What do you bake for those non-chocolate lovers in your life? Yes, I know they are out there. The people that swear they don’t like chocolate, my own brother is even one of them. I don’t know how they live, personally. But, every now and then I also enjoy desserts without chocolate. And this cookie is the perfect recipe to bake this holiday season if you’re looking for something sans chocolate. These Maple Walnut Sandwich Cookies are so easy to make if you have maple syrup on hand, and they make a great holiday cookie.
I used ground walnuts inside the cookie to give it a nutty flavor that really compliments the buttery shortbread. These are then filled with a maple buttercream that is just sweet enough. These would make an amazing addition to a holiday cookie box, or even just to bring to any party. Pair them with a tall glass of milk, glass of wine, or even a glass of eggnog and it will make for a very merry evening.
Why Organic
Why use organic ingredients in this recipe? You all know I’m a huge organic advocate, and I bet you may be thinking sometimes, Why would I even bother to use organic ingredients in something that is so sweet and indulgent? But, that is the exact reason why you should use organic ingredients! Sweet things need to have flavor in order to be good, otherwise they are just sweet and they don’t taste like much else. Organic ingredients are more pure than conventional ones, therefore they actually have more flavor than the non organic options. Say it with me, organic means more flavor! And not just more flavor but a more true and pure flavor. And organic ingredients are much healthier for you to eat in general as they do not contain GMOs or anything artificial. Plus, you are being environmentally friendly when you choose organic ingredients!
So, I highly recommend that you buy the best organic ingredients for this recipe! You can also shop my Amazon Storefront for all my favorite organic ingredients here. Tip – hover over each ingredient to see the name. And if you want to learn more about organic foods and the difference, read my post here on Food Labels and What They Mean.
A nutty walnut shortbread cookie is filled with maple buttercream for a warm and cozy cookie you are sure to love!
Ingredients
- Dough
85 grams (3/4 cup) walnuts
212 grams (1 2/3 cups) all purpose flour
1 cup (226 grams) organic salted butter, softened
142 grams (1 cup) organic powdered sugar, sifted
1 tablespoon organic vanilla extract
- Filling
226 grams (1 1/2 cups plus 1 tablespoon) organic powdered sugar, sifted
1/2 cup (113 grams) organic salted butter, softened
44 grams (2 tablespoons) maple syrup
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- To make the dough: In a food processor, process walnuts until ground into a fine flour. Careful not to over blend, as it will start to turn to butter. Place into a medium bowl and add the flour and set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla extract and mix on low until combined and you no longer see powdered sugar. You may still see chunks of butter and that’s okay as it’s very soft.
- Add the flour mixture and mix on low until combined into a smooth dough, it should feel like play dough in your hands.
- Using your hands form the dough into 36 balls and place on the prepared cookie sheets. Flatten slightly so they are about 1 3/4-inches in diameter.
- Bake for 13 minutes until golden brown. Allow to cool completely on the cookie sheets.
- To make the filling: In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, add the powdered sugar, butter, and maple syrup. Mix on low until combined, then speed mixer up to high for 1 minute or until light and fluffy. Transfer to a piping bag with no tip.
- Turn over every other cookie so they are paired, try to pair the same sized cookies together, so their “friends” are the same same. Pipe a dollop of filling onto each turned over cookie, sandwich with its friend.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
Notes
- Gluten Free – Replace the all purpose flour with 184 grams (1 cup plus 3 tablespoons) organic gluten free flour blend plus 43 grams (scant 1/2 cup) organic coconut flour.
- High Altitude – Bake at 350°F for 12 minutes or until golden brown.
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