Cornmeal Currant Crunch Cookies

Total Time: 30 mins Preparation Time: 15 mins Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
• 3/4 cup tbsps sugar
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1 teaspoon vanlla extract
• 1/2 cup dried currant
• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 14 pecan halves (optional)

Recipe

• 1 position a rack in the middle of the oven.
• 2 preheat the oven to 350*.line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• 3 in a medium bowl, stir the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and salt together.set aside.
• 4 in a large bowl, using an electric mixer on medium speed, beat the butter, 3/4 cup of the sugar, and the lemon zest until smooth and creamy -- and the color has lightened slightly.about 1 minute.
• 5 stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed during mixing.
• 6 add the egg yolks and vanilla and mix until blended -- about 1 minute.
• 7 on low speed, add the flour mixture, mixing just until it is incorporated.
• 8 mix in the currants and chopped pecans.
• 9 spread the remaining 3 tbls sugar on a large piece of parchment or wax paper.using an ice cream scoop with a 1/4 cup capcacity, scoop out portions of dough --
• 10 roll each between the palms of your hands into a smooth ball.then roll each ball in the sugar and flatten to about 3 1/2" circle.and place the cookies about 2" apart on the baking sheets --
• 11 press a pecan half into the center of each cookie, if desired.
• 12 bake one sheet at a time until the bottoms and edges are lightly browned.about 15 minutes.
• 13 cool the cookies for 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then use a wide metal spatula to tansfer them to a wire rack to cool compeltely --
• 14 the cookies can be stored to a tightly covered container at room temperature for up to 3 days.