“I Want to Eat Cookies.”

That’s the title of this cookbook (Hardie Grant, 2025), of which I received a review copy.

But it could just as easily be my daily mantra.

Because left to my own devices, I would eat cookies every day — morning, noon and night.

Good thing this purse-sized book has more than 90 recipes to tempt should I ever make good on that.

The cookbook is by Ellen Morrissey, a New York City-based writer and editor who is a former editorial director for special projects for Martha Stewart Living.

You’re sure to find just the cookie to satisfy your sweet tooth from a collection that includes “Brown Butter and Toffee Chip Cookies,” “Milk Chocolate Hazelnut Meringues,” “Whisky Currant Shortbread,” “Sugar-Spiced Grahams,” and “Yo Yos with Berry Buttercream.”

With a half-full bag of masa harina in the freezer, I couldn’t help but want to give “Glazed Masa Harina Cookies” a try.

Just mix the masa with sugar, cinnamon, shortening, an egg, vanilla extract, and a splash of orange juice or coffee. Let the dough rest for 30 minutes, then roll into balls.

While you can use the bottom of a drinking glass to flatten each ball to place on a baking sheet, I used this recipe as an excuse to buy some fun cookie stamps. They’re available in gourmet cookware stores or on Amazon.

The instructions for my metal cookie stamps stated to coat them with oil, but I found that method didn’t release the cookies very well at all. Instead, I floured them, then tapped off the excess before using, which worked a whole lot better.

Bake the cookies until light golden in color, then let cool completely on a wire rack.

The glaze is optional, but I think it adds a nice sweetness to the cookies that otherwise have a savory quality to them.

Just whisk together confectioners’ sugar, melted butter, a pinch of salt, and a bit of orange juice to get the consistency desired. Dip the top of each cookie into the glaze, letting the excess drip off. Then, let set for 30 minutes before enjoying. If you used cookie stamps, you’ll want to dip each cookie quickly and not very deeply into the bowl of glaze. Otherwise, you’ll end up with a thick layer of glaze that will obscure much of the design.

These cookies are crisp outside and tender within, with a melt-in-your-mouth quality from the shortening.

The corn taste is profound. So much so, that it tastes rather like a toasted, stone-ground corn tortilla that had been sweetened with a touch of sugar.

To be honest, these cookies may not be everyone’s cup of tea. Both my husband and a dear friend thought them a bit peculiar.

If you love the taste of masa in homemade tortillas, though, or are just up for trying a cookie that has a very different flavor profile, these may surprise you in a wonderful way.

Glazed Masa Harina Cookies

(Makes about 24)

For the cookies:

2 cups (240 grams) mas harina (corn flour)

1 cup (200 grams) granulated sugar

2 teaspoons ground cinnamon

1/2 cup (120 grams) vegetable shortening or lard, at room temperature

1 large egg, at room temperature

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup (60 milliliters) orange juice or coffee, at room temperature

For the glaze:

1 1/2 cups (180 grams) sifted confectioners’ sugar

2 tablespoons orange juice, plus extra as needed

1 tablespoon unsalted butter, melted

Pinch of coarse salt

In a small bowl, whisk the corn flour, sugar, and cinnamon. With an electric mixer, beat in the shortening, egg, vanilla, and 1/4 cup (60 milliliters) juice until a dough comes together. If it is too crumbly to hold together, add a little more liquid until it does. It is not a super moist dough but you should be able to roll it into balls. Let the dough rest at room temperature to hydrate for 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350°F (180°C) and line two large baking sheets with baking parchment.

Roll the dough into 1 1/2-inch balls and transfer to the sheets. Using a shell-shaped cookie stamp (or the bottom of a glass), flatten the cookies. Bake until the bottoms are light golden brown, 15 to 18 minutes, rotating the sheets halfway through. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool.

To make the glaze, whisk the confectioners’ sugar, 2 tablespoons orange juice, melted butter, and salt in a bowl. If it’s too thick, slowly add more juice, 1 teaspoon at a time, until the glaze is the consistency of syrup. Dip the top of each cookie in glaze; let set for 30 minutes before serving.

From “I Want to Eat Cookies” by Ellen Morrissey

Another Masa Harina Recipe to Enjoy: Masa Harina Cornbread