Autumn Maple Leaf Cookies

Directions

1. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together butter and granulated sugar. Add in 1/2 c. maple syrup and egg yolk; mix till well combined. Sift together flour and salt over mix, and fold in thoroughly. Divide dough in half, wrap in plastic, and refrigeratetill hard, about 2 hrs.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the remaining 1/2 c. maple syrup and confectioners' sugar till smooth, adding more maple syrup for piping consistency, if necessary. Cover tightly with plastic and set aside.
3. Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 4 baking sheets with Silpats (French nonstick baking mats). Set pans aside.
4. Remove half of the dough from refrigerator. On a lightly floured surface, roll dough out to an 1/8-inch thickness. Using a leaf-shaped cookie cutter 4 to 5 inches in size, cut out cookies, and transfer to prepared baking sheets, spacing cookies 1/2 inch apart. Refrigerateany trimmings, and roll out again. Repeat process with remaining half of dough. If you like, use the back of a paring knife to score veins on leaves.
5. Bake cookies till light golden brown around edges, about 12 min. Transfer baking pans to a wire rack for 5 min. Using a spatula, remove cookies from pans to a wire rack to cold.
6. Using a small spatula spread a small amount of the reserved maple mix onto the cooled cookies, or possibly pipe maple mix in desired manner.
7. This recipe yields about 40 cookies.