Maple Walnut Puffs

Maple Walnut Puffs

1 cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup powdered sugar, divided
2 tablespoons maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 cups all purpose flour
1 cup very finely chopped toasted walnuts

Heat oven to 325 degrees F.

In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together butter, half of the powdered sugar, maple syrup, vanilla and salt until well combined and creamy.  Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in flour and walnuts until just combined.  Roll teaspoons of dough into balls and place on cookie sheets, spacing about 3/4-inch apart.  Bake 12-14 minutes or until crisp.  Maybe less if your oven runs hot.

Transfer cookies to a wire rack and allow to cool a few minutes.  Roll cookies in remaining powdered sugar.

Maple Glazed Pumpkin Bread

 Maple Glazed Pumpkin Bread


Ingredients:

•  2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
• 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup reduced-fat cream cheese, softened
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 2 large eggs
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Maple Glaze 

• 2 tablespoon unsalted butter, softened
• 3/4 cup confectioners' sugar
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

Instructions: 
Heat oven to 350 degrees F.  Spray a loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and ginger.  In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together butter and cream cheese until creamy.  Beat in pumpkin, brown sugar and maple syrup until well combined.  Beat in eggs and vanilla until well combined.  Reduce mixer speed to low and beat in the dry ingredients.  Spread batter into pan.

Bake 45-50 minutes, or until well risen and golden brown on top, and a wooden skewer inserted into bread comes out with moist crumbs attached.  Cool on a wire rack for 15 minutes.

To make the Maple Glaze, beat together butter, confectioners' sugar, maple syrup and vanilla, in a medium bowl, until well combined and smooth.  Baste glaze on top of bread.

Makes 1 loaf

Maple Blueberry Granola Bread

Maple Blueberry Granola Bread

1 cup warm milk, divided (100°-110°F)
1 teaspoon granulated sugar + 1/2 cup
2 1/4 teaspoons active dry yeast
5 tablespoons melted unsalted butter, divided use
3 large eggs, room temperature, divided use
4 tablespoons pure maple syrup, divided use
1 1/4 teaspoons salt, divided use
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
3 cups unbleached bread flour
2 1/3 cups unbleached all purpose flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
1/4 cup unsweetened flaked coconut
2/3 cup old fashioned oats
1/3 cup sweetened dried blueberries

In the bowl of a stand mixer, using the dough hook on medium speed, mix together 1/2 cup warm milk, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar and yeast until combined; allow to sit for 10 minutes or until bubbles form. Add 3 tablespoons melted butter, additional 1/2 cup milk, 1/2 cup sugar, 2 eggs, 3 tablespoons maple syrup, 1 teaspoon salt and vanilla to yeast mixture and mix until well combined. Mix in bread flour and white whole wheat flour until combined; continue to mix for an additional 5 minutes or until dough is smooth and elastic. Form into a ball and place in a large mixing bowl lightly covered with cooking spray; cover with plastic wrap and allow to rise in a warm area for 2 hours or until doubled in bulk.

Heat oven to 325 degrees F. Coat a small cookie sheet with cooking spray. Coat insides of a 9x5x3 inch loaf pan with cooking spray

To make the Maple Blueberry Granola, in a medium bowl, whisk together 1 tablespoon melted butter, additional 1 tablespoon maple syrup, additional 1/4 teaspoon salt, brown sugar and cinnamon until well combined. Stir in pecans, coconut and oats until combined. Evenly spread oat mixture onto cookie sheet. Bake 15 minutes, stirring occasionally, until granola is fragrant and golden brown. Transfer to a medium bowl and stir in blueberries until combined.

On a lightly floured surface, using a rolling pin, roll dough into an 11x15 inch rectangle. Brush dough with remaining 1 tablespoon melted butter. Evenly sprinkle granola on top, leaving a 1/2 inch border. Starting at one end, roll dough up jelly roll style, pinch and tuck ends under, and place in loaf pan. Lightly cover with plastic wrap and allow dough to rise 1 hour, in a warm area, until doubled in bulk.

Heat oven to 350 degrees F.

Whisk remaining 1 egg together with a tablespoon of water; evenly brush on surface of dough. Bake 20 minutes, cover with foil, and bake an additional 35-40 minutes or until internal temperature of bread reaches 180 degrees F. Cool pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes before removing bread to a wire rack to cool completely.

Carrot Cake Crisps

Carrot Cake Crisps

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1/4 cup unsalted butter, softened
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg
1 cup finely grated carrot
1/2 cup sweetened flaked coconut, toasted
1/3 cup finely chopped pecans, toasted
1/3 cup crushed pineapple
1/3 cup raisins

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Generously coat cookie sheets with cooking spray.

In a medium mixing bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and ginger. In a large mixing bowl, using a mixer on medium speed, beat together butter, brown sugar and maple syrup until creamy - about 1-2 minutes; beat in vanilla and egg until combined. Reduce mixer speed to low and gradually beat in flour mixture until combined. Beat in carrot, coconut, pecans, pineapple and raisins until combined.

Drop flat, round spoonfuls of batter onto cookie sheets, about an inch apart. Bake 25-30 minutes or until light golden brown and firm. Turn oven off and leave cookies in oven for 1 hour or until crisp. Cool on wire racks.

Makes 20 cookies

Maple-Toffee Glazed Pretzels

Maple-Toffee Glazed Pretzels

Ingredients:
3 1/4 cups bread flour, plus additional for rolling
1 cup water
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoons butter, softened, plus additional for greasing
2 teaspoons active dry yeast
1 1/2 teaspoons salt

8 cups water
2 tablespoons baking soda

1 egg
1 tablespoon water

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/3 cup firmly packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon flaky sea salt

Directions:
In the bowl of a stand mixer with dough hook attached, combine flour, 1 cup water, 1 tablespoon brown sugar, 1 tablespoon butter, yeast and 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and mix until elastic, about 5 minutes on medium speed.

Butter a large mixing bowl; place dough inside and cover with plastic wrap. Allow to rise in a warm place for 1 hour, or until doubled in bulk. I set my bowl in the oven at 170 degrees F, but that may have been too warm. It got the job done though!

Preheat oven to 450 degrees F (remove dough, duh). Butter two large baking sheet pans; line with parchment paper, then butter parchment.

Bring 8 cups of water and baking soda to a boil in a large pot.

Divide dough into 8 equal pieces, and roll into pretzel shape on a floured surface.

Reduce water to a simmer; gently lower two pretzels into water, cook 1 minute, then remove onto baking sheet using a slotted spoon or spatula. Repeat process with remaining pretzels.

Whisk together egg and 1 tablespoon water, in a small bowl, until combined; brush evenly over tops of pretzels.

Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes.

Meanwhile, make the glaze. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in maple syrup and brown sugar, and bring mixture to a boil, whisking frequently; boil 1 minute, then remove from heat.

After 10 minutes, remove pretzels from oven and brush glaze over the tops (save leftover glaze for dipping!). Evenly sprinkle pretzels with sea salt. Return pans to oven and bake for an additional 5-7 minutes, or until golden brown; transfer to wire racks.

Makes 8 large pretzels