These maple-pecan cookies were the result of me wanting something pecan pie-adjacent, and not wanting to outright bake a pecan pie or eat pecan pie filling. That and I was craving maple-flavored cookies. I have been making tons of brown butter-baked goods, and maple is just something that fits perfectly with that flavor profile. I love the idea of these toasty, warming flavors mixed with the fragrance of maple syrup and brown butter. And add in pecans for added smokiness and crunchiness, and you have yourself a winning trio right there. The combination of pecans, brown butter, and maple is quite addictive and nutty, from both the toasted milk solids in the brown butter and the fragrance from toasted pecans. A warning for those with nut allergies, do not eat these. Or omit the nuts and enjoy a pure maple cookie instead! The cookie itself uses maple for moisture and flavor(when making cookies with brown butter, usually a little water or milk is added back to offset the evaporated water, but in this case, the maple is used partially for that and in lieu of some of the measured sugar). I also used brown sugar to add a similar caramel-y flavor for the cookie to further accentuate the maple, without making these cookies with syrup as the sole sweetening agent(if you have maple sugar, feel free to sub out the brown sugar with that instead for an even more maple-forward cookie!). To finish, I used flaky Maldon salt to add another crispy, crunchy texture and a pop of salt to contrast all of that sweetness from the maple. If you wanted to try a cookie that is a bit different than your typical snickerdoodle or chocolate chip, try these instead!

Makes 16 cookies:
4oz maple syrup
1/2 cup dark brown sugar
1 stick unsalted butter, browned
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
2oz toasted pecans
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
Maldon salt

In a bowl, whisk together the maple syrup, sugar, and brown butter first. Then whisk into that the egg, vanilla, and pecans. Finally, fold in the flour, baking powder, and baking soda to form your cookie dough. Refrigerate the dough for 20 minutes before scooping out 2 tbsp-sized balls. Place the dough balls on a lined sheet tray, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees F for 12 minutes. While the cookies are still warm, sprinkle Maldon salt on top to finish.