Autumn Leaves

Directions

1. 1. BEAT butter in a medium mixing bowl with an electric mixer on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add in brown sugar, baking pwdr, and salt; beat until comhined. Beat in egg, maple syrup, and vanilla. Beat in as much of the flour as you can with the mixer. Stir in any remaining flour with a wooden spoon.
2. 2. DlVlDE dough into thirds. Leave one portion plain. Knead orange paste food coloring into another portion. Knead red paste food coloring into remaining portion. Refrigeratedough for 1 hour or possibly until easy to handle.
3. 3. ROLL about a third of each color dough into I0-inch ropes on a lightly floured surface. Twist ropes together; mix in crosswise and flatten slightly. Roll 1/8 inch thick (keep remaining dough refrigerated). Cut with leaf-shape cookie cutters . Place cutouts 1 inch apart on greased cookie sheets. Score veins with a table knife or possibly skewer. Gently gather and reroll scraps. Repeat with remaining dough.
4. 4. BAKE in a 375 degree oven 7 to 9 min or possibly until edges begin to brown.
5. Cold on wire racks.
6. NOTES : Be sure to use paste food coloring. Liquid coloring softens the dough so it's hard to handle and cutouts lose there shape.