Maple Sandwich Cookies with Toasted Pecans

This post is dedicated to all of my awesome friends and followers on twitter, and the exploration of just how helpful twitter is in day-to-day life. And no, this isn’t sponsored by the Twitter folks (like they’d care about lil ‘ol me!) nor is it a fishing expedition for new twitter followers. (Although you should totally follow me.)

Here’s what happened. I was in the middle of baking cookies, and couldn’t decide if I liked the rough shape or the smooth shape. I made a tray with half of each, figuring I would decide how they looked baked. They came out of the oven, and I still wasn’t sure. So I took a picture, and I tweeted it, asking people which they liked better. I was amazed at the number of people who responded to my 1 am tweet.

And that’s not nearly all. After I settled on smooth looking cookies, further conversations led these to become sandwich cookies, and then the suggestion of the night came from Big Fat Baker, who suggested I roll the sandwiches in chopped toasted pecans.

They came out awesome.

And there you have it folks. The story of a collaboration that lifted this cookie out of the realm of great, and into the realm of ohwowthesearereallygood. (If you can’t read that, you probably aren’t on twitter.)

Did I lose you somewhere in the twitter talk? Let’s sum it up. These cookies are delicious. Their delicious maple flavor is perfect for fall. The toasted pecans really elevate this cookie into something absolutely sophisticated. And the best part…well, it’s a secret but I will let you in on it: these are way easier to make than their impressive appearance lets on.

If the thought of making sandwich cookies makes you want to crawl into a hole and not come out until the dishes are done, fear not. These cookies are delicious all on their own. (I think I am going to try tossing some toasted pecans into the dough when I make the cookies plain.)

Maple Sandwich Cookies with Toasted Pecans:

Adapted from Better Homes and Gardens

Ingredients:

1 cup butter or margarine

1 cup brown sugar

1 cup maple syrup (not pancake syrup)

1 egg

1/2 Tbsp (1 1/2 tsp) vanilla extract

4 cups flour

1 tsp baking soda

pinch salt

3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) butter or margarine

2 1/2 Tbsp maple syrup (not pancake syrup)

3 cups powdered sugar

1 1/2-2 Tbsp milk or Rich’s Whip

1 cup chopped, toasted pecans

Instructions:

Preheat oven to 350. Lightly grease cookie sheets.

In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together butter and sugar until combined. Add maple syrup, egg and vanilla, and beat until combined.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda and salt. Stir into wet ingredients until just combined, be careful not to overmix.

Using a tablespoon cookie scoop, drop dough onto prepared trays. For the smooth look, as seen in the pictures, roll the dough between your palms to make a ball; for the rough look, just drop straight onto the trays. Flatten each cookie slightly with your palm.

Bake at 350 for 10-11 minutes. (For sandwich cookies, you may prefer smaller cookies. Drop the dough by 1/2 tablespoon or rounded teaspoon, and bake 8-10 minutes.) Leave cookies to cool on tray for one minute before removing to wire rack to cool completely. Do not make sandwich cookies until the cookies are fully cooled, or the frosting will melt.

For frosting: beat the butter and maple syrup together until combined. Add the powdered sugar, one cup at a time, until fluffy. Add the milk, a bit at a time, to reach the desired consistency. For sandwich cookies, you want the filling to be quite stiff.

Spoon a dollop of frosting the bottom of a cookie. Place another cookie on top, to make a sandwich. Place the chopped pecans on a plate or shallow dish and roll the cookie until the frosting is completely covered in pecans. (You may need to push the pecans in a bit.)

Note: to toast pecans, spread on a tray and bake at 350 for 8-10 minutes. Check them frequently to ensure they don’t burn. Once toasted, they are easy to chop and can actually be chopped by banging them with a rolling pin.

Enjoy, and thanks for stopping by!

-Miriam 🙂