Canada Day: Maple Pecan Cream Cookies

Happy Canada Day!  

I am so proud to call this beautiful country home!  In honour of Canada's birthday, I decided to make these maple pecan cream cookies in the shape of a maple leaf.  They started out as maple cream cookies, but on my quest to find my hardly-ever-used container of cream of tartar, my eyes fell upon a newly purchased bag of pecans halves.  As soon as the pecans hit the maple-y dough, a smell wafted through my kitchen that promised a delicious cookie.  I found a package of cute maple leaf cutters a few months ago and have been waiting for the perfect time to use them.  I thought, what better day than Canada Day to break them out?  Our town always has fireworks the night before Canada Day so Marc and I took a few of these cookies and some herbal teas with us and we sat on a hill overlooking the town and watched the fireworks from a far. It was quite a nice prelude to Canada Day!  

  Photo by Marc Delisle Hope you all have a fun and safe holiday weekend!  What are your Canada Day plans?  Ingredients - 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour - 1/2 cup butter - 1/3 cup packed brown sugar - 1/4 cup maple syrup - 1 egg - 1 tsp cream of tartar - 1/2 tsp baking soda - 1/4 tsp salt - 1 cup pecans (optional) Maple Cream Filling - 2 cups icing sugar - 1/4 cup butter - 3 tbsp maple syrup Combine butter, brown sugar, syrup and egg in a bowl and mix until all of the ingredients are well blended.  Add dry ingredients to your bowl, starting with flour (I pour everything into the bowl and then mix it together).  Finely chop pecans finely and toss them into your dough.  Chill dough for at least 1 hour for easier handling. Roll dough to 1/4 inch thick and cut with your favourite cookie cutter. Bake in pre-heated 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes, or until edges are golden brown.  For the filling: 
Cream together icing sugar and butter, and then add maple syrup.  Roll about 1/2 tbsp icing into a ball and place between two cookies, carefully pressing them together. 
Enjoy!