Maple Walnut Cookies

These aren’t your typical drop cookies. Boiling maple syrup for 10 minutes concentrates its flavor and thickens it into something close to candy, then it gets streamed over stiffly beaten egg whites in a technique similar to Italian meringue. The result is a glossy, sticky batter that’s piped through a pastry tube onto cookie sheets.

A tablespoon of sherry adds a warm, nutty undertone that deepens the maple flavor, and chopped walnuts folded in give every cookie a crunchy bite. Powdered sugar helps stabilize the meringue and adds just enough body for the batter to hold its piped shape.

These bake low and slow at 325F for 15 minutes, drying out into light, crisp cookies with an almost candy-like chew. They’re closer to a meringue cookie than a traditional butter cookie, and the maple flavor is intense since there’s no butter or flour diluting it.

Pro Tips

• Boil the maple syrup in a pot at least three times its volume. It bubbles up dramatically and will overflow a small pan.
• Beat the egg whites stiff before the syrup is ready. The hot syrup needs to go directly into the whites.
• Use a sturdy pastry bag. This batter is thick and sticky. A flimsy bag will burst under the pressure.
• Let the cookies cool completely on the sheet before removing. They’re fragile when warm and firm up as they cool.

Variations

• Use pecans instead of walnuts for a more Southern-leaning flavor.
• Skip the sherry and add a half teaspoon of vanilla extract for a more straightforward maple cookie.
• Sandwich two cookies together with a thin layer of maple buttercream for a fancier presentation.