I was walking with Kid #2 the other day.  We were meandering, filling time before picking up Kid #1 from dance class.  Truth be told, we were on our way to the bakery.  We have our routine.  First we walk to the local health food/organic food store and stock up on whatever we need for the week that we're not getting from the food box.  Next we might hit the bookstore or just slowly begin walking back to dance class location making a little pit stop at the bakery.  On our way though, we passed an LCBO.  I've written before about our rather archaic and unique liquor/wine/beer retailer.  Yes, here in Ontario there is essentially one company who distributes any kind of alcohol.  That 'company' is our provincial government!  I won't go on again about how bizarre and/or problematic that is.  I will, however, remind you all that the silver lining is the Food & Drink magazine that is issued quarterly (I think - maybe it's only bi-annually).  The magazine is Free, well done and I've always had great luck finding interesting recipes in it.


So, while walking slowly along the street and passing the LCBO, the most recent (and therefor the Holiday issue) issue of Food & Drink magazine caught my eye.  In we went and picked it up.
Once i had a chance to leaf through the magazine, this cookies recipe held my interest.   We LOVE maple syrup in this house.  It's pretty much sacrilege to use anything else on pancakes or waffles.  In fact, we don't even have other kinds of syrup in the house.  So using dark maple syrup in cookies - Wow!  Awesome.
I also had some of this stuff...


I picked it up at our local farmer's market and thought that it looked really interesting.  I swapped some of it in for the sugar in this recipe.  If you can get your hands on some of it then awesome - go for it.  The cookie itself is a little crispy and the dollop of maple syrup sugar on top is exactly the thing that the cookie needs to pull it out of something almost savoury.   So our little pit stop has already paid off AND we still made it to the bakery.


Maple Syrup Cookies adapted from LCBO Food & Drink magazine
made about 3 doz for me

Cookies:
3/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup maple sugar (just opt for 1 full cup of regular sugar if you don't have it)
1 lg egg
1/4 cup dark maple syrup
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups unbleached, all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp salt
1 cup walnuts or pecans, finely chopped

Topping:
1 cup icing sugar
6 - 8 tbsp dark maple syrup
1 cup large walnut pieces or pecan halves (optional)

Cream together the butter and sugars until light and fluffy.  Beat in egg, maple syrup and vanilla.
In another bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Mix and add the flour mixture to the egg mixture.  Make sure that everything is combined.   Add in the finely chopped walnut pieces.
Divide the dough in half and form two logs.  Wrap the dough logs and refrigerate for at least one hour (or overnight).
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F
Line a cookie sheet with parchment or non-stick mat.
Slice each dough log into 14 - 12 inch slices.  Place 1 inch apart on the cookie sheet.  Bake for 13 - 15 minutes or until the cookie is just turning golden.  Remove cookies to cool on a rack.

Topping:
Combine the icing sugar and maple syrup to form a thin icing.  Once the cookies are still a little warm, place a dollop of icing on each.  If you opt for it, place a walnut or pecan half on the very top.