Bonnie Levin's Maple Pecan Cookies

TO MAKE DOUGH:

Sift together flour, salt and baking powder. In food processor, pulse the sugars.

Add maple flavoring. Pulse 5-6 times. Then process for 15 seconds. Scrape bowl to incorporate ingredients

In standard mixer, cream butter. Add sugar mixture in 3 additions. Mix 3 more minutes, until lightened in color. Add egg and vanilla. Mix until blended. Reduce mixer speed to low. Add dry ingredients in 3 additions. Add chopped pecans and mix until blended.

Divide the dough into approximately 8 pieces. (use fewer pieces if you want larger cookies. The cookies spread very little during baking). Roll each piece back and forth until they form a log, approximately 1 1/2 inches in diameter. You should not need to flour the rolling surface. Wrap each log in plastic wrap. Roll tightly and twist ends to seal. Refrigerate logs until firm enough to slice (2-3 hours). Can be placed in freezer for 1 hour. Logs can also be frozen up to 3 months before baking.

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with parchment. Remove one log at a time from refrigerator. Cut logs into 1/4 inch rounds using gentle sawing motion. Set rounds 1 inch apart on prepared pans. Top each cookie with a pecan half. Bake until cookies are lightly browned, about 10-12 minutes, rotating the pans for even baking. For firmer cookies, bake another couple minutes.