Walnut Maple Sandies Recipes

SANDIES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the water and vanilla. Stir in the flour and pecans until well blended. Cover dough and chill for at least four hours.
• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). Shape dough into walnut sized balls or crescents. Place 2 inches apart onto unprepared cookie sheets.
• Bake for 18 to 20 minutes in the preheated oven, until golden. Roll in confectioners' sugar while still warm.

MAPLE WALNUT-BLONDIES

Steps:

• Make the blondies: Preheat the oven to 350˚. Line a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with foil, leaving a 2-inch overhang on two sides; coat the foil with cooking spray. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and bake until lightly browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool slightly, then transfer to a cutting board and roughly chop; set aside.
• Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in a large bowl. Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally with a whisk, until brown flecks appear, 10 to 12 minutes; remove from the heat and immediately whisk in the brown sugar and maple syrup. Let cool slightly, about 5 minutes. Whisk in the eggs one at a time, then add the vanilla and maple extracts.
• Whisk the brown butter-egg mixture into the flour mixture, then fold in the walnuts with a rubber spatula. Spread the batter in the prepared pan. Bake until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely in the pan. Lift the blondies out of the pan using the foil overhang; discard the foil.
• Meanwhile, make the frosting: Beat the butter and salt in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add the maple syrup and beat until smooth. Gradually beat in the confectioners' sugar on low speed, increasing the speed to medium high after each addition until fluffy. Beat in the lemon juice and maple extract; add more maple extract, 1/4 teaspoon at a time, to taste. Spread the frosting over the cooled blondies. Cut into squares.

WALNUT-MAPLE SANDIES

Steps:

• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast in the oven until golden, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool, then transfer to a food processor and pulse until finely ground.
• Whisk the ground walnuts, 1/2 cup confectioners' sugar, the flour, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until smooth, 2 to 3 minutes. Beat in the egg yolk, maple syrup and maple extract until incorporated. Reduce the mixer speed to medium low; add the flour mixture and beat until the dough comes together, about 2 minutes.
• Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Form teaspoonfuls of dough into balls and arrange about 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until golden, 18 to 20 minutes.
• Remove from the oven and brush the cookies with maple syrup; let cool 2 minutes on the baking sheets. Put the remaining 2 cups confectioners' sugar in a shallow bowl; add the cookies in batches and toss to coat, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

MAPLE-WALNUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl. Beat the butter and brown sugar in a large bowl with a mixer on medium-high speed until fluffy, about 3 minutes. Beat in the maple syrup, egg, vanilla and maple extract. (The mixture may look curdled.) Reduce the mixer speed to medium low; add the flour mixture and beat until combined. Cover and refrigerate until the dough is no longer sticky, about 30 minutes (it will still be soft).
• Position racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven and preheat to 350 degrees F. Coat 2 baking sheets with cooking spray. Put the turbinado sugar in a shallow dish. Roll tablespoonfuls of the dough into 1-inch balls, then roll in the turbinado sugar. Press a walnut half into the center of each cookie and arrange 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
• Bake, switching the pans halfway through, until the edges of the cookies are set but the centers are still soft, 12 to 14 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes on the baking sheets, then transfer to racks to cool completely.

MAPLE GLAZED WALNUTS

Steps:

• Preheat a dry skillet over a medium-high heat. Add the walnuts, maple syrup and salt. Cook, stirring frequently, until syrup is caramelized and nuts are toasted, about 3 minutes. Let cool.

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.

MAPLE-WALNUT CHEESECAKE

Steps:

• Fill a roasting pan halfway with water and set on a rack in the lower third of the oven; position another rack in the middle and preheat to 350 degrees F. Wrap the outside (bottom and side) of a 9-inch springform pan with foil. Make the crust: Pulse the graham crackers in a food processor a few times until crushed. Add the walnuts and brown sugar and continue pulsing until finely ground. Add the melted butter, nutmeg and salt and pulse to combine. Press into the bottom and about 1 inch up the side of the prepared pan. Bake until the crust is lightly golden, about 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool completely.
• Make the filling: Beat the cream cheese in a stand mixer with the paddle attachment on medium speed until nearly smooth, about 1 minute. Add the maple syrup and granulated sugar and beat until smooth, about 2 more minutes. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Increase the speed to medium high and beat in the flour, heavy cream, lemon juice and maple extract until the filling is smooth and silky, about 1 more minute.
• Pour the filling into the cooled crust. Transfer the cheesecake to the oven, placing it on the middle rack directly over the water bath. Bake until golden and set around the edge but the center still jiggles slightly, about 1 hour 10 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let cool to room temperature, then cover and refrigerate until cold and set, at least 5 hours or overnight. Let the cheesecake sit at room temperature 20 minutes, then run a thin knife around the edge and remove the springform ring.

WALNUT SANDIES

Steps:

• 1. Cream together first four ingredients.
• 2. Mix together dry ingredients including 1 cup of the finely chopped walnuts, making sure to set aside 1/2 cup of them for the glaze.
• 3. Combine all ingredients and mix until well blended.
• 4. Place dough on sheet of waxed paper and roll into a long cylinder approximately 2" to 3" in diameter. Chill dough for 1 hour or until firm enough to slice with sharp knife.
• 5. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
• 6. Unwrap dough, slice 1/2" thick pieces and place on a parchment lined cookie sheet.
• 7. Bake for 10 minutes or until edges are slightly brown.

MAPLE-WALNUT BLONDIES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease an 8-by-8-inch pan with butter and line with parchment paper, leaving overhang on two sides.
• Make the optional maple nuts: In a small sauté pan, heat the walnuts, 1 tablespoon maple syrup and a pinch of salt over medium heat. Cook, tossing often, until the nuts are lightly toasted and the bottom of the pan looks dry, about 3 to 4 minutes. Transfer the walnuts to a cutting board to cool, roughly chop, and set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the 1/2 cup butter, brown sugar, 2 tablespoons maple syrup, egg, vanilla and bourbon, if using, and whisk until smooth. Add the flour, salt, baking powder and nutmeg, and stir with a wooden spoon until just combined.
• Transfer the batter to the prepared pan and smooth with a spatula. Sprinkle the walnuts, if using, evenly on top. Bake for 21 to 23 minutes, until the bars are just starting to brown at the edges. They should seem slightly underbaked and will firm up as they cool.
• Sprinkle the blondies lightly with salt, allow to cool to room temperature in the pan. When completely cool, remove from the pan using the parchment paper, then cut into squares and serve.

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.