Maple Pecan Shortbread Cookies
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These Maple Pecan Shortbread Cookies are buttery, crisp, and nutty with a hint of maple. They come together with just 6 ingredients and it is a slice-and-bake cookie.
While these Maple Pecan Shortbread Cookies may be great any time of year, they fall right in with autumn baking. These cookies are perfectly buttery, crisp, nutty, and slightly salty with a hint of maple. They are the perfect addition to any holiday cookie box!
You only need butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, pecans, cake/all-purpose flour, and salt to make this recipe. There is no egg or baking powder needed. The sweetness only comes from the maple syrup. With the lead-up to the holiday season nearly here, these Maple Pecan Shortbread Cookies make the perfect gifts for family and friends.
Ingredients You Need
- Butter. Ensure the butter is at room temperature so it will blend well with the other ingredients. I use unsalted butter in this recipe, but you can also substitute it with salted butter and omit the salt.
- Maple syrup. To add sweetness and great maple flavor. Use pure maple syrup and avoid “breakfast syrup” which does not have the same robust maple flavor that pure syrup contains.
- Vanilla extract. To enhance the flavor.
- Flour. Cake flour creates the perfect crispness for these cookies. If you like softer cookies, you can use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour.
- Salt. For taste.
- Pecans. Roast the pecans before adding them to the shortbread to make the nutty pecan flavors shine through.
Variations
Below are some ideas of other flavorings that you can add to these cookies:
- Nuts. Substitute pecans with other nuts, such as almonds, walnuts, and pistachios. Toast them first before adding to the cookie dough to enhance the nutty flavor.
- Dried fruit. Substitute some pecans with dried fruit, such as dried cranberries.
- Extract. Add a little bit of maple extract to enhance the maple flavor.
- Glaze. Make maple glaze by combining maple syrup with confectioner’s sugar. Drizzle the top with the maple glaze to enhance the maple flavor in these cookies. Melted chocolate also works as a decorative touch on top of your shortbread.
Why Do You Need to Chill the Shortbread Dough?
There’s a lot of butter in shortbread cookie dough. The more you work the dough, the softer and warmer the butter becomes. Chilling the dough for 2 hours is enough. You can chill for less time depending on how cold your fridge is and the temperature of your kitchen. As long as the dough is solid enough to hold and cut through without losing its round shape, you are good to go.
Placing the dough in the fridge for a few hours solidifies the butter. If you don’t allow the dough to chill, it will be a nightmare to slice the cookies. Chilling also helps make the baked cookies come out of the oven with a beautiful round shape and flawless edges.
Make These Cookies in Advance
These Maple Pecan Shortbread Cookies can be made several days in advance. After you make the cookie log, you can refrigerate it, covered, for up to 3 days prior to baking.
If you are making shortbread dough longer than 3 days ahead of time, it is best to freeze it. You can simply place the cookie log in an airtight container and freeze up to three months. Thaw it the night before in the fridge, then slice and bake the dough as directed.
More Maple Recipes
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (113 gr) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/3 cup (107 gr) maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups (220 gr) cake/all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 2/3 cup (85 gr) roasted pecans, finely chopped
Instructions
- In a large bowl, add butter and mix with a spatula or mixer until smooth.
- Add maple syrup and vanilla extract. Mix to combine.
- Sift in flour and salt. Add pecans and mix until well combined.
- Roll the dough into a log about 1.6 inches/4 cm wide in diameter.
- Wrap the log with parchment paper or plastic wrap. If the dough is too long, you can divide it into two and wrap them individually. Chill until very firm for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 300F/150°C and line two baking pans with parchment paper.
- Slice the log into a 1/8 to 1/4 inch or about 3-5mm thick with a sharp knife. Arrange the slices on the baking pan, spacing 1.5-inch apart.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the bottom edges of the cookies are golden brown in color. Rotate the baking sheets halfway through for even baking.
- Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
