Vegan Cornbread Cookies with Agave Buttercream
What happens when you turn a golden slice of cornbread into a soft, delicious cookie? Pure magic. These Vegan Cornbread Cookies with Agave Buttercream taste bakery-fresh in the best way.
Ingredients · Servings 23
- 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed meal
- 3 tablespoons water
- 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon vegan butter, softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon agave
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups (180g) all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup (120g) fine yellow cornmeal, plus more for rolling
- 2 tablespoons (16g) cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 tablespoons vegan butter, softened
- 3 tablespoons powdered sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon agave, plus more for drizzling
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Plant milk, as needed to thin
Method · 50 min
- Combine flaxseed meal and water in a small bowl, then mix and set aside for 10 minutes to thicken.
- In a bowl, combine the granulated and brown sugars with the softened vegan butter and beat with a hand mixer until fully incorporated. This should take 1-2 minutes.
- To the same large bowl, add the flax egg, agave, and vanilla extract.
- Using a mesh strainer or flour sifter, add the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, cream of tartar, and salt, then mix in the cornmeal (no need to sift it).
- Cover the dough and chill for 20 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Set the oven to 350ºF and prepare two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop the dough into 1 ½-tablespoon balls, roll them into balls by hand, then toss each in extra cornmeal. This recipe yields about 23 cookies.
- Space the cookies 2” apart and bake for 10-12 minutes, until the edges start to turn golden, but the centers still look soft. As they cool, the cookies will firm up.
- Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Using a hand mixer, cream the vegan butter, powdered sugar, agave, and vanilla until light and fluffy. If it’s still too thick, add plant milk ½ tablespoon at a time to thin to your desired consistency.
- Once the cookies have cooled completely, top with a dollop of buttercream and drizzle with agave. Enjoy!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Realistic cornbread taste. Adding fine yellow cornmeal adds a subtle sweet flavor for a uniquely cookie-like experience.
- No need for fancy equipment. You only need a hand mixer, cookie scoop, and a couple of baking sheets.
- Agave is the perfect honey replacement. It creates the perfect honey-butter flavor while keeping it entirely vegan.
- Makes a big batch. One recipe makes almost 2 dozen cookies, plus the dough and cookies freeze wonderfully.
Ingredients You’ll Need to Make Cornbread Cookies
- Cornmeal – The star of this recipe. Use fine- or medium-grind cornmeal for soft, tender cookies.
- All-purpose flour – Mixing flour with the cornmeal helps keep the cookies intact without crumbling.
- Cornstarch – Helps keep the cookies perfectly soft and fluffy.
- Vegan butter – To make sure your cookies come out perfectly, use stick butter instead of tub butter. We recommend using Country Crock Plant Butter.
- Flax egg – This acts as the egg-like binder for the cookies. Use 1 part flaxseed and 3 parts water, then let it sit for 10 minutes to set.
- Agave – The secret to the realistic honey butter flavor these cookies have. You can use maple syrup as well, but it will change the flavor profile.
- Cream of tartar – Adds a slight tang and works with the baking soda to help the cookies rise.
- Sugar – We use a mix of granulated sugar and light brown sugar to add depth of flavor. It will also help the edges of the cookies get nice and crispy. Choose organic sugar to keep it vegan.
