Snow Day 5: Maple Cookies

Not that I'm counting or anything. 

I know maple cookies might not seem very original given that we already talked about cookies on the first snow day, and learned how to make maple taffy on the third.  But for our fifth snow day, I thought maybe I would take the maple and the cookies and combine them.  To make maple cookies.  Aaaaand use the exact same cookie cutters as before.  And take a crappy picture.  This is the kind of half-assed posting you can expect if we have any more snow days.

The recipe, however, is quite tasty, especially for rolled-out cookies, which tend to err on the side of boring, flavor-wise.  I tweaked it from an old New England family recipe I found.  A splash of maple syrup in the standard powdered sugar icing makes them extra tasty.  You could also add walnuts to the dough, shape it into a log, chill, and then slice into rounds before baking if cookie-cutter whimsy isn't your thing.  I might skip the icing in that case.  Maybe not.

Just please, for the love of god, no more snow days.

Maple Cookies

Dough
1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, cut into quarters
1 cup brown sugar
1 cup maple sugar (or another 1 cup brown sugar)
2 eggs
1 Tbsp. vanilla
3 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp. baking soda
1/4 tsp. salt

Icing
1/2 cup confectioner's sugar
1 tsp. maple syrup (preferably Grade B)
Few drops of lemon juice (optional)
Water

Preheat over to 375 F.  Lightly grease cookie sheet or line with silpat or parchment paper.

In a stand mixer, cream together butter and brown sugar.  Add eggs and vanilla, mixing well after each addition.  Sift together flour, baking soda, and salt.  Add to sugar mixture, and mix until combined.  Chill about an hour to make the dough slightly firmer and easier to handle.  Roll out about 1/4-inch thick.  Cut out shapes, gather scraps, and reroll.  Bake 8-10 minutes, or until cookies start to color along the edges.  Monitor closely as they burn easily.  Let cool completely on rack before making icing.

For the maple glaze, whisk confectioner's sugar, maple syrup, and lemon juice in a small bowl.  Add water as needed to make a slurry that both runs off the spoon and has some body.  Start with 1 teaspoon of water and go from there.  It doesn't take much.  If the icing gets too watery, add more sugar.  Frost and decorate.  Let dry.

Local Ingredient Sources:
Maple sugar: Warren Farm & Sugarhouse, North Brookfield, MA
Maple syrup: Williams Farm Sugarhouse, Deerfield, MA (via Russo's)
Butter: Cabot, Cabot, VT
Eggs: Red Fire Farm, Granby, MA (via Wayland Winter Farmer's Market)

Comments

[Ann Flora]

Agreed. These snow days are getting ridiculous.
And my son is 17.

[Tammy]

Ann: Ha! He must be loving it, though.