Maple Meltaways Recipes

MAPLE MELTAWAYS

Steps:

• Beat the margarine, sugar and extract together.
• In a separate bowl, stir the flour and salt together, then beat into the margarine mixture until fluffy.
• Roll into 1-inch balls and place on a sprayed cookie sheet.
• Gently press a pecan half onto each cookie.
• Bake 12 minutes at 350°F; let cool slightly on pans before lifting onto cooling racks.
• Keeps 2 weeks in a covered tin, and freezes well.
• Note: This recipe does not call for eggs.

MAPLE MELTAWAYS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• In large bowl, measure all but pecans. Mix on low until blended. Increase speed to medium, beat until light and fluffy.
• Drop by rounded teaspoons 1 inch apart on ungreased cookie sheet.
• Gently press 1 pecan half on each. Bake 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Cool.
• slightly. Remove to wire rack. Store in tightly covered container for up to.
• 2 weeks. Makes 36 cookies.

BUTTER PECAN MELTAWAYS

Steps:

• Toast the pecan (see Recipe Notes below for how to toast nuts), let cool completely, then finely chop. Set aside.
• In a large bowl with an electric mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter with the sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes at medium speed. Add the water and vanilla and mix in. Add the flour all at once and mix on low speed until the mixture comes together as a moist dough. Stir in the (cooled) finely chopped nuts.
• Using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon measuring spoon, scoop a portion and dough and roll into about 1-inch balls. Continue shaping balls with the remain dough, placing onto a baking sheet. (*I like to roll all the dough and pack then onto a smaller baking sheet that will fit nicely into my fridge. When ready to bake, I transfer them to another baking sheet, spacing them apart and baking in a couple of batches).
• Before refrigerating, you can flatten the balls slightly to make more of a "button-shaped" cookie or leave them as balls, if you prefer.
• Place baking sheet into the fridge uncovered and chill 15-30 minutes.
• Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 325F.
• Bake in preheated oven, with balls spaced about 2 inches part, for about 20 minutes. Bake in batches, if necessary, leaving remaining dough in the refrigerator while you bake the first batch.
• Remove from oven and let stand about 1 minutes. Roll warm cookies in icing/confectioners' sugar while still very warm and place onto a wire rack to cool further. Once cooled to just slightly warm, roll again in powdered sugar to thoroughly coat.
• Allow to cool completely, then transfer to an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to 2 weeks or freeze for up to 3 months.

LEMON MELTAWAYS

Steps:

• Add butter, 1 1/4 cups/154 grams confectioners' sugar, and lemon zest to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Mix on low speed until the sugar is moistened, then turn the mixer to medium-high and beat until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and add the lemon juice and egg yolk. Mix to combine.
• Reduce the speed to low, add the flour, cornstarch and salt, and mix until just combined.
• Divide the dough into 2 pieces and set each piece on a length of parchment paper or plastic wrap. Fold the paper over the sticky dough, and use your hands to form it into a cylinder about 1 1/2 inches wide. Roll the cylinder a few times to help shape it, but don't worry if it isn't perfect. Chill the dough until completely firm, at least 2 hours.
• When you are ready to bake, heat oven to 350 degrees, and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• Slice the dough into rounds just under 1/4-inch thick and arrange them at least 1-inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake the cookies for 12 to 17 minutes, rotating the pans from top to bottom and front to back halfway though. The cookies should be golden around the edges, but not brown all of the way through.
• Set the pans on cooling racks and cool for a few minutes. Dust both sides of the warm cookies with the remaining 3/4 cup/92 grams confectioners' sugar. Let the cookies cool completely, then store at room temperature in an airtight container. Dust with additional confectioners' sugar just before serving, if desired.

MAPLE-CANDIED WALNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Melt butter in large skillet over medium heat. Stir in maple syrup, vanilla, cinnamon, and 3/4 teaspoon salt. Bring to a simmer (mixture should be frothy), about 3 minutes. Add walnuts, and toss to coat using a rubber spatula. Cook, stirring, until sauce is syrupy and bubbly, about 3 minutes.
• Transfer walnut mixture to a parchment-lined baking sheet, and spread into a single layer. Bake until walnuts are caramelized, about 10 minutes. Transfer sheet to a wire rack. Stir, and let stand until cool and hardened, about 30 minutes.

MAPLE-BACON MELTAWAYS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a 13x9 inch baking pan with parchment paper or lightly spray with cooking spray.
• To prepare the shortbread mix, the flour, 1/4 cup of brown sugar, baking powder, 1 tablespoon maple syrup and salt in a large bowl. Add 1/2 cup of the butter and using a pastry blender or fork, combine the mixture well until it resembles coarse meal. Press the mixture evenly into the bottom of the prepared baking dish. Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned about 15-20 minutes. Sprinkle the crumbled bacon in an even layer over the shortbread crust.
• To prepare the maple glaze, melt the remaining 1/2 cup of butter over medium heat in a medium sized saucepan. Whisk in the remaining 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, the confectioner's sugar, the remaining brown sugar and the vanilla until smooth. Bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Let boil for one minute.
• Pour the glaze over the bacon and shortbread crust, spreading with a spatula or knife. Allow to cool to room temperature before cutting into squares.