Name: Maple Corn Cookies
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 12
Ingredients: 60 grams (¼ cup) melted refined coconut oil; 100 grams (3 tbsp) cashew butter (see note); 150 grams (½ cup) maple syrup; 1 tsp vanilla extract; 110 grams (½ cup) brown sugar; 1 tsp sea salt; 1¼ tsp baking soda; 180 grams (2 cups) Masienda Masa Harina (any color!); 60 grams (¼ cup) confectioner’s sugar; 60 grams (3 tbsp) maple syrup; Pinch of salt

Make a Batch of These Vegan, Gluten-Free Maple Corn Cookies

May 12, 2025

Kate Ray is a plant-based chef and writer based in the Hudson Valley, New York, who gets excited about local grains and weird desserts over on her Substack. Her latest creation? A one-bowl, maple-sweetened corn cookie that's vegan, gluten-free, and deeply satisfying.

In Kate's words:

"Corn and maple syrup are such a delicious combination — the earthy, fragrant notes of each play off each other for a perfect balanced sweetness. I’ve had 'maple corn cookie' written down as an idea I wanted to bake for months, but it wasn’t until Teresa Finney told me about the way she uses masa harina in her sweets that I decided to try a cookie using all masa harina.

"These cookies are crisp on the outside and soft and buttery on the inside, despite not using any butter. They’re extremely easy to make — just one bowl (if you use a microwave-safe one to melt the coconut oil) and with no chilling time necessary. The glaze is optional, but makes them more of a treat and helps them stay fresh longer."

La Familia Masa Harina Bundle

Maple Corn Cookies

Kate Ray

Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users

Author

Kate Ray

Servings

12 cookies

Prep Time

10 minutes

Cook Time

10 minutes

Ingredients

For the Cookie Dough

60 grams (¼ cup) melted refined coconut oil
100 grams (3 tbsp) cashew butter (see note)
150 grams (½ cup) maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
110 grams (½ cup) brown sugar
1 tsp sea salt
1¼ tsp baking soda
180 grams (2 cups) Masienda Masa Harina (any color!)

For the Glaze (optional)

60 grams (¼ cup) confectioner’s sugar
60 grams (3 tbsp) maple syrup
Pinch of salt

Directions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or Silpats.
In a large bowl, add the coconut oil, cashew butter, maple syrup, vanilla, and brown sugar and whisk to combine. Whisk in the sea salt and baking soda.
Add the masa harina and mix with a plastic spatula until uniform.
Portion the dough into 12 equal-sized balls (about 50 grams each) and spread out over the baking sheets.
Bake for 9-10 minutes, until the tops are cracking and the edges are barely browned. Cool completely before glazing.
To make the glaze, whisk together the maple syrup, confectioners sugar, and pinch of salt. Drizzle over the cookies.
Store the cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days, or freeze for longer storage.

Recipe Note

Cashew butter creates the best texture for these cookies, followed by almond butter and then sunflower butter. (But don’t be surprised if sunflower butter turns your cookies green! This is a natural reaction with the baking soda.)