Maple Leaf Cookies

1. Melt butter in a microwave safe dish (i used a glass pyrex measuring cup) for about 30-60 seconds, until all melted (i put some plastic wrap on top as to not mess up my microwave). Stir butter, cover and cool in refrigerator for about 20 minutes until soft and congealed but not firm.

2. Combine flour through nutmeg into a bowl and stir with a whisk

3. Combine chilled butter and sugar in a large bowl and beat with a mixer at medium speed until well blended (about 3 minutes). Add syrup, flavoring and egg white and continue to beet for another 2 minutes (until well blended). Add flour mixture to butter mixture and beat on low until blended. Divide dough in half, separate into two balls, wrap in plastic and chill in refrigerator for about an hour or until firm.

4. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

5. Chop the pecans very fine and stir in the sugar. Place remaining egg white in a small dish and mix.

6. Take one dough ball out of the refrigerator roll it out on a floured surface with flour dusted onto the rolling pin. Roll until it's about 1/8" thick (half the width of a pencil). Cut with the cookie cutter you have on hand and place them on a cooking sheet lined with parchment paper. Gently brush the tops of cookies with egg wash and then sprinkle with the pecan sugar. Bake at 350 degrees F for 12 minutes or until a PALE brown. Remove cookies ond completely cool on a wire rack if you can. Repeat procedure with remaining dough.