Maple Nut Shortbread

I can't go to Banff, Alberta without buying a piece of maple fudge. You probably know I'm a huge fun of shortbread.  They are the easiest cookie to make and their butteryness (yes that is my world) is so irresistible. I've come up with the perfect Canadian cookie, a Maple Nut Shortbread.

Maple Nut Shortbread

1 cup butter (room temp)

1/2 cup sugar

1/4 tsp. salt

2 tsp. artificial maple flavoring

2 egg yolks

2 1/2 cups flour

1/2 cup finely chopped nuts (I used pecans, but walnuts would be great as well)

Cream the butter and sugar together with an electric mixer.  Add the salt, maple and egg yolks and beat until smooth.  Add the flour and mix till dough comes together.  Add the nuts. Roll out the dough on a floured surface to 1/4" thick and cut out your maple leaves.  Place cookies on parchment lined baking trays and place the trays in the freezer for about 10 mins.  If the cookies start chilled, they keep their shape better during the baking.  Then you don't just end up with maply blobs.  Bake at 325 F for about 12-15 mins or just until the edges of the cookie start to turn golden brown.  Cool on a wire rack.

For more Canadian fun, be sure to print off the free Canada Day bunting and check out the Bay Blanket round up I put together.