Time To Make Chef Christina Tosi’s Incredible Milk Bar Corn Cookies For The Holidays!
I don’t make desserts, and I rarely ever bake anything – but cookies are the only time I usually do, because of recipes like this one!
Celebrated Chef Christina Tosi founded Milk Bar, filled with sweets and an incredible bakery as well, and she has a terrific cookbook – with a recipe for corn cookies…which I made once and am making again….oh, remember how this all got started?
A “Corntine” Debacle…
It all began in 2020, when the pandemic shut down the world and made me order the wrong size cans of corn. Instead of 10.6 ounces, I mistakenly got ONE HUNDRED AND SIX OUNCE CANS!
Yes, each can was 6.6 pounds!
My wife Alex captured a fe wow them up close:
She also documented my attempt to make the cookies, including something I had honestly never heard of!
A “Surprise” Ingredient!
When I made these at the time, I was surprised by an ingredient I had never heard of!
As you can see, this recipe called for a special ingredient: freeze-dried corn! Luckily, I had a bag sent to my house via Amazon – and I had everything else, so here’s what I made!
Milk Bar Corn Cookies
This recipe will make a dozen cookies….here are your ingredients:
2 sticks unsalted butter, at room temperature (225 grams)
1 1/2 cups granulated sugar (300 grams)
1 large egg
1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (225 grams)
1/4 cup corn flour (45 grams)
2/3 cup freeze-dried corn powder (65 grams)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder (3 grams)
1/4 teaspoon baking soda (1 1/2 grams)
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt (6 grams)
The first step is easy: combine the butter and sugar in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment and cream together on medium-high for 2 to 3 minutes.
Pretty straightforward – once you’ve done that, scrape down the sides of the bowl, and step two calls for adding the egg, and beat it into the mixture for 7 to 8 minutes.
Step three: this is my added step – I used real corn as well…not in the recipe – but I had a LOT of corn at my disposal so I did it!
Then, you go to step four: reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour, corn flour, corn powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Mix just until the dough comes together, no longer than 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
It was at this point that Alex chose to drop a “truth bomb” on me – she has the right to, since she diligently documented everything I did – even with what I was wearing…
You see, I got this shirt 20 years ago on Patpong Street in Bangkok, and Alex has always had a strong opinion of it:
While she may, indeed have a point, I want to say two things in my defense: first, it “breathes” in hot weather, and it was almost 90 degrees as I was baking; and second…um, I’ll get back to you on that.
Back to baking – step five: using a 2 3/4-ounce ice cream scoop (or a 1/3-cup measure), portion out the dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Step six: pat the tops of the cookie dough domes flat. I used a cool measuring cup that my son Jeff gave me and it did the trick!
Wrap the sheet pan tightly in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or up to 1 week. Do not bake your cookies from room temperature– they will not bake properly.
Time To Bake!
I gave them an hour and then took them back out. I heated the oven to 350°F.
Step seven: arrange the chilled dough a minimum of 4 inches apart on parchment- or Silpat-lined sheet pans.
Bake for 18 minutes.
As the recipe notes:
“the cookies will puff, crackle, and spread. After 18 minutes, they should be faintly browned on the edges yet still bright yellow in the center; give them an extra minute if not.”
And now, the video reveal – with a rehearsal first of course!
And now, the real thing – but I botched the effort!
I tried to plate them immediately and Alex told me to let them cool for five minutes first – she was right because that first one broke apart!
Don’t do what I did: instead, cool the cookies completely on the sheet pans before transferring to a plate or to an airtight container for storage. And here is one after waiting for a few minutes:
And they were delicious! Not too sweet, and the richness of corn permeates the entire cookie, which has a slight crunch on the outside and a soft interior…and I think the addition of the corn kernels gave them a nice, meaty surprise as well!
As I said, I don’t make desserts, and there’s a reason why: I “jazz” too much on a recipe, which leads to this:
This was a birthday cake I made for Alex, but I put “Pisa” on the top for a reason!
Click here for a great recipe for a cake I turned into a leaning tower!
My friend Robbie really knows how to cook, so here is a great holiday recipe from her!
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Categories: Bite Eat Swallow, Bite! Eat! Repeat!, Chef memoirs, Cookbooks, Food, Food Writing, Recipes, Wacky Food, World's Wildest Food
Bite! Eat! Repeat! 
Well, these cookies now have a really good story. I can see you in your apartment, waiting for civilization to resume, with gallons of corn to consume in one way or another. The color of the shirt is nice…
HA! I used all the corn and shared all of the recipes at the time but now need to re-make some…all inspired by your cookie recipe I am making!
Ah thanks!!! Enjoy them!
I have shared your ‘corn over-order math mix-up story’ with a few people who love it as much as I do, and I remember you coming up with all of the corn recipes to use it up !)
It was Dorothy’s cookie recipe that reminded me to get back in and make some more!~ Thanks for the comment!
Well, I am looking and reading the ‘tins of corn’ saga for the first time with a big smile 🙂 ! Am not particularly fond of corn but would certainly try one of these biscuits, as I’d call them . . . not sweet, so would probably want more than one . . . Now – reading your posts I am almost always on Alex’ side in whatever . . . not quite this time! I am not overly keen on any patterns but I very much like the colour of yours so would wear it quite happily in spite of the busy print . . .
I remember this recipe, John. Very nice 🌽
I also have 20 year-old shirts that my wife hates. Must be a ‘man thing’.
I recall when you over-ordered all that canned corn, and it still makes me smile to think about it. The cookies look great though.
Best wishes, Pete.
Yes Pete its a bit of a running gag between us but she really does loathe it!