Rustic Maple Pecan Cookies
We made these for the first time at Christmas 2008 with Katje Hilken and have made them a dozen times since. Warning: they are addictive!
Source: Great Cookies by Carole Walter
- Terry
INGREDIENTS
- ¾ cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned in and leveled
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- 1 teaspoon maple extract, optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2/3 cup superfine sugar (can grind granulated sugar in food processor to make superfine)
- ½ cup lightly packed dark brown sugar (make sure it's fresh)
- 1½ cups coarsely chopped toasted pecans
INSTRUCTIONS
Position the shelves in the upper and lower thirds of the oven. Preheat the oven to 350°. Moderately butter the cookie sheets (I use parchment paper).
In a 3-quart,heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt the butter and set aside to cool to tepid.
Sift the flour, salt, and baking soda. Set aside.
Using a wooden spoon, add the maple syrup to the melted butter, mixing well. Blend in the egg, orange juice, and the maple and vanilla extracts. Whisk in the sugars, stirring until well combined and free of lumps. Stir in the dry ingredients in three additions, then fold in the nuts with a large rubber spatula.
Using the tip of a teaspoon, drop mounds of dough the size of large walnuts onto the cookie sheets, placing them 2 inches apart. Bake for 12-14 minutes, until the edges just begin to brown, rotating the pans top to bottom and front to back toward the end of the baking time. Remove from oven and let stand for 2-3 minutes before loosening with a thin metal spatula. Cook on wire racks.
Store in an airtight container, layered between strips of wax paper, for up to 3 weeks. These cookies may be frozen.