MAPLE-PECAN BUTTER THINS

Maple-Pecan Butter Thins image

Keeping a batch of slice-and-bake cookies in the refrigerator at all times is one of the smartest things a hostess can do. Fire up the oven, slice off as many as you need, bake them off, and you've got dessert in less than 30 minutes. Thanks to my old friend and pastry chef Jeannie Hemwattakit for lending me her recipe for these delicate, buttery cookie thins, which never last long in the refrigerator or on the cookie plate.

Yield makes about 30 cookies

Number Of Ingredients 8

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Ingredients

1 cup chopped pecans
1 pound (4 sticks) unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 cup sugar
2 large egg yolks
1/4 cup maple syrup
2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Steps:

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Place the pecans on an ungreased baking sheet and toast them until they turn slightly darker and fragrant, about 7 minutes; set aside. Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners, or generously grease with butter or cooking spray. Using an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat the butter and sugar in a large bowl on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, about 4 minutes. Beat in the egg yolks and maple syrup. Add the flour, salt, and vanilla and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Stir in the toasted pecans. The dough will be soft and somewhat sticky. Divide the dough into 2 clumps. Set each on a long sheet of plastic wrap or waxed paper, shape the dough into 2 even logs, and wrap tightly. (I like the look of a square cookie, so I lightly press the logs on 4 sides to flatten.) Refrigerate the dough for at least 2 hours or overnight. If you're really in a hurry, freeze the dough for about 20 minutes, just until they retain their shape when sliced.
When ready to bake, unwrap a log of dough and cut it into 1/8-inch-thick slices. Place them on the prepared cookie sheet and bake until they turn golden around the edges, 10 to 12 minutes.
The cookie dough can be made and rolled into logs up to 1 month in advance and frozen, or up to 1 week in advance and refrigerated. To prepare frozen dough for baking, remove it from the freezer and set it at room temperature 1 hour before baking; or simply transfer the dough from freezer to fridge the night before baking. Refrigerated dough can be sliced and baked straight from the refrigerator. The baked cookies will keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
To make rectangular cookies as pictured opposite, form the dough into 1 rectangular-shaped loaf, wrap and refrigerate as directed above, cut into slices lengthwise, and bake.