until it turns deep golden and smells nutty.
- Set aside 4 tablespoons of the brown butter for the frosting, then let the rest cool for about 20 minutes.
- Cream the cooled brown butter with the granulated and brown sugar until light and fluffy.
- Mix in the whole egg, then the egg yolk, scraping the bowl between each addition.
- Add the honey, vanilla extract, and butter extract, mixing until combined.
- Stir in the flour, salt, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and cornmeal until just combined.
- Scoop the dough into balls, chill for 30 minutes, then bake in the oven at 350° for 13 to 15 minutes.
- Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack.
- Make the honey buttercream with the reserved brown butter, softened butter, powdered sugar, honey, and a pinch of salt.
- Once the cookies are fully cool, dollop the frosting on top and finish with a drizzle of honey.
Common Mistakes
- Skipping the chilling step. Thirty minutes in the fridge keeps these cookies from spreading into puddles.
- Rushing the brown butter. If you walk away from the stove, you will end up with burnt butter instead of brown butter, and there is no coming back from that.
- Not letting the butter cool before creaming. Warm butter and sugar will not cream properly and your cookies will suffer for it.
- Overmixing the dry ingredients. Mix just until combined or you risk tough, dense cookies.
- Frosting cookies that are still warm. The buttercream will melt right off, so be patient and let them cool completely.
Tips and Tricks
- If your honey buttercream comes out a little soft, a quick 5 to 10 minute stint in the fridge will firm it right up. Just don't leave it in there too long or it will turn into a brick.
- Use a kitchen scale if you have one for the flour and cornmeal, since cornmeal especially can vary a lot by how packed it is in the cup.
- Want extra brown butter flavor? Brown a touch more than the recipe calls for and split the difference between the dough and frosting.
- These cookies are just as good, if not better, the next day once the flavors have had a chance to settle.
Frequently Asked Questions - Brown Butter Cornbread Cookies
A few questions I get asked often about these brown butter cornbread cookies.
- Can I use yellow or white cornmeal? Yellow cornmeal is what I used and recommend, but white cornmeal will work in a pinch.
- Do I have to use butter extract? It's there to amplify the brown butter flavor, but you can leave it out if you don't have any on hand.
- Can I make the dough ahead of time? Yes, the dough can chill in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking.
- Why did my cookies spread too much? This usually means the butter was too warm when it was creamed, or the dough wasn't chilled long enough.
Storing and Freezing
These brown butter cornbread cookies are best stored in an airtight container at room temperature, where they'll stay soft and fresh for up to 3 days. If you've already frosted them, I'd recommend keeping them in the fridge instead so the buttercream doesn't soften too much, just bring them to room temperature before eating.
The good news is these cookies freeze beautifully, both baked and as dough balls. Freeze baked cookies (unfrosted) in a freezer safe bag or container, and freeze scooped dough balls the same way, no need to thaw before baking, just add a couple extra minutes to the bake time. Either way, eat them within 60 days for the best texture and flavor.
For more delicious cookies like this, here are some of my favorite!
- Golden Oreo Birthday Cookies
- Molten Lava Chocolate Cookies
- Tasty Lemon Blueberry Muffin Cookies
- Perfect Chocolate Chip Cookies with Toasted Flour
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Recipe
Brown Butter Cornbread Cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies
- 18 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup light or dark brown sugar
- 1 whole egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ¾ teaspoon butter extract
- 1 ½ cup all purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup corn starch
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 cup cornmeal
For the honey buttercream
- 2 tablespoons softened butter
- 4 tablespoons browned butter from the recipe above
- ¾ cups powder sugar
- 3 tablespoons honey
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat, stirring frequently. Continue cooking until the butter turns a deep golden brown and releases a nutty aroma, about 5-7 minutes. Watch closely to avoid burning. Once browned, measure out 4 tablespoons and place it in a medium size bowl (this is reserved for the brown butter frosting for the top of the cookie) transfer the remaining butter to a bowl of a stand size mixer or heatproof bowl and let it cool for about 20 minutes.18 tablespoons unsalted butter
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, cream together the cooled browned butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar on medium speed. Continue mixing until the mixture is light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. (This step is crucial for helping the cookies hold their shape.)½ cup granulated sugar, ¼ cup light or dark brown sugar
- Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl with a rubber spatula. Add the whole egg and mix for 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl again. Add the egg yolk and repeat.1 whole egg, 1 egg yolk
- Add the honey, vanilla extract, and butter extract to the mixture. Mix on low speed until well combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.2 tablespoons honey, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, ¾ teaspoon butter extract
- Add the all-purpose flour, salt, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, and cornmeal to the bowl. Mix on low until evenly combined, being careful not to overmix.1 ½ cup all purpose flour, ¾ teaspoon salt, ¼ cup corn starch, ¼ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 cup cornmeal
- Using a 4-tablespoon-sized cookie scoop. Place the scooped cookie dough balls on a plate and cover with plastic wrap. Let the cookies chill for 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 350°. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and set them aside.
- Place the cookie balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. You can bake 5 on each pan.
- Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 13-15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are set. The cookies will continue to firm up as they cool.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
For the Honey Buttercream:
- You should have your browned butter cooled, add the 2 tablespoons of softened butter and beat the until smooth and creamy using an electric mixer on medium speed.2 tablespoons softened butter, 4 tablespoons browned butter from the recipe above
- Add the powdered sugar and mix on low speed until fully incorporated. Then, add the honey and a pinch of salt, and mix on medium speed until the buttercream is light and fluffy. If you frosting is a little runny, pop it in the freezer for 10 minutes (no longer) and the butter will solidify!¾ cups powder sugar, 3 tablespoons honey, Pinch of salt
- Once the cookies are completely cooled, use a 1-tablespoon scoop to place a dollop of honey buttercream in the center of each cookie. Drizzle honey over the cookies before serving.
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