Autumn Maple Cutout Cookies Recipes

GLAZED MAPLE SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, beat butter, sugar and cornstarch until blended. Beat in flavoring. Gradually beat in flour., Shape dough into a disk; cover. Refrigerate until firm enough to roll, about 45 minutes., Preheat oven to 325°. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-3/4-in. leaf-shaped cookie cutter. Place 1 in. apart on parchment-lined baking sheets., Bake until edges are light brown, 20-25 minutes. Remove from pans to wire racks to cool completely., In a small bowl, mix confectioners' sugar and maple syrup until smooth. Spread over cookies. Let stand until set.

MAPLE SUGAR COOKIES (NO CHILL, CUTOUT COOKIES)

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F. Prepare 2 baking sheets with nonstick silicon mats or parchment paper and set aside.
• In a large bowl, sift together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
• In a separate large bowl using a stand of hand mixer, cream together butter and brown sugar until light and creamy.
• Add egg, maple extract, vanilla extract and almond extract and beat to combine.
• Add dry ingredients 1 cup at a time, beating on medium speed to combine between each addition.
• On a lightly floured surface, roll out dough to about 1/4" thick (I like to use rolling pin rings to ensure the dough is even). Use your favorite cookie cutter to cut out each cookie and place on prepared baking sheets. Since these won't spread, you can add more to a sheet than usual, but I still like to leave 1" between each cookie for even baking.
• Bake for about 8 minutes until cookies are set, but edges are not yet browned.
• Bake one batch at a time, allowing the baking sheet to cool completely before adding the next batch of cookies to bake - this will ensure even and consistent baking times.
• Let cool 5-10 minutes on baking sheet, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
• While cookies are cooling, combine sifted powdered sugar and maple syrup in a small mixing bowl and use a whisk to combine - the icing will thicken and become a tan color.
• Use a small icing spatula to coat each cookie. I like to spread all the way to the edges, but you can also pour the icing into a piping bag and drizzle on top instead if you'd prefer.
• Let set completely, then serve and enjoy!

MAPLE LEAF COOKIES

Steps:

• Sift flour and salt into a medium bowl. Beat butter and granulated and brown sugars with a mixer on medium-high speed until pale and creamy, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to medium-low, and add yolk, then 1/2 cup maple syrup, beating well after each addition. Add flour mixture, and beat until just incorporated. Shape into 2 disks, wrap each in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 2 hours (or up to 2 days).
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Roll out 1 disk of dough to 1/4-inch thickness on a sheet of lightly floured parchment. Place parchment with dough on baking sheet. Freeze until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Coat baking sheets with cooking spray, line with parchment, and coat parchment. Cut out cookies from frozen dough using a 3 1/2-inch maple-leaf-shaped cutter, and space 1 inch apart on sheets. Roll and cut scraps once. Freeze cookies until firm, about 15 minutes.
• Bake cookies until edges begin to turn golden, 14 to 16 minutes. Transfer parchment with cookies to wire racks, and let cool for 5 minutes. Brush cookies with 2 tablespoons maple syrup, and sprinkle with 1/2 the sanding sugar. Let cool. Repeat with remaining dough, maple syrup, and sugar. (Cookies will keep for up to 2 days.)

AUTUMN MAPLE CUTOUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat.
• Cook until milk solids stop crackling and turn amber (about 5 minutes), stirring occasionally.
• Transfer butter mixture to a small bowl, scraping pan to include milk solids.
• Cover and cool butter mixture in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or until soft and congealed but not firm.
• Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through nutmeg) in a bowl, stirring with a whisk.
• Combine chilled butter mixture and granulated sugar in a large bowl; beat at medium speed until well blended (about 3 minutes).
• Add syrup, flavoring, and 1 egg white to butter mixture; beat at low speed 2 minutes or until well blended.
• Add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat on low speed until blended.
• Divide dough in half. Shape each portion into a ball; wrap in plastic wrap. Chill 1 hour or until firm.
• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Place walnuts and turbinado sugar in a food processor; pulse 15 times or until mixture is coarsely ground.
• Place remaining 1 egg white in another small bowl; stir with a whisk.
• Working with one portion of the dough at a time (keep remaining dough chilled until use), roll dough to a 1/8-inch thickness on a floured surface, and cut with a 2 1/2-inch cutter.
• Place cookies, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
• Gently brush tops of cookies with egg white; sprinkle evenly with half of walnut mixture.
• Bake for 12 minutes or until pale brown.
• Remove cookies from pan; cool completely on wire racks.
• Repeat procedure with remaining dough, egg white, and walnut mixture.