Maple-Walnut Cookies with Toasted Walnuts and Maple Glaze

I have been craving sweets all day today and have been trying to concoct a recipe using one of my favorite flavor combinations, maple and walnut. These turned out DELICIOUS (yes, caps worthy)! You would never know that light maple syrup was used. The glaze and toasted walnuts give it a little extra goodness but these cookies are great without them, too! This makes approximately 36 cookies.

Ingredients:

Cookie Dough

• 1 c butter, softened
• 1 c white sugar
• 1 c packed dark brown sugar
• 1 large egg
• 3 tbsp light maple syrup
• 3 c all-purpose white flour
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 c chopped walnuts

Maple Glaze

• 1 c white sugar
• 1/4 c butter
• 1/4 c milk
• 2 tbsp light maple syrup
• Walnut halves, toasted; for garnish

Directions:

• Make the dough. In a large bowl, cream together butter, white sugar and brown sugar. Add egg and syrup, beating until smooth.
• In a separate large bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until well-blended.
• Stir in the chopped walnuts.
• Shape the dough into a 2-inch-diameter log and wrap in wax paper.
• Refrigerate until the dough is firm.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cut the dough into 1/2-inch slices and place on a greased baking sheet about 1 inch apart.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make the glaze. Combine sugar, butter and milk in a sauce pan and heat over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly for one minute. Stir in maple syrup and remove from heat. Set aside to cool.
• Remove cookies from oven. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely.
• Whisk the glaze when the cookies are completely cooled. Spread the glaze over each cookie and top with walnut halves.
• Enjoy!