Maple-Walnut Cookies

Today the sky is that particular shade of steel gray that seems unique to November. Looking at it reminds me we’re about to turn the corner into winter, even though the thermometer reads 51. But still, signs of life are all around, if you look closely. Just yesterday, half hidden at the edge of the lawn I saw a bright pink clover blossom, its stem long and weedy, as if it had to travel far to find the sun. And while the farmers have stopped bringing fresh produce to Depot Park, the farmers’ market hasn’t really gone away for the winter; it just moved indoors, behind the natural foods market. If you visited this winter’s first market, you’d see things you might expect at this time of year—apples, winter squashes, root vegetables—and some that might surprise you, like baby spinach and other greens. And, at more than one booth, row after row of stout jugs filled with this spring’s golden maple syrup.

No matter where you live, visiting a winter farmers market is a wonderful way to stay connected to local farmers year-round and take advantage of fresh produce and local crafts that make your area unique. If you live in Vermont and want to find a winter farmers market near you, look here.

This week’s cookie recipe celebrates fall with the mellow sweetness of maple and crunchy walnuts—a winning combination. Though I’d be hard-pressed to choose a favorite cookie flavor, I can say without a doubt that when it comes to aroma, these are hard to beat. Nothing can compare to the rich scent of maple that fills the kitchen when a batch of these cookies is baking in the oven. In addition to a healthy dose of syrup I used maple sugar in place of granulated. Maple sugar is what you get if you keep boiling maple syrup until the moisture is gone (if you don’t get a burnt mess, that is). It’s tricky and time-consuming to make, and is thus rather pricey, but it gives baked goods a genuine maple flavor that makes the cost worthwhile.

Try these cookies and let me know how you like them. And if you have a winter farmers market near you, drop me a line—I’d love to hear about it.

Happy baking!
Ann
www.annclark.com


Maple-Walnut Cookies
Makes about 18
Maple sugar is a finely granulated, slightly powdery sugar; it’s usually sold with other maple products or in the specialty foods section of the supermarket. For cooking, I prefer to use Grade B maple syrup, because it has a stronger maple flavor than other grades.


Cream together until light and fluffy:
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 2/3 cup maple sugar

Beat in:
- 1/4 cup maple syrup (see note above)
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

Whisk together and add:
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon salt

Stir in:
- 1 cup walnuts, toasted and chopped fine

Stir just until all ingredients are well blended; do not overmix. Chill dough thoroughly, at least an hour, before rolling. Preheat oven to 350º. Roll dough out on a lightly floured counter to 1/4-inch thickness and cut with your favorite Ann Clark Ltd. cookie cutters, then transfer cookies onto cookie sheets that have been lined with parchment paper or silicone liners. Bake 8 to 10 minutes, until lightly colored. Let cookies cool slightly on cookie sheets, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Frost with Maple Icing (recipe below).

Maple Icing

Whisk together until smooth:
- 1 1/2 cups confectioner’s sugar
- 5 tablespoons maple syrup
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon milk
- Pinch salt

Working one at a time, spoon a generous tablespoon of icing on each cookie and spread to the edges using a small metal spatula or a butter knife. Hold the cookie level and gently shake to smooth out the icing. Set on a wire rack until the icing is dry.

My favorite shapes for Maple-Walnut Cookies are the Squirrel cookie cutter, the Acorn cookie cutter, and the Teddy Bear cookie cutter.