Grown-up cookies go great with wine, cheese

Sometimes you want a cookie sweet enough to take the enamel off your teeth. Sometimes you don't.

For those more grownup times, we created these fennel cornmeal wafers, which are delicate in both texture and sweetness.

They would go great with a glass of dessert wine, or as an accompaniment to a cheese course.

Fennel cornmeal wafers

1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, room temperature
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon fennel seeds
1/2 cup cornmeal

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.

In a medium bowl, use an electric mixer to beat together the butter, brown sugar, salt, baking soda and vanilla until creamy. Beat in the egg. Add the flour, fennel seeds and cornmeal and mix until combined.

Scoop by the teaspoonful onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 1 inch between them. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until golden brown. Allow to cool completely on the baking sheets.

Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.

Makes 48 cookies. Per cookie: 50 calories; 20 calories from fat (40 percent of total calories); 2 g fat (1.5 g saturated; 0 g trans fats); 10 mg cholesterol; 8 g carbohydrate; 0 g fiber; 5 g sugar; 1 g protein; 20 mg sodium.