Ok, I know what some of you might be thinking: “Corn in cookies? Cheese in cookies? Corn and cheese in cookies? Really?”
Let me explain.
Corn cheese (mais con keso) is a popular Filipino ice cream flavor — one of my favorites — with a lovely balance of sweet and salty. The cheese used is typically processed yellow cheese, which I admit is a guilty pleasure. The sweet corn and salty cheese make a surprising but delicious pairing that inspired these cookies.
Making corn cheese cookies felt natural to me — the only tricky part is cutting the cheese into small pieces. In the video I use a slicer tool, but if you’re using American yellow cheese slices, tearing them by hand works fine and feels more casual.
For a more authentic Filipino flavor, use Eden brand cheese if you can find it. It’s a common processed cheese in the Philippines. If Eden isn’t available, Velveeta or Kraft American singles are good substitutes.
For the corn, canned sweet corn works perfectly — the sweeter, the better. Be sure to drain the corn well and avoid adding the can liquid to the dough, as that extra moisture can make the cookies too soft.
Ingredients
- 113g butter
- 150g sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 192g all purpose flour
- 58g cornmeal
- 123g corn kernels
- 104g American yellow cheese slices, cut into small bits (80g if using parmesan)
- 1 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
Directions
1. Beat the butter and sugar together until the butter is light and fluffy, about 3–5 minutes.
2. Add the egg and vanilla extract; mix until combined.
3. In a separate bowl, sift together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt.
4. With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined — avoid overmixing.
5. Fold in the corn kernels and cheese bits, mixing on low speed only until evenly distributed.
6. Using a 1 3/4-inch ice cream scoop (or a tablespoon), portion the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
7. Chill the dough for at least 1 hour in the refrigerator to firm up and help the cookies hold their shape.
8. Bake in a preheated 350ºF (175ºC) oven for 10–15 minutes, or just until the cookie edges are set. Avoid overbaking so the centers stay tender.
9. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before serving so they finish setting.
Recipe
Corn Cheese Cookies
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 113 g butter
- 150 g sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 192 g all purpose flour
- 58 g cornmeal
- 123 g corn kernels
- 104 g american yellow cheese slices cut into small bits (80g if using parmesan)
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Method
-
Beat the butter and sugar together until the butter is light and fluffy, about 3–5 minutes.
-
Add the egg and vanilla extract; mix until combined.
-
Sift together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.
-
With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet until just combined — do not overmix.
-
Fold in the corn kernels and cheese bits until evenly distributed.
-
Scoop the dough (1 ¾-inch scoop) onto a parchment-lined sheet.
-
Chill the dough for at least 1 hour to firm up.
-
Bake at 350ºF (175ºC) for 10–15 minutes, until the edges are set.
-
Let the cookies cool fully before enjoying.