Cornbread Sandwich Cookies are my cornbread cookies with a creamy, honey-infused frosting between them. The cookies give off a sweet cornbread vibe and the filling perfectly complements the cornmeal in the cookies. I love the combination, and if you love cornbread, you will love these sandwich cookies!
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Room Temperature Ingredients: For the best results, use room temperature ingredients like butter, shortening, and eggs. Let the butter reach room temperature naturally, about 65°F, without microwaving. To do this, I like to cut it into small pieces and let it sit out.
- Shortening: Shortening is a fat that is solid at room temperature, like Crisco. It can be kept at room temperature and lasts a long time. Since shortening is all fat, it’s hard to replace. If you need a substitute, lard is a good option because it’s also 100% fat. If you use lard instead of shortening, use 2 tablespoons less lard for every cup of shortening.
- Honey: Honey is added to the cookie dough and to the frosting. (Plus, I like to have extra for drizzling on top of the frosting, too.) It adds some sweetness to the cookies and helps keep them soft and moist. It makes sense since I love to drizzle a little honey onto my piece of cornbread, too!
- Cornmeal: Yellow cornmeal is used in the cookies to give them a slightly grainy texture and a unique, hearty flavor. It helps create the “cornbread” feel, making the cookies taste a little bit like cornbread but still sweet and soft.
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch is added to the cookies to make them soft and tender. It helps give the cookies a smooth texture by preventing them from being too dense or crumbly, making them just the right amount of chewy.
- Frosting: The honey buttercream frosting is based on my American Buttercream recipe, which is great for cupcakes and cakes, too! I love how it adds a sweet, buttery contrast when sandwiched between two cornbread cookies!
Can I Make The Honey Buttercream Ahead of Time?
Yes, you can make the frosting ahead of time! Simply prepare the honey buttercream and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. When you’re ready to use it, let it come to room temperature and give it a quick mix to restore its smooth consistency.
Can I Make The Cookie Dough Ahead Of Time?
Yes, you can freeze cookie dough for later. Simply place dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze for 1-2 hours. Transfer the frozen dough to zipper bags. When ready to bake, bake directly from frozen, adding 2-3 minutes to the baking time.
Can I Halve The Cornbread Sandwich Cookie Recipe?
Yes, it’s easy to halve this recipe if you want fewer sandwich cookies. The full recipe makes 60 cookies (30 sandwich cookies), which is a lot! Both the cookies and frosting can be easily halved. For the 1 ½ eggs, you can either use 2 whole eggs or one egg and whisk another, using only half of it.
How To Store Cornbread Sandwich Cookies
Store cornbread sandwich cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They will last up to 3 days or so. Or, keep them in the refrigerator for up to a week. For even longer storage, freeze the sandwich cookies. For more tips, check out my Guide to Freezing, Baking, and Storing Cookies.
Can I Freeze Cornbread Sandwich Cookies?
Yes, you can freeze cornbread sandwich cookies. To freeze the sandwich cookies:
- Place the assembled cookies onto a baking sheet.
- Next, place the cookies in the freezer for 1-2 hours, or until frozen.
- Once frozen, transfer the sandwich cookies into a freezer-safe airtight container or a zip-top bag. Layer them with parchment paper if needed to prevent sticking.
- Label the packaging with the date, and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
When ready to eat, let them thaw at room temperature for about 30 minutes before enjoying.
Cornbread Sandwich Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- ½ cup (1 stick / 113 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- ½ cup (102.5 g) shortening
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) brown sugar, packed
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (122 g) yellow cornmeal
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
Frosting
- 1 ½ cups (3 sticks / 340 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 6 cups (750 g) confectioners' sugar
- 9 tablespoons honey, plus more for drizzling
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 325°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix the butter, shortening, granulated sugar, and brown sugar.
- Mix in eggs, honey, and vanilla.
- To the butter mixture, add the flour, cornmeal, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, and baking soda. Mix until the ingredients are well incorporated.
- Using a 1-tablespoon scoop, drop portions of dough onto the lined baking sheet, spacing them about 1 inch apart. Gently roll each into a ball.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes. (Do not overbake these cookies. They are perfect when slightly under-done. Over-baked cookies will be dry.)
- Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool on a wire rack while you prepare the frosting.
Frosting
- In a medium bowl, using a hand mixer, mix the butter, sugar, and honey on low speed until the ingredients are incorporated. Increase the mixing speed to high and beat until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
Assembly
- Once the cookies are completely cooled, spread or pipe a generous amount (I used a 2-tablespoon scoop) of frosting on the bottom of one cookie. Drizzle with honey. Add a second cookie to form a sandwich. Repeat with remaining cookies.
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What the Test Kitchen had to say about this recipe:
Autumn
These cookies taste just like cornbread but sweeter (which works for me, since I am not a huge fan of cornbread). The honey frosting in the middle is so creamy and delicious. It’s like a little dessert sandwich!
Elizabeth
I love these sandwich cookies, but I also love cornbread, so it makes sense! The frosting with the added drizzle of honey is amazing!
Annabelle
I like that these cookies aren’t overly sweet. The cornbread flavor is really different for a cookie, and the frosting is just the right amount of sweetness.
Bella
The cookies are soft but have a little crunch from the cornmeal, which I loved. And, you can't go wrong with buttercream filling between the cookies!
Selena
These cornbread cookies are soft, and the frosting makes them extra special.
