AUTUMN MAPLE CUTOUT COOKIES

Steps:

• Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat.
• Cook until milk solids stop crackling and turn amber (about 5 minutes), stirring occasionally.
• Transfer butter mixture to a small bowl, scraping pan to include milk solids.
• Cover and cool butter mixture in the refrigerator for 20 minutes or until soft and congealed but not firm.
• Combine flour and next 5 ingredients (through nutmeg) in a bowl, stirring with a whisk.
• Combine chilled butter mixture and granulated sugar in a large bowl; beat at medium speed until well blended (about 3 minutes).
• Add syrup, flavoring, and 1 egg white to butter mixture; beat at low speed 2 minutes or until well blended.
• Add flour mixture to butter mixture; beat on low speed until blended.
• Divide dough in half. Shape each portion into a ball; wrap in plastic wrap. Chill 1 hour or until firm.
• Preheat oven to 350°.
• Place walnuts and turbinado sugar in a food processor; pulse 15 times or until mixture is coarsely ground.
• Place remaining 1 egg white in another small bowl; stir with a whisk.
• Working with one portion of the dough at a time (keep remaining dough chilled until use), roll dough to a 1/8-inch thickness on a floured surface, and cut with a 2 1/2-inch cutter.
• Place cookies, on a baking sheet coated with cooking spray.
• Gently brush tops of cookies with egg white; sprinkle evenly with half of walnut mixture.
• Bake for 12 minutes or until pale brown.
• Remove cookies from pan; cool completely on wire racks.
• Repeat procedure with remaining dough, egg white, and walnut mixture.