Polenta Cookies Recipes

ITALIAN POLENTA COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Whisk together flour, polenta, and salt in a medium bowl; set aside. Put butter, sugar, and lemon zest in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment; beat on medium-high speed until pale and fluffy, about 2 minutes, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Add egg and egg yolk, one at a time, beating after each addition to combine. Mix in vanilla. Gradually add flour mixture, and beat until just combined. Transfer batter to a pastry bag fitted with a 1/2-inch star tip (such as Ateco No. 826).
• Pipe S shapes about 3 inches long and 1 inch wide, spaced 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets lined with parchment. Bake cookies until edges are golden, 15 to 18 minutes. Transfer cookies on parchment to wire racks; let cool about 10 minutes. Remove cookies from parchment, and transfer to racks to cool completely.

CACAO POLENTA COOKIES

Steps:

• In a mixer, cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy. Beat in the yolks. In a bowl, stir together the flour, polenta, hazelnuts and salt and add them to the butter mixture, stirring just until you have a dry dough. Fold in cacao nibs.
• Divide the dough in half. Mold each half into a log about 1 3/4 inches in diameter and 10 inches long. Wrap each log in a sheet of plastic wrap and twist the ends to seal. Roll the cylinders across your work surface to make them smooth and even. Refrigerate until firm, at least 4 hours.
• When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350 degrees and cover two large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Unwrap the dough logs and use a serrated knife to slice them into disks about 1/3-inch thick. Transfer to the prepared cookie sheets and bake until the cookies are crisp and just begin to color, about 20 minutes. Cool on the cookie sheets.

ALMOND POLENTA CRUMB COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a 9-inch round springform pan.
• In a food processor, pulse the flour, polenta, sugar, almonds, lemon zest, and salt until well mixed. Add the egg yolks and rum, and process until the mixture looks crumbly, 30 seconds. Add the butter and process just until it starts to look as if it would hold together.
• Crumble the mixture evenly into the prepared pan, but do not press it down. Sprinkle the top with the confectioners' sugar. Bake in the oven until light golden, 40 to 45 minutes.
• Remove the sides of the springform pan, and immediately cut the cookie into serving pieces. Serve warm or at room temperature.

ORANGE CURRANT POLENTA COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• In a small bowl, add the currants and orange-flavored liqueur, or water. Soak for 5 minutes, then drain and discard the liquid. Set aside.
• Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer and beat to combine. Gradually add the eggs and vanilla and mix on medium speed until incorporated, (the mixture will look curdled). Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the flour mixture all at once and mix again on low speed until a dough forms - scrape again including the beaters. When a dough forms add the currants, zest, and polenta and mix on low until thoroughly combined. Roll into small 1-inch balls, and arrange on parchment lined baking sheets. Bake until golden brown, about 8 to 12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool before serving.

POLENTA-PARMESAN COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk the flour, polenta, 1 teaspoon pepper, the baking powder and salt in a small bowl.
• Beat the butter and granulated sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 1 minute. Beat in the cheese, then the egg. Mix in the flour mixture until the dough just comes together.
• Divide the dough between 2 sheets of plastic wrap. Shape each piece into a log and wrap in the plastic. Press the sides of the logs against the counter to form compact square-sided logs, about 7 inches long and 1 inch wide. Freeze the logs until firm, about 45 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Stir the sanding sugar and remaining 1/2 teaspoon pepper in a small bowl. Trim the ends of the logs. Cut into 1/4-inch-thick slices and arrange 1 inch apart on the prepared pans. Sprinkle with the sugar-pepper mixture.
• Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cookies are crisp and golden on the bottom, 12 to 16 minutes. Let cool completely on the pans.

LEMON POLENTA BISCUITS

Steps:

• Beat 1 cup plus 1 1/2 tablespoon butter, confectioners' sugar, white sugar, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, and vanilla extract together in a bowl until smooth. Stir in polenta. Add flour in 2 batches, mixing until dough comes together. Stir in lemon juice.
• Turn dough out on a floured work surface; knead gently until smooth, about 1 minute. Divide into 2 pieces. Place on parchment paper; roll up into logs and wrap well.
• Refrigerate dough logs until firm, about 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (200 degrees C). Lightly grease 2 baking sheets.
• Cut logs into 3/4-inch slices. Space slices 1 inch apart on baking sheets. Sprinkle remaining 1 tablespoon lemon zest on top.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly brown, 15 to 20 minutes. Cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely, about 10 minutes.