dessert
Starch-Lightened Drop Cookies (Irina Style)
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Prep
15 minutes
Cook
15 minutes
Total
30 min
Serves
24–30 cookies
Soft, delicate, and barely there, these drop cookies practically dissolve on the tongue. Half cornstarch, half flour, the starch is what keeps them from getting tough or chewy.
Ingredients
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 tsp baking soda activated with a drop of vinegar
- 200 g unsalted butter, melted
- 100 g sour cream
- 1 cup (120 g) cornstarch
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- Handful of raisins (optional)
Instructions
- 1Whisk together the sugar, eggs, baking soda mixture, melted butter, and sour cream until uniform.
- 2Sift in the cornstarch and flour, folding until a soft cookie dough forms. Stir in the raisins if using.
- 3Drop rounded spoonfuls or roll small balls onto a baking sheet.
- 4Bake at 180 °C (350 °F) for 15 minutes until just set and lightly golden on the base.
Cook's Note
Don't add extra flour if the dough feels soft. Soft is correct. More flour makes them ordinary cookies, the whole point of this recipe is the delicate, almost crumbly texture from the high starch content.
Best Served With
Cold milk or afternoon Earl Grey tea.
Why This Recipe Works
Cornstarch has no flour proteins, so replacing half the flour with starch cuts down dramatically on how much structure the cookies develop. Less structure means they stay tender and light, and almost dissolve on the tongue rather than chewing.
Make It Yours
- Swap raisins for dried currants or chopped dried cranberries.
- Add a spoonful of vanilla paste or lemon zest.
- Dip the bottoms in dark chocolate after they cool.
Leftover Strategy
Keep in an airtight tin for up to 5 days. Don't refrigerate, the moisture makes them sticky.
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Pairing
Afternoon black tea or cold milk. These are a light cookie, the drink should be clean and not too rich.