Maple Walnut Shortbread Recipe

Toast 4 cups/1 L of the walnuts in centre of 350F/180C oven until fragrant and lightly toasted, about 5 minutes; transfer to rack and let cool completely. In food processor, whir toasted walnuts with maple flakes until in powder, being careful not to overprocess into paste.

Transfer to bowl; whisk in all-purpose and rice flours and salt. In separate bowl, beat butter with maple syrup until light and fluffy; beat in vanilla. Slowly beat in walnut mixture until thoroughly blended; knead into soft dough then form into ball. Halve and form each half into disc; wrap and refrigerate until well-chilled, at least 1 hour.

On lightly floured surface, roll out each disc to about 1/4-inch/5 mm thickness. With 2-inch/5 cm round cookie cutter, cut cookies; place, 1 inch/2.5 cm apart, on parchment paper-lined rimless baking sheets. Top each with 1 of the remaining walnut halves and sprinkle with pinch of the maple sugar. Reroll scraps and repeat with remaining dough.

Bake in centre of 300F/150C oven until light golden, about 25 minutes. Let cool on pans on racks for 2 minutes; transfer to racks and let cool completely.

Makes about 70 cookies.