Maple-Walnut Butter Cookies

The maple-walnut butter cookies are crispy, chewy, and just about  perfect.

I’m pretty sure I’ve eaten my weight in cookies this month, but these maple-walnut butter cookies are some of my favorites. Their texture is just amazing – crispy on the edges but wonderfully chewy in the middle. They’re intensely buttery with maple-y sweetness, a touch of walnut, and the perfect amount of salt.

They also seem to get better and better the longer they sit, which makes them perfect for giving as gifts or bringing to a cookie exchange. If you can bear to part with them yourself, that is. (I thought about it, but decided I just couldn’t.)

To make these cookies, start by processing walnuts into a paste (think peanut butter, but better). Then, mix together a pretty basic dough. I’ve been lazy about taking my butter out to soften lately, so I’ve been using a trick that I learned recently – grate the cold butter into shreds with a cheese grater. By the time you’re done, you’ll be rewarded with a pile of buttery ribbons that are the perfect temperature. It works like a charm!

Because these cookies are so delicate, I call for sifting the dry ingredients – another step that I’m usually pretty lazy about. It only takes a few seconds and you definitely don’t want any clumps of baking soda in your cookies (especially if you’re giving them away). If you don’t have a sifter (I actually use a mesh colander) you can also use a wire whisk to break up any clumps that might have formed in your dry ingredients – they should be light and fluffy.

Maple-Walnut Butter Cookies

Yield: 24

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes

Total Time: 27 minutes

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Ingredients

• 1 cup walnuts
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1-1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla
• 1-1/4 cups Gold Medal® all purpose flour
• 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 350ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicon baking mats.
2. Add the walnuts to a food processor or blender; process until very finely ground, 20-30 seconds. Drizzle in the oil and process until a paste forms.
3. In a mixing bowl, beat together the walnut butter and butter until smooth. Add the sugar and maple syrup; beat until fluffy. Mix in the egg and vanilla.
4. Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir into the walnut mixture until completely incorporated.
5. Scoop teaspoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving at least 2 inches in between each cookie. Bake 9-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the cookies are slightly puffy. Remove from the oven and gently press the centers down with a spatula. Let cool completely.

This post was sponsored by Gold Medal Flour. Thank you for supporting the brands that keep me inspired in the kitchen.

Have a sweet tooth? Check out these other maple recipes:

• Maple Glazed Root Vegetables
• Meyer Maple Brandy Shooters (Life and Loves of Grumpys Honeybunch)
• Maple Bacon Chocolate Truffles