12 Days of Christmas Treats: Walnut-Maple Sandies

Editor’s Note: Welcome to the 2014 edition of The 12 Days of Christmas Treats! Over 12 days we’ll bring you a new, scrumptious recipe for a holiday cookie, cake, or other sweet treat. Whether you leave them out for Santa or simply sample them all yourself is up to you, we just encourage you to try them all! Leave your comments below each recipe and upload a photo if you make your own batch at home. Season’s Eatings!

by Amy Johnson, Director of Communications & Administration, Rocket Sports Media

PHILADELPHIA, PA — Most cookie lovers are familiar with the traditional round almond cookies covered in powdered sugar made in many countries this time of year.  Some call them “Sandies”, others call them “Snowballs” or “Russian Tea Cookies”.  Whatever name you prefer, they’re delicious.  Now imagine a variety of those cookies using walnuts and maple syrup!  These go great with tea or coffee and will disappear in no time flat.

Walnut-Maple Sandies
Recipe Courtesy: Food Network Magazine, December 2013 (Vol. 6, No. 10)

Prep/Cook Time: 1 hr 35 min

Yield: about 4 dozen cookies

Ingredients: 
1 cup walnuts
2 1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/4 tsp salt
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
1 large egg yolk
2 tbsp pure maple syrup, plus more for brushing
1 tsp maple extract (or substitute with dark rum, like I did!)

1. Preheat oven to 350F and position racks in upper and lower thirds.  Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast them in the preheated oven for 8 to 10 minutes, until golden.

2. After the walnuts have cooled completely, transfer them in small batches to a food processor and pulse until finely ground.

3. Whisk together the ground walnuts, 1/2 cup of the confectioners’ sugar, the flour, baking powder, and salt in a medium bowl.

4. In a separate bowl, beat the butter on medium-high speed until smooth.  Beat in the egg yolk, maple syrup, and maple extract (or rum) until well incorporated.

5. Reduce the mixer to medium-low and add the flour mixture a little bit at a time until the dough comes together.

6. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and form the dough into one-inch balls, arranging them about an inch apart on the baking sheets.

7. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until golden – switching the pans halfway through the cooking time.  Remove from oven and brush the cookies with maple syrup, then let them cool on the sheets for about two minutes.

8. Put the remaining 2 cups of confectioners’ sugar in a bowl (I used a pie pan) and add the cookies in small batches, rolling them in the sugar to coat.  Transfer the coated cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Be sure to check back tomorrow for our next holiday recipe – English Pudding Petit Fours! And if you missed any of our previous recipes in this series, take a moment to check them out below:

Day 1 – Chewy Oatmeal Cranberry Cookies
Day 2 – Lemon-Ginger Wafers
Day 3 – Santa Hat Brownies

Photo credits: Amy Johnson

Tags: baking, christmas, cookies, cooking, featured, holiday, holidays, maple, maple syrup, sandies, treats, walnut