Cowden (or Little Cowden) is a hamlet in the East Riding of Yorkshire, England, in an area known as Holderness. It is situated approximately 5 miles (8 km) south of Hornsea and lies just east of the B1242 road towards the North Sea coast. Its name means a hill where charcoal was burnt. It forms part of the civil parish of Mappleton. Originally, Little Cowden was its own parish, however, the parish church was lost to coastal erosion, so it was moved into the parish of Mappleton.