Maple Walnut Spice Cookies

Fall is my favorite season. I dislike summer because I can’t stand hot weather and I tend to overheat easily. I start sweating once the temperature goes past 75°F and I can get pretty cranky as well. Temperature and grumpiness go hand in hand for me–one goes up and so does the other. Blah!

Now that we’ve established my sentiments regarding warm weather, let’s talk about fall baking! I love fall and I love fall desserts. Yum, yum, yum. I’m ready for summer to be over and fall to begin so I thought I’d give good ol’ summer the heave-ho and welcome fall by baking these Maple Walnut Spice Cookies. My plan didn’t work very well since my AC was running full blast while I was baking. Here in Northern California, fall is slow to arrive and quick to leave. 😦

Anyhow, I discovered this recipe a few years ago. I didn’t realize it was a Cooking Light recipe until afterward, which is a good thing because I’m not too keen on making light desserts. These cookies have a nice chewy texture and I love the icing and crunch of the walnuts on top. The original recipe can be found here, and below is my version of the recipe:

Ingredients:

       Cookies:

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
• 1/4 cup butter, softened
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 1 large egg

       Frosting:

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
• 2 tablespoons milk

       Remaining ingredient:

• 1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts, toasted

Directions:

Preheat oven to 350°.

Lightly spoon flour into dry measuring cups; level with a knife. Sift flour and next 6 ingredients (through cloves) into a medium bowl.

Place brown sugar and 1/4 cup butter in a large bowl; beat with a mixer at high speed until light and fluffy (about 4 minutes). Add 2 tablespoons syrup and egg; beat until well blended. Beating at low speed, gradually add flour mixture; beat just until combined.

Spoon batter evenly into 30 mounds (about 1 tablespoon) 2 inches apart on baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 12 minutes or until lightly browned. Immediately transfer cookies to cooling racks.

To prepare frosting, combine powdered sugar, 2 tablespoons syrup, and milk; stir with a whisk until smooth. Transfer frosting to a quart-sized ziplock bag and snip one end off to use as a piping bag. Drizzle frosting evenly over cooled cookies. Working quickly, sprinkle cookies with nuts.

Toasting the walnuts. Be careful because they burn quickly!

Adding eggs and maple syrup to the creamed butter and sugar.

My favorite baking tool: a cookie scooper that makes perfectly rounded cookies by the tablespoon.

Perfect icing consistency. Too runny and the icing won’t adhere to the cookies!

Got milk?

C is for Cookie!

That’s good enough for me, yeah!

Poor Cookie Monster now has to say that cookies are a “sometime snack”…well Cookie Monster, this is a Cooking Light cookie so you’re good to go. 😉

My very own cookie monster! Poor Bailey doesn’t get any cookies. Only organic dog treats. Such a hard life.