Strawberry Cornmeal Scookies?

My obsession with cooking and the Hospitality industry all started at the age of 14 when I started my own business baking and selling scones in my town.  My scones are still the most requested baked good at every birthday party, brunch, dinner party, Mother’s Day celebration you name it.  I spent endless hours in the kitchen practicing and editing my recipe until it was just right.  Although my scone recipe will forever be a family secret, I have come up with a twist on the classic scone recipe to share with my loyal followers.  My mom and I absolutely love a good corn muffin in the morning, so I decided to combine 3 of my favorite foods all into one irresistible breakfast treat…the Cornmeal Scookie.  The Cornmeal Scookie is a combination of a corn muffin and scone and a cookie all in one!  I add fresh, ripened Strawberries to add some sweetness and a pop of color.  Make these for breakfast, dessert, or as a take-away at your next brunch party!

Ingredients-

1. 1 Cup Cornmeal
   1 Cup All Purpose flour

2. 1/3 Cup White Granulated Sugar
   1 ½ Teaspoons Baking Powder
   ½ Teaspoon Baking Soda
   ½ Teaspoon Salt
   6.5 Tablespoons Cold Unsalted Butter
   1 Cup Ripe Fresh Strawberries Diced
   ¼ Cup Sour Cream
   1/3 Cup Milk (I used skim)
   ½ Teaspoon Pure Vanilla Extract
   2 Large Egg Yolks

For the Egg Wash-

1. 1 Whole Egg

2. 1 Tablespoon Milk

3. A few tablespoons of granulated sugar to sprinkle on top. You can even use large granulated sugar or sugar in the raw on top for a prettier look!

Steps-

1. Preheat the oven to 400F

2. Stir together the Cornmeal, Flour, Sugar, Baking Powder, Baking Soda and Salt.

3. Dice the Cold Butter into ½ inch cubes. Toss them into the bowl with the flour mixture.

4. Using a pastry cutter or two butter knives, cut the butter into the flour mixture until each piece of butter is about the size of a pea. You want there to be pieces of butter throughout the dough, so that when the scones bake the butter will melt into the dough and make them buttery and tender.

5. Set the flour mixture aside.

6. In a separate bowl, mix together the Sour Cream, Milk, Vanilla and 2 Egg Yolks. Set aside.

7. Sprinkle about 1 Tablespoon of Granulated Sugar onto the diced Strawberries and stir them around so they are fully coated.

8. Stir the Strawberries into the flour mixture until each berry is fully coated. Be gentle so the berries don’t break up too much and dye the scones red.

9. Pour the Milk mixture into the flour mixture and stir with a fork until everything is fully incorporated. The mixture will be fairly wet.

10. Cover a Large cookie sheet pan with aluminum foil and spray it lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

11. Scoop 8 large, round, heaping mounds of dough onto the cookie sheet. Leave about an inch and a half to 2 inches in between them so they have room to grow.

12. In a small bowl beat together the whole Egg and Tablespoon of Milk using a fork.

13. Using a pastry brush, brush a little of the egg wash onto each mound of dough and then sprinkle each one with some sugar. I use a generous amount of sugar on the top because it adds to the texture and flavor.

14. Baking in the oven for about 25 minutes on the middle rack of the oven, or until they are fully cooked inside and they are golden brown on the bottom and edges.

15. Remove them from the oven and let them sit for about 20 minutes so they can set.

16. Eat them with butter on them, or clotted cream along with some nice strawberry preserves if youd like!