Brown Butter Sage Cornbread Cookies (with Honey Buttercream!)

Yield: ~16 cookies

These cookies mix the texture of classic cornbread with the chewiness of a bakery-style cookie. Finishing them with a swirl of honey buttercream feels like spreading honey on warm cornbread except sweeter and better.

Ingredients

Brown Butter + Sage

• ½ cup unsalted butter

• 6–8 fresh sage leaves
  
  

Dry Ingredients

• 1 cup all-purpose flour

• 1 cup fine yellow cornmeal

• ½ tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp baking soda

• ½ tsp salt
  

Wet Ingredients

• ½ cup brown sugar

• ¼ cup granulated sugar

• 1 egg

• 2 tsp vanilla extract

• 2 tbsp honey

• The cooled brown butter

• Crispy sage leaves, finely crumbled (optional but highly recommended)
  

Honey Buttercream

• ½ cup unsalted butter, softened

• ½ cup powdered sugar

• ¼ cup honey

• Pinch of salt
  
  

Instructions

1. Brown the Butter
   Melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Add sage leaves and continue cooking until the butter turns golden and the sage crisps. Remove the leaves, cool the butter for 20–30 minutes.

2. Mix the Dry Ingredients
   In a bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

3. Combine Wet Ingredients
   Beat the cooled brown butter with the sugars. Add the egg, vanilla, and honey.

4. Bring It Together
   Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix until just combined. Fold in the crumbled crispy sage.

5. Chill the Dough
   Refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes so the cookies keep their shape.

6. Bake
   Scoop dough balls onto a parchment-lined sheet. Bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are just golden.
   

Frost with Honey Buttercream
Whip the buttercream ingredients until smooth. Pipe or spread onto fully cooled cookies.

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Alo Ochoa

Alo is often found behind the bar at the Highwood Cafe. When she's not crafting drinks, she's listening to history podcasts or perfecting her latest baking creation