Eggless Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread Biscotti

What is a Cornbread

Cornbread is a Native American dish. Corn is one of the most widely grown crop in South America which is why recipes with corn are a staple there. It's a quick bread recipe made with cornmeal and buttermilk. It's grainy, crumbly and light in texture, and is either plain or mildly sweet to taste.

Southern Cornbread is generally served as a side. Cornbread is their daily bread that can be baked, fried, or sometimes even steamed. Cornbread can be plain or flavored with jalapeno and cheese. You get premade cornbread mix in grocery stores.

Fusion Cornbread Biscotti

You might have heard of Cheddar Jalapeno Cornbread Muffins or Waffles, but have you heard of Cornbread Biscotti with Cheddar and Jalapenos? It's a new and different way of enjoying the flavors of both - Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread and Italian savory Biscotti. I had savory Cornbread Biscotti at Trader Joe's and got my inspiration from there to make this fusion snack.

I have used the premade cornbread mix, added spices, cheese and jalapenos to it and turned them into deliciously crispy and savory eggless Biscotti! Normally, it's made with eggs, but I have made biscotti without eggs and buttermilk. You can make these eggless savory biscuits all year around. Do give this new easy-to-make cheese biscotti flavor a try!

Cornbread mix - Cornmeal adds a wonderful texture to the biscotti. Cornmeal is combined with other ingredients to produce ready-to-use cornbread mix. I have used a premade self-rising cornbread mix (like Jiffy Cornbread Mix) in this recipe. Chose a fine grain meal. If you use coarse ground or stone ground, the texture will be too grainy and gritty.

Cheese - Shredded Cheddar cheese has a sharp, tangy flavor that pairs well with the sweetness of the cornbread in this biscotti recipe. Pepper Jack or Parmesan cheese can also be used instead.

Spices - Garlic powder, cajun seasoning, crushed black peppercorns, and chives are added to make this Jalapeno cheddar cornmeal biscotti savory.

Sliced jalapenos or chopped green chillies make great additions to the cornbread biscotti recipe. It gives it the savory spicy flavor. If you love jalapenos, check out Mirchi Ka Salan and Jalapeno Poppers recipe.

Sweetcorn - I have used frozen sweetcorn kernels. You can also use fresh kernels. Thaw the frozen ones in warm water for 10 minutes to soften them, pat them dry to remove the excess moisture and then use. Sweetcorn gives the savory cheddar biscotti more character.

Milk or buttermilk and baking powder are two other essential ingredients needed to make these Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread Biscotti. Baking powder acts as a leveling agent that helps the biscuits rise.

In most traditional Italian biscotti recipes, butter or oil is not used. You will not miss the fat in here. In addition to these ingredients, you can also use a Stand Mixer or Food Processor to knead the cornbread dough.

1. Add cornbread, salt, and baking powder mix to a large mixing bowl.
2. Then add garlic powder, Cajun seasoning, and chives.
3. Now add chopped jalapenos and crushed peppercorns.
4. Next, add the sweetcorn.

5. Grate and add the sharp cheddar cheese.
6. Add the milk.
7. Knead into a dough. You can also use a Stand Mixer to knead the dough.
8. Divide the dough into 3 parts. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.

9. Wrap each dough ball with cling wrap. Shape each dough into a long log. Flatten gently with your hands. Freeze it for 10 minutes. Remove the cling wrap and place them at a distance from each other on a lined baking tray. Bake them for 20 - 25 minutes until the log is firm.
10. Do not cut them immediately. Let cool for about 15 minutes else they will break. Then with a long serrated knife cut them slightly diagonal into ½″ slices using a gentle sawing motion. Arrange the slices again on the baking sheet in a single layer, then bake for 10 minutes more. If needed, flip them and continue to bake for another 5-6 minutes. When done, gently slide biscotti onto racks to cool completely.

Enjoy these unique Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread Cornbread Biscotti by dunking them in coffee, tea (similar to the Indian Rusk), hot cocoa, or wine! They are such a delicious alternative to your usual cornbread! Since they are savory, you can also serve them as an appetizer, with Minestrone Soup, Tomato Soup, or with chili. Another alternate is to pair it with black bean salsa and guacamole or serve them with butter and honey.

These savory Jalapeno Cheddar Cornbread Biscotti can also be added to a snack Charcuterie Board or Cheese Board. They will pair so nicely with all sorts of different cheeses and cured meats! They are a delicious and elegant alternative to the popular corn chips. These homemade biscotti make great holiday (Diwali, Thanksgiving, Christmas) gifts too! It's also the perfect picnic food, and after school snack.

Do not over mix the dough else the biscotti becomes dense and heavy. You can chill biscotti dough overnight to split up prep if you want. Depending on the humidity the second-time baking may take longer. The cornbread biscuits needs to be dried out and crunchy when baked. They will also firm and dry as they cool. You can also experiment with adding other ingredients like dried fruits or spices to customize the flavor to your liking. You can also try using instant polenta instead of cornbread mix.

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