Maple-Pecan Swirls
By America's Test KitchenPublished on August 22, 2007
Time
1 hour, plus 20 minutes
Yield
Makes about 48 cookies
Ingredients
Butter Cookie Dough
2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (12 ½ ounces/354 grams)½ cup superfine sugar (3 ½ ounces/99 grams)¼ cup packed light brown sugar ¼ teaspoon table salt 16 tablespoons unsalted butter, ( 2 sticks) cut into sixteen ½-inch pieces, at cool room temperature (about 65 degrees)2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 tablespoons cream cheese, at room temperatureMaple-Pecan Filling
1 ½ cups toasted pecans (6 ounces/170 grams), cooled¼ cup maple syrup 2 large eggs, separated¼ cup turbinado sugar, or demeraraBefore You Begin
If you cannot find superfine sugar, you can obtain a close approximation by processing regular granulated sugar in a food processor for about 20 seconds.
Instructions
- In bowl of standing mixer fitted with flat beater, mix flour, sugar, and salt on low speed until combined, about 5 seconds. With mixer running on low, add butter 1 piece at a time; continue to mix until mixture looks crumbly and slightly wet, about 1 minute longer. Add vanilla and cream cheese and mix on low until dough just begins to form large clumps, about 30 seconds.
- Remove bowl from mixer; knead dough by hand in bowl for 2 to 3 turns to form large cohesive mass. Turn out dough onto countertop; pat dough into 7-inch square, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until cool and firm, 20 to 30 minutes.
- While dough chills, pulse pecans in food processor until finely ground, about 10 one-second pulses. While pulsing, add maple syrup in steady stream through feed tube; add yolks and process until combined. Transfer to small bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until needed.
- Roll chilled dough between 2 large sheets parchment paper to 11 by 16-inch rectangle, about 3/16-inch thick; chill 30 minutes.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 375 degrees. Using offset icing spatula, spread pecan filling evenly on dough, leaving 1/2-inch border around all edges. Starting from a long end, roll dough tightly and press to seal seam. Sprinkle turbinado sugar evenly on parchment, then roll log in sugar, pressing lightly to make sugar adhere. Wrap dough log in parchment and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. (Can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 2 days). Using chef's knife, slice 1/2 inch off ends of log, then slice log into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Place rounds about 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets (about 12 per sheet). Lightly beat egg whites; brush rounds with egg whites and bake one sheet at a time until light golden brown, about 12 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking time. Cool on wire rack to room temperature.
Time
1 hour, plus 20 minutesYield
Makes about 48 cookiesIngredients
Butter Cookie Dough
2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (12 ½ ounces/354 grams)
½ cup superfine sugar (3 ½ ounces/99 grams)
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon table salt
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, ( 2 sticks) cut into sixteen ½-inch pieces, at cool room temperature (about 65 degrees)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cream cheese, at room temperature
Maple-Pecan Filling
1 ½ cups toasted pecans (6 ounces/170 grams), cooled
¼ cup maple syrup
2 large eggs, separated
¼ cup turbinado sugar, or demerara
Ingredients
Butter Cookie Dough
2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (12 ½ ounces/354 grams)
½ cup superfine sugar (3 ½ ounces/99 grams)
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon table salt
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, ( 2 sticks) cut into sixteen ½-inch pieces, at cool room temperature (about 65 degrees)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cream cheese, at room temperature
Maple-Pecan Filling
1 ½ cups toasted pecans (6 ounces/170 grams), cooled
¼ cup maple syrup
2 large eggs, separated
¼ cup turbinado sugar, or demerara
Ingredients
Butter Cookie Dough
2 ½ cups unbleached all-purpose flour (12 ½ ounces/354 grams)
½ cup superfine sugar (3 ½ ounces/99 grams)
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon table salt
16 tablespoons unsalted butter, ( 2 sticks) cut into sixteen ½-inch pieces, at cool room temperature (about 65 degrees)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons cream cheese, at room temperature
Maple-Pecan Filling
1 ½ cups toasted pecans (6 ounces/170 grams), cooled
¼ cup maple syrup
2 large eggs, separated
¼ cup turbinado sugar, or demerara
Why This Recipe Works
In our search for a holiday cookie recipe that would yield cookies sturdy enough to decorate yet tender enough to eat, we started with the fat and found the right amount of butter to give the cookies great flavor without making them greasy. We used all-purpose flour in our holiday cookie dough recipe because it gave the dough enough gluten to provide structure. Superfine sugar gave our cookies a fine, even crumb. A surprise ingredient—cream cheese—added flavor and richness to our Maple-Pecan Swirls without altering the texture of the cookies.
Before You Begin
If you cannot find superfine sugar, you can obtain a close approximation by processing regular granulated sugar in a food processor for about 20 seconds.
Instructions
- In bowl of standing mixer fitted with flat beater, mix flour, sugar, and salt on low speed until combined, about 5 seconds. With mixer running on low, add butter 1 piece at a time; continue to mix until mixture looks crumbly and slightly wet, about 1 minute longer. Add vanilla and cream cheese and mix on low until dough just begins to form large clumps, about 30 seconds.
- Remove bowl from mixer; knead dough by hand in bowl for 2 to 3 turns to form large cohesive mass. Turn out dough onto countertop; pat dough into 7-inch square, wrap in plastic, and refrigerate until cool and firm, 20 to 30 minutes.
- While dough chills, pulse pecans in food processor until finely ground, about 10 one-second pulses. While pulsing, add maple syrup in steady stream through feed tube; add yolks and process until combined. Transfer to small bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until needed.
- Roll chilled dough between 2 large sheets parchment paper to 11 by 16-inch rectangle, about 3/16-inch thick; chill 30 minutes.
- Adjust oven rack to middle position; heat oven to 375 degrees. Using offset icing spatula, spread pecan filling evenly on dough, leaving 1/2-inch border around all edges. Starting from a long end, roll dough tightly and press to seal seam. Sprinkle turbinado sugar evenly on parchment, then roll log in sugar, pressing lightly to make sugar adhere. Wrap dough log in parchment and refrigerate until firm, about 30 minutes. (Can be wrapped in plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 2 days). Using chef's knife, slice 1/2 inch off ends of log, then slice log into 1/4-inch thick rounds. Place rounds about 1 inch apart on parchment-lined baking sheets (about 12 per sheet). Lightly beat egg whites; brush rounds with egg whites and bake one sheet at a time until light golden brown, about 12 minutes, rotating baking sheet halfway through baking time. Cool on wire rack to room temperature.
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