Do these cookies look incredible, or what?!!!
The oven’s preheating, the ingredients are on the counter, so let’s make cookies!
Truth be told, I saw this recipe on Pinterest, and had to share it; it’s still November, and your house will be full of hungry people on Thanksgiving, so this is the perfect now-or-never-time to share recipes.
Let’s jump right into it:
Pecan Shortbread Maple Glaze cookies
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 32 minutes
Makes 12 cookies @174 cal. each
Ingredients:
- 1/2 C. plus 1 tbs. unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 1/4 C. all-purpose flour
- 1/4 C. granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. maple syrup
- 1/4 C. pecans toasted (recommended) and finely chopped
- Candied bacon and pecans (optional)
- 4 strips of bacon
- 1/4 C. pecans, chopped finely
- 2 tsp. maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
- Maple Glaze
- 1 C. powdered icing sugar (confectioner’s sugar)
- 0.5 cup maple syrup
- 2 tsp. unsalted butter, melted
Instructions:
- Cream together the butter, sugar and the maple syrup. Line 2 baking trays with parchment paper. In the bowl of an electric mixer, using the paddle attachment, add the butter and sugar and cream on medium speed until pale and light. Scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add maple syrup and mix again.
- Add flour and pecans into the creamed butter, and at low speed, mix until combined. The dough will look quite “raggedy”.
- With your hands, squeeze the cookie dough to form a ball. Press it into a rough disk, roll it out on a lightly floured surface to 3/8″ thick.
- At this point, if the dough is too soft, wrap it in plastic wrap and refrigerate
- 10-15 minutes longer, until firm. Do not let it get too firm.
- Once the dough is rolled out, you can use a cookie cutter, (I used a leaf shaped cutter) to cut out the cookies. Lay them onto the prepared baking tray. Bring together any scraps, re-roll and stamp out the cookies. If the dough starts to dry out when re-rolling, add a couple of drops of water over the dough.
- Refrigerate the cut out cookies for 30 minutes or until the dough is hard.
- Preheat the oven to 335*F and bake for 10-12 minutes or until edges are golden brown. Cool on tray for 10 minutes then move to a rack to cool completely. Keep oven on and increase heat to 350* F.
Candied Bacon and pecans (optional)
Prepare bacon and bake. Brush the bacon strips with maple syrup and lay them on a lined baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes before turning and baking for a further 5 minutes until golden and crispy. Remove from the oven and lay on paper towel until cool. Chop into fine bits.
Prepare pecans and bake. In a bowl toss the pecans in maple syrup then lay out on a lined baking tray. Place in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet. Chop into small pieces and toss on a pinch of sea salt.
Maple Glaze: Mix ingredients together. Add the powdered sugar, maple syrup and butter to a medium bowl and whisk until thoroughly combined and smooth. If the glaze is too thin, then add a tsp. at a time of powdered sugar until it reaches the consistency desired. If it’s too thick, add a tsp. of maple syrup until you reach the desired consistency.
Dip cookies, the face, into the glaze and gently lift, letting the excess glaze drip off and place on a wire rack to harden.
Sprinkle with candied bacon or candied pecans and leave to set for 15 minutes. Or…enjoy it right away!
Remember, kitchen time shared with a little one….
or a spouse, always makes the food taste better!
Happy Baking !
hugs,
xx,
