Christmas Cookie Week - Day 3

Another classic but delicious flavor combination is maple and walnut or in this case it is maple and pecan. I am talking real maple syrup here, not the pancake syrup, no Aunt Jemima's, the real stuff, the stuff that flows from the maple tree.

These are a quick and easy dough to make, you stick the dough in the refrigerator for a few hours, then slice, bake and voila! you have maple pecan refrigerator cookies. You can make these cookies in advance, and then slice and bake them whenever you need them.

For this dough, you just need to throw a few ingredients into your mixer, and you have your cookie dough!

So gather together your ingredients and let's make the cookies!

1 cup softened butter (2 sticks), 1/2 cup white sugar, 3 tablesppons real maple syrup, 1 large egg yolk, 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1/2 teaspoon maple extract, 2 cups flour, 1 1/2 cup chopped pecans.

In your mixing bowl, cream the butter for about 3 minutes.

 Then add in the white sugar until the ingredients are light and fluffy.

Now add in the maple syrup, the egg yolk and both extracts.

Mix until all the ingredients are fully incorporated and then add the in the flour and pecans.

Divide the dough into two parts and with plastic wrap, roll the dough into a log shape and wrap it up.

Stick the two logs into the refrigerator for at least 2 hours or until firm.

When you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Cut the logs into 1/2 inch thick slices and place them on the cookie sheet.

Bake the cookies for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. I had to take my cookies out a bit before the 818 minute mark because they were starting to get a little too golden on the bake.

Then serve, eat and enjoy with whatever holiday drink you enjoy the most!