Lemon-Black Pepper Cornmeal Cookies
INGREDIENTS
  • Servings: 6 dozen
  • 1 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 1 cup yellow cornmeal
  • 3/4 teaspoon fresh, coarsely ground black pepper
  • pinch of salt
  • 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup finely grated lemon peel (about 4 lemons)
  • 2 large egg yolks
DIRECTIONS
  1. Whisk flour, cornmeal, black pepper and salt together in a medium bowl. Beat the butter, sugar and lemon zest with an electric mixer, until light and fluffy. Add egg yolks and beat well. Reduce mixer speed to low and add the dry ingredients beat until just blended, the dough will be crumbly.
  2. Press the dough together with your hands and divide it in half. Place each half on a sheet of waxed paper and form each piece into a 10-by-1 1/4 inch log. Smooth the surface of the log with dampened fingers, wrap in waxed paper and chill the logs for at least 3 hours or until firm. Place your oven rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400ยบ. Butter two large non-stick baking sheets (or use slicone paper or silpats).
  3. Cut each log into 1/4 inch slices and place on sheets 2 inches apart. Bake one sheet at a time for 10 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool completely.
RECIPE BACKSTORY
Please don't ignore, this cookie is very good! It goes will with ice cream and all kinds of fruit, my favorite is strawberries! The pepper is quite complimentary to strawberries.