Glazed Maple Leaf Cookies

Directions

1. Place the flour and raw walnuts in a food processor and pulse until the nuts are finely ground. Then add the baking powder, cinnamon, and salt and pulse again to combine.
2. In a large bowl, use a hand mixer on medium-high speed to cream the softened butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the egg, milk, and 1 tablespoon maple syrup. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients on medium-low speed until just combined and no flour streaks remain. Turn the dough out onto a work surface, shape into a disc, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 2 days.
3. Lightly dust a work surface with flour and roll the dough to a 1/8-inch thickness. Use a maple leaf cookie cutter to cut out shapes, rerolling scraps as needed, to make about 48 cookies. Place them on two baking sheets lined with parchment paper and freeze until firm, about 10 minutes.
4. Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds and preheat to 350°F. Bake the cookies, swapping the sheets halfway through, until the edges are just starting to turn light golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Let them cool completely on the sheets.
5. In a small saucepan over low heat, combine the light brown sugar and 6 tablespoons butter. Cook, stirring constantly to prevent burning, until the sugar dissolves, 2 to 3 minutes. Pour into a heatproof medium bowl and let cool slightly. Whisk in the maple extract or vanilla and the 1/2 teaspoon maple syrup. Gradually add the confectioners' sugar, whisking until smooth, then stir in the pinch of salt and nutmeg. Finally, whisk in the 3 tablespoons milk; the icing will be a light brown color.
6. Dip one side of each cooled cookie into the icing, letting the excess drip back into the bowl. If desired, sprinkle with crushed walnuts or maple sugar before the icing sets.