Maple Shortbread Recipes

MAPLE SHORTBREAD COOKIES

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Beat the butter and maple syrup together with an electric mixer in a large bowl until smooth. Stir the flour and salt together in a separate bowl; gradually mix the flour mixture into the butter mixture until just incorporated. Form the mixture into walnut-sized balls; flatten gently and arrange onto a baking sheet.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes.

MAPLE SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F and put a 9-inch tart pan with a removable bottom in freezer to chill.
• Blend butter, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons maple sugar, and vanilla in a food processor just until smooth, about 30 seconds. Sift flour, cornstarch, and salt over butter mixture and pulse just until clumps form (about 8 pulses).
• Press evenly into chilled pan, then sprinkle evenly with remaining 2 tablespoons maple sugar. Prick all over with a fork and freeze 5 minutes.
• Bake in middle of oven until edges are golden, 25 to 30 minutes. Cool in pan on a rack 5 minutes and, while still warm, cut into 8 wedges. Cool completely before removing from pan.

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 SHORTBREAD BARS

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350 degrees. For crust, combine flour, sugar and salt in a bowl. Cut butter into slices, and cut in with pastry blender or 2 knives until mixture is crumbly. Press into bottom and half an inch up the sides of a 9- by 13-inch baking pan. Bake 15 minutes, or until edges begin to brown. Cool on rack.
• For filling, combine all ingredients except pecans, and mix until smooth. Pour into cooled crust. Distribute nuts evenly over top. Bake 30 minutes, or until filling is set. Cool on a rack before cutting.

MAPLE-WALNUT SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Beat the butter, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, 1/3 cup maple syrup, 1/4 teaspoon salt and the maple extract in a large bowl with a mixer on medium speed until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Reduce the mixer speed to low; add the flour in 2 batches and beat until just combined.
• Turn out the dough onto a lightly floured surface and dust with flour. Gently knead a few times until soft but not sticky, lightly dusting the surface with more flour as needed. Pat into an 8-inch square (about 1/2 inch thick). Cut into 1-by-2-inch rectangles, flouring the knife if needed.
• Spread the walnuts on a plate. Gently press each rectangle in the walnuts to coat. Arrange about 1 1/2 inches apart on 2 baking sheets. Refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes.
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat to 325 degrees F. Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the cookies are firm and lightly browned on the bottom, about 25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely.
• Make the glaze: Mix the remaining 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, 3 tablespoons maple syrup and a pinch of salt in a small bowl until smooth. Drizzle on the cookies. Let set, about 15 minutes.

CANADIAN MAPLE SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Maple butter: In a small saucepan, bring the maple syrup to a boil and reduce by half (this should take about 15 minutes) Remove from heat and let it stand at room temp.
• When it is cool, add the butter and stir or gently whisk until well blended.
• Place in frigde until firm.
• This makes about 3/4 cup.
• Shortbread: In a food processor or blender, combine the maple butter, flour and salt.
• Use the pulse setting to combine well the ingredients.
• Take it out of the blender/food processor and shape it into a ball.
• Flatten it to a disc shape.
• Wrap in plastic and refrigerate until well chilled.
• Preheat oven to 350F and position rack to centre of oven.
• Remove dough from the fridge and roll it out to about 1/4 inch thickness.
• Cut dough into desired shapes (I use a maple leaf shaped cookie cutter... very Canadian, eh?) Place cookies on ungreased cookie sheet and bake until slightly golden brown (about 10-15 min, depending on your oven).

MAPLE SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°; lightly grease two 9-inch round cake pans; sprinkle each pan with 1 tablespoon of the maple sugar.
• In a bowl, cream together the butter, salt, regular sugar, ½ cup maple sugar, maple extract, and vanilla; then beat in the flour.
• Divide the dough in half and press it into the prepared pans, smoothing surface with your fingers.
• Sprinkle each round with 1 tablespoon of the remaining maple sugar, pressing it in gently.
• Prick the dough with a fork in an attractive pattern.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes, until it is golden brown around the edges.
• Remove it from the oven and loosen the edges with a heat-resistant plastic knife or table knife.
• Wait 5 minutes, then carefully turn the shortbread out onto a clean work surface, all in one piece.
• Using a pizza wheel or sharp knife, cut each round into 12 wedges (do this while the shortbread is still warm; if you wait until it is cool, it will not cut easily).
• Transfer the wedges to a rack to cool.

MAPLE-PECAN SHORTBREAD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheet with parchment paper; set aside. Into a medium bowl, sift flours and salt. Whisk in 1/2 cup chopped pecans; set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream butter and granulated sugar on medium-high speed until smooth and light, about one minute. Add the maple syrup, egg yolk, and extract; beat on medium speed until well combined. On low speed, gradually add flour mixture, beating until just combined. Dough should be smooth and pliable. Flatten into a disk. Wrap in plastic; chill until firm, 1 1/2 hours or overnight.
• On a lightly floured work surface, roll out dough to 1/4 inch thick. Cut out rounds using a two-inch cookie cutter; place one inch apart on prepared baking sheet. Brush tops with beaten egg; sprinkle centers with remaining 1/4 cup pecans. Sprinkle the entire surface with turbinado sugar.
• Bake cookies, rotating baking sheet halfway through, until golden around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.

MAPLE PECAN SHORTBREAD SQUARES

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Combine the flour and 1/3 cup brown sugar in a mixer. Mix in the softened butter until a dough has formed. Press into an ungreased 8x8-inch baking dish, and prick with a fork.
• Bake the shortbread in the preheated oven until golden brown, about 20 minutes. While the shortbread is baking, beat the egg in a mixing bowl along with 1/3 cup brown sugar, maple syrup, and pecans. Pour the pecan mixture over the hot crust, and return to the oven. Continue baking until firmed, 12 to 15 minutes. Remove from the oven, and immediately run a knife around the edges to prevent sticking. Cool completely, then cut into 1-inch squares to serve.