Maple Musings

So today was my day off!!!! I was excited, to be home with the furfamily after yesterday event! It went well, but it.got cold, and while yes I was dressed for the cold, I did get cold.....but then, I'm ALWAYS cold... That's another story....
   So after getting my errands done, and munch on a salad, I looked to see what I had to bake with! I had thought about something maple, as I saw maple sandwich cookies in Aldi's(mine are better...just sayin). Sure enough I had LOTS of dark maple syrup, and a little bit of maple cream💕💕💕. I prefer dark maple syrup as it's more maple-y and not just sweet. Plus you get some more vitamins with the darker stuff, so it's practically a health food....kinda sorta😇
    Anywho, so I decided to make Maple Pecan Chews. A simple, lucious cookie chocked full of toasted pecans, rolled in cinnamon sugar, and baked into a chewie little bit of heaven. They are quite divine when paired with vanilla bean ice cream😇.... You didn't really think I was gonna say that did you... Well, I did! So there!!!!
   Anywho, this time of year, it's "Sugaring Season" so all around you see trees being tapped, and maple syrup everywhere. Sugar on the snow, maple cotton candy, maple sugar candy, maple cream.... Oh goodness, I'm giving myself a sugar coma thinking about it.
   Maple BBQ Sauce, maple hot sauce, maple vodka... Oh yes, the possibilities are endless!
  Ok, I'll get on with it...sheesh... SOOOO impatient! I mean, I'm giving you a back story!
    So anyway for these cookies, you don't have to use nuts, you may use white chocolate chips, or caramel bits, or just leaven them as is. It's ok! Just have fun with it. I can tell you thought the pecans give these a richness, and once you've had them...well you'll want another, and another, and another..... Phineas approved of them, I know he ate one, then started chatting with me, so I gave him another. Not even 5 minutes later, he starts being super chatty! So.I told him "one more" and that's it. He still was chatty, but he kept kept going to the kitchen. He knows where I out them!
    So grab your ingredients, and get ready cause here we go! 
   
  
    Maple Pecan Chews:
  Pre-Heat your oven  to 350°. Toast off the pecans for about 5-8 minutes, or till the nuts are a light brown. Proceed to the next step.
     1/2c. Butter
      1c. Dark Brown Sugar
     1/2c. Maple Syrup
      1/2c. Toasted Pecans(plus if your using halves, reserve a few for the tops.of the cookies, IF you'd like)
Put these in your mixing bowl, and cream slowly. Once the ingredients are well incorporated scrape the bowl down, and add.
     1 Egg
     1 tsp. Vanilla
     1/2 tsp. Maple Extract (if you want, or if you are using light syrup)
     2 tsp. Baking Powder
Mix together till light and fluffy. Stop the mixer at least twice, and scrape the bowl down! Once this is done, should take about 4-5 minutes the add
1&1/2c. All Purpose Flour
  Mix well, scrape bowl, and add
   1/2c. Pecans
Mix this all together well, scrape the bowl, and the dough is done.
    Mix: 1/4c. Sugar
             1T. Cinnamon (I love it, but do this how you like it)
    Scoop on the cookies, roll them in the cinnamon sugar mixture, place on an parchment lined pan, push pecan halved in center if desired, and bake 10- 12 minutes. Once they're done, remove from oven, but let sit on sheet tray for 5 minutes. Transfer to cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy with coffee, tea, vodka, hot chocolate...whatever you'd like!
  

   So there you have it!!! No excuses, go make some cookies!!!!