Note: Icon viewer Mary Ann Ring provided this timely cookie recipe.

Since the maple tapping season is almost upon us, we are lucky to have a few maple syrup making demonstrations in our area to check out. While you are at the Coldren-Crates Maple festival in Arlington or the Johnny Appleseed Maple Syrup Festival at Teddy Bear Park in Lima (both taking place March 13), pick up some maple syrup and try the maple sugar.

We're all familiar with the syrup and how deliciously good it is, but try out the maple sugar as well. Maple sugar is syrup that's boiled down even further into a granulated form. You can use it like sugar, cup for cup, but do be aware of the rather strong maple flavor that accompanies it.

Probably one of the best ways that I know of to use maple sugar is in a butter cookie. The following cookie recipe is based on one from the King Arthur catalog. The maple sugar is so good and adds just a subtle flavor to the cookies. If you want to give this a try, cut the recipe in half. I've done it before when my baking supplies were low and it turned out great.

Maple Shortbread Cookies

1 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
1/2 cup maple sugar
1/3 cup sugar
1 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Beat the butter with the sugars, salt and vanilla until well combined (2 - 3 minutes). Beat in the flour to form a smooth dough. The dough will be crumbly at first, but will come together as it's mixed. Divide the dough in half (if making a full recipe), pat each into a disk, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least an hour.

Preheat the oven to 350^0. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or lightly grease. Sprinkle a work surface with flour and roll the dough till it's approximately 1/4 " thick. Cut out cookies with your favorite cookie cutter (maple leaf would be appropriate here!).

Place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets and if you desire, sprinkle with some more of that delicious maple sugar. Bake for 10 - 12 minutes, until they're very lightly browned. Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 4 - 5 minutes (important!) before removing to a cooling rack.