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.)

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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

Ingredients

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

Instructions

Heat oven to 350ºF. Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicon baking mats.
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.
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.
Sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir into the walnut mixture until completely incorporated.
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

Comments

Heather @ Sugar Dish Me says
12/18 at 11:17 pm

I always use the cheese grater for scones and biscuits. It is THE BEST! No more “cutting in the butter”. I’ll have to try it with cookies because I am NO GOOD at planning the baking. These are gorgeous! And I am with you — no cookie exchanges for these babies. Keep ’em all for yourself!

Aimee Shugarman says
12/18 at 8:01 pm

LOVE maple in everything. These look awesome!!!

ItsJoelen says
12/18 at 6:47 pm

This looks awesome and I just might have to add it to my holiday cookie list!

Julie says
12/18 at 1:56 pm

If I hadn’t just made 6 other kinds of cookies (including your cinnamon chipotle chocolate crinkles!), I’d be making these tonight! But since I have a billion and one cookies in my kitchen, I should probably wait a few days. 😉

Paula -bell'alimento says
12/18 at 12:23 pm

I will take cookies all day long. Loverly!

CateOMalley says
12/18 at 12:16 pm

These look perfect for gift giving – pinned!

Joanne (eats well with others) says
12/15 at 8:10 am

I’m going to have to try that butter trick! Usually I just cut it into little cubes and then let it sit for 10 minutes. All that extra surface area does the trick!

Maple and walnut are so perfect for this season. Love how you’ve combined them in these fabulous cookies!

- Lauren @ HealthyDelish says
  12/15 at 11:26 am
  
  I used to cut it up too, but grating it is totally the way to go! It’s so fast and takes practically no effort to cream it (even by hand!) without any waiting time. I love instant gratification! 🙂

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