My dear friend Dellis is a wonderful baker. Delicious little nibbles come out of her kitchen, and lucky me, present themselves for enjoyment. Dellis is the only person I know who carries little brown paper bags of cookies with her in case she runs into a friend. She is also generous in sharing her recipes. These decadent, rich, almost shortbread- like cookies are one of her famous paper bag cookies. The recipe has just a few ingredients, and is easy to make. Serve them with a pitcher of icy cold lemonade and you will have a perfect summer afternoon treat. I absolutely guarantee you won’t be able to eat just one!
MAPLE WALNUT COOKIES (makes about 3 1/2 dozen)
Preheat oven to 325°F, with the rack in center of the oven.
2 sticks (8 oz.) unsalted butter, softened
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk
1 teaspoon pure maple extract (found in health food and good grocery stores)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/4 cups (4 1/2 oz.) coarsely chopped toasted walnuts (toast them in a dry saute pan over medium heat, watch them carefully, they roast in a just a couple of minutes)
In a stand mixer beat the butter until pale and creamy, about 3-4 minutes.
Gradually beat in the sugar until well blended and fluffy.
Add the egg yolk and maple extract and beat at low speed until incorporated.
Add the flour and the nuts and mix at the lowest speed JUST until the flour is incorporated into the butter mixture.
Turn the dough out onto plastic wrap or wax paper and form into a disc.
Divide the dough in half and wrap each dis
k in plastic and refrigerate until chilled. At least 2 hours or overnight.
Let the dough stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before rolling it out. Roll out each disk of dough 1/4 inch thick between 2 sheets of wax paper.
Cut the dough into 2-inch rounds and transfer to baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
Refrigerate or freeze the cookies for 10 minutes prior to baking. They will hold their shape better during cooking.
Bake your cookies for 20 to 25 minutes. They should be lightly golden in colour, and firm to the touch. Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool.
Chef Notes: The dough can be frozen for up to 1 month.
The cookies will keep for up to 1 week in a tightly sealed tin. (Hidden away from marauding cookie loving husbands).
| MAPLE WALNUT COOKIES | Print |
- 2 sticks (8 oz.) unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon pure maple extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1¼ cups (4½ oz.) coarsely chopped roasted walnuts
- Preheat oven to 325 F.
- In stand mixer beat the butter until pale and creamy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Gradually beat in sugar until fluffy and well blended
- Add egg yolk and maple extract and beat at low speed until incorporated.
- Add flour and nuts and beat at lowest speed just until the flour is incorporated. Do not over beat.
- Turn the cookie mixture out onto a sheet of wax paper and form into a disk.
- Divide the dough in half and shape into 2 disks.
- Wrap each disk in plastic and refrigerate until chilled, at least 2 hours or overnight.
- Let the dough stand at room temperature for 10 minutes before rolling it out.
- Roll out each disk of dough ¼ inch thick between 2 sheets of wax paper.
- Cut the dough into 2-inch rounds and transfer to baking sheets lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until cookies feel firm to the touch and gently browned.
- Transfer the cookies to wire racks to cool.
