I know what you are thinking, first 5 cookies were spiced now he’s on a Cornmeal hustle! My wife found these (after I found the previous cookie), in an old LCBO book (sadly now she has put the magazine in the recycling bin!). It is also an Italian cookie inspired by Zaleti. Once again, sweet, crunchy and loaded with currants and scented with lemon and Canadian Whisky. This is the latest Christmas Treat – Cornmeal and Currant Cookies. 

If you are googling this recipe on the Food and Drink site, the flour by weight measurement is incorrect, I actually went with their cup quantities for a change. If you have a sugar cookie recipe you like, use it but stop after the creaming stage and then add the flour/cornmeal mixture as indicated in that recipe.  Follow the rest of the steps – better yet, just use the one below!

Again, I went a little crazy with the shapes, but only because I think they will look great on the table. I used small (maybe too small) Christmas tree cutters, fluted circles, small flat circles etc. Where I found the dough to be thicker on one end I simply rolled that out elongating the shape – it actually looked like a leaf. Be creative – sugar, butter etc. – how bad can it be?!? Again, this is the second cookie I went crazy with the shapes, clearly I need to be more disciplined with the next one!

A delightfully crunchy cookie, not trapezoidal as the original Zaleti, but still so good! I will definitely make this cookie again. If you’ve read any of my past blogs, you will know I’m not a fan of crispy cookies, but this recipe, like the Cornmeal and Butter cookie just released, made me a fan! As always – enjoy!

Ingredients
½ cup unsalted butter, softened
½ cup sugar
½ cup light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
½ tsp vanilla
2¼ cups all-purpose flour
½ cup yellow cornmeal
1 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
½ cup dried currants
2 tbsps Canadian Whisky
2 tsp (10 mL) grated lemon rind

Directions
Start by placing the currants and whisky in a microwave safe bowl, cover and blitz for 90 seconds in 30 second intervals – carefully remove from the microwave and strain the currants reserving the liquid to paint on top of the cookies (optional) – set aside,
In a medium sized bowl, whisk the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, lemon zest and salt – set aside
Using a hand or stand mixer, cream the butter and sugars
Add the egg and vanilla, and mix – remember to scrape down the bowl as needed
Add the flour mixture and mix until no dry spots
Add the drained currants and mix until a dough forms i.e. clumps around the mixer blades
Place dough between 2 sheets of parchment paper and, using a rolling pin, roll out to a thickness of ¼”
Place dough in the refrigerator to chill for 30 minutes or until firm
When ready to bake, remove the dough from the fridge
Preheat oven to 350f and line 2 cookie trays with parchment
Use cutters of your choice, cut the size and shapes you want
Gather dough scraps together, re-roll, and chill before cutting out more shapes
Bake cookies for 11 – 14 minutes or until golden at the edges