Spicy White Chocolate, Pine Nut + Cornmeal Cookies
These spicy white chocolate, pine nut, and cornmeal cookies are a bold twist on a classic. Soft-centred with crisp, golden edges, they blend the sweetness of white chocolate with the earthy crunch of toasted pine nuts and the rustic texture of cornmeal. A warm kick of paprika and cobanero chilli (or cayenne) adds a smoky heat that lingers just long enough to keep each bite exciting. Finished with a sprinkle of flaky salt and extra spice, these cookies strike a perfect balance of sweet, savoury, and spicy - unexpected, irresistible, and impossibly good with a cup of coffee!
Why I love these cookies?
I love these cookies because they hit every flavour note I crave at once - sweet, salty, nutty, and just a little fiery. The cornmeal adds a subtle crunch that makes them feel rustic and comforting, while the white chocolate and pine nuts turn every bite into something indulgent. And that hint of heat at the end? It keeps me coming back for just one more.
Tools I recommend for this recipe:
Stand mixer or hand mixer: Helps cream the butter and sugars until perfectly light and fluffy, I recommend anything KitchenAid like their stand mixers, or their easy and lightweight hand held mixers.
Kitchen scale: Ensures accurate measurements, especially with the cornmeal, spices, and white chocolate. This is an easy reliable choice from Amazon!
Mixing bowls: One for wet ingredients, one for dry - keeps the process smooth and organised. Pyrex is my go-to brand for bowls, and these are my absolute favourite.
Baking sheets: Heavy-duty trays promote even browning. Half sheet trays are perfect for cookies, and the perfect size for standard home kitchens (helpful for sheets cake too)!
Silicone spatulas: A good quality spatula will improve efficiency and technique. These are the best ones out!
Parchment paper or silicone mats: Prevent sticking and make cleanup effortless. This silicone mats are dishwasher safe and will fit those half sheet trays like a glove.
Wire rack: Essential for cooling the cookies without letting the bottoms steam. I love a larger wire rack for spacing out the cookies to cool, like this one.
Unsalted butter: Get your favourite butter, and leave it out overnight to soften. Make sure it's unsalted since we'll add salt in with the dries!
High quality spices: I love Burlap & Barrel if I can find it, otherwise look for single origin spices or organic. This Paprika is a good option, and if you can't find Cobanero chili then Cayenne Pepper is a great substitute (but use half the amount!!).
Stone ground Corn Flour or Cornmeal: Corn Flour will have a finer texture, and Cornmeal will give your cookies more of a toothsomeness. Depending on your preference or what's available to you, play around!
Pine nuts: The added depth of flavour and je ne sais quoi of the cookies comes from the delicious toasted pine nuts. Freeze the extra pine nuts to throw into your next pesto.
White chocolate: Use a good quality white chocolate to make these cookies shine with the other high quality spices and ingredients. I love Whittakers white chocolate for baking.
Ingredients I recommend for this recipe:
Ingredients:
225g butter, soft
200g brown sugar
150g sugar
2 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
270g AP flour
100g cornmeal, or cornflour
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tsp cobanero chilli (if you can’t find cobanero, cayenne works - just reduce to 1/2 tsp)
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 salt
380g white chocolate, chopped
100g pine nuts, lightly toasted
plus flaky salt and extra cobanero to sprinkle
Cream butter and sugar on medium speed with a paddle until light and fluffy, about 2 mins.
Add in eggs, one at a time, and paddle together until very well incorporated. Scrape the bowl well.
Whisk together all the dries - flours, chillies, baking powder, baking soda, and salt - then paddle into the mixture until the flour is almost, but not totally, incorporated.
Lastly, add in the chopped white chocolate and pine nuts, and paddle together.
Portion the cookie dough into 90g balls, and refrigerate for a few hours or overnight.
When ready to bake, preheat oven to 350 F. Sprinkle cookies with a pinch of cobanero chilli and flaky salt. Bake for 16-18 minutes, rotating halfway, until they’re brown around the edges, golden on top, and ever so slightly gooey in the very centre.
1-2 minutes before the cookies come out the oven, grab a round container (like a quart container) and circle it around the hot cookie to round its edges out.
