Maple Walnut Spice Cookie

Everytime I straighten out my cooking magazines this December 2005 issue of Cooking Light seems to catch my attention and beg me to bake a cookie or two from the Cookie Swap article inside! The cover is very inticing, with Pecan Date Bars, Chewy Chocolate Cherry Cookies , Raspberry Linzer Windowpane Cookies and these Maple Walnut Spice Cookies.
Being Cooking Light...a magazine about.. well.. cooking light.. I kind of expected this cookie to be a bit lacking in taste with all the rich buttery holiday cookies we're all used to eating. But it has wonderful flavors of spices and maple and the chopped walnuts on top add that crunch I always love!
You can freeze these cookies also, either before or after baking. (If you do bake them first, then freeze, don't put on the glaze.)
Start with whisking the dry ingredients in a medium bowl and set aside.
Put brown sugar and butter in mixer and beat til light and fluffy.

Add 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and egg. Beat til well blended.

Gradually add flour mixture.

Drop by tablespoon onto parchment lined cookie sheet.

Bake at 350 for 14 minutes. Cool on sheet 5 minutes. Then transfer to wire to cool completely.

Make the glaze ( or frosting) and spread over cooled cookie. Sprinkle tops with chopped walnuts.

Maple Walnut Spice Cookies

Cookies:

1 1/2 cups flour

1/2 tsp. baking soda

1/2 tsp. ground ginger

1/2 tsp. cinnamon

1/4 tsp. salt

1/8 tsp. nutmeg

1/8 tsp. cloves

3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1/4 cup butter-softened

2 tbsp. maple syrup

1 large egg

Frosting:

1 cup powdered sugar

2 tbsp. maple syrup

1 tbsp. fat free milk ( I used whole..I mean..come on, it's only 1 T !!)

2 tsp. butter-softened

1/2 cup finely chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 350.

1. Whisk dry ingredients in medium bowl. Set aside.

2. Place brown sugar and butter in mixer and beat on high til pale and fluffy.

3. Add syrup and egg, beating til well blended.

4. Gradually add flour mixture beating on low speed.

5. Drop by tablespoons onto parchment lined sheet 2" apart.

6. Bake for 14 minutes.

7. Let sit on sheet 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.

8. Make frosting by stirring all ingredients with whisk or spoon til smooth.

Spread over cooled cookies and top with chopped walnuts.

Last note: Recipe makes 30 cookies. Each cookie has 98 calories...just thought you'd like to know!