Maple Shortbread Cookies

Directions

1. Cream together butter, sugar, salt, and maple syrup

2. Add flour and mix, just till well combined

3. Transfer dough into plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes (up to 24 hours)

4. For a classic rectangle shape, mold the dough into a 2” by 1” rectangle, and slice into 10 even ¼” cookies.
   TIP: Shape the dough before you chill it while it is soft and easy to work with. Slice when dough is cold and firm.
   
   For more elaborate cookies, roll out dough to ¼” thickness and cut into shapes. If dough has chilled for more than 30 minutes, let it rest at room temp for 10-15 minutes before rolling out so that the dough will be easier to work with. Re-chill cut cookies for 15-20 minutes before baking to help them hold their shape.

5. Preheat oven to 300 degrees F. Bake cookies on parchment-lined cookie sheet for 20-25 minutes, until golden brown. Remove from oven and let cookies cool on the tray.

6. For Maple Drizzle (if desired)
   
   Heat ½ cup maple syrup in on med-low heat to 305 degrees F. Stir gently till syrup begins to boil. Add one or two drops of oil or butter to help keep the syrup from foaming up and over the pot, and stop stirring. Once Syrup has reached temp, remove from heat and use a cool spoon to drizzle over cookies.
   
   Note: You will have more drizzle than you need for 10 cookies, but it can be difficult to heat smaller volumes of syrup to temperature without burning.