RUSTIC MAPLE PECAN COOKIES

Steps:

• Position oven racks in the upper and lower thirds of the oven; preheat oven to 350°; moderately butter cookie sheets.
• In a 3-quart saucepan, melt the butter and set aside to cool to tepid.
• Strain together the flour, salt, and baking soda; set aside.
• Using a wooden spoon, add the maple syrup to the butter, mixing well.
• Blend in the egg, orange juice, and maple and vanilla extracts.
• Whisk in the sugars, stirring until well combined and free of lumps.
• Stir in the dry ingredients in three additions, then fold in the nuts with a large rubber spatula.
• Using the tip of a teaspoon, drop mounds of dough the size of large walnuts onto the cookie sheets, placing them 2 inches apart.
• Bake for 12-14 minutes, until the edges just begin to brown, rotating the pans top to bottom and front to back toward the end of the baking time.
• Remove from oven and let stand for 2-3 minutes before loosening with a thin metal spatula; cool on wire racks.
• Store in airtight containers, layered between strips of wax paper, for up to 3 weeks; cookies may be frozen.
• *Rustic Maple Pecan Date Cookies--reduced chopped pecans to 3/4 cup; measure 1 cup loosely packed dates cut into 1/4 inch dice and toss them into 1 teaspoon flour to prevent them from sticking together; mix dates with the pecans and proceed as directed.