Celebrate National Pecan Day (April 14) with these easy, chewy Maple Pecan Cookies, adapted from Food Network. This recipe makes about 24 cookies.
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, cream together 1 stick unsalted butter (at room temperature) and 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar until light and fluffy. Slowly drizzle in 1/2 cup maple syrup, mixing until smooth, then scrape down the bowl and beat in 1 egg and 1teaspoon vanilla. In the same bowl, add 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, 1 3/4 teaspoons baking powder, and 3/4 teaspoon fine sea salt. Fold in 1 1/2 cups finely chopped pecans until evenly distributed.
Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie and place on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 1 1/2 inches apart. Lightly sprinkle each cookie with flaky sea salt, then bake for 15 to 18 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Let the cookies cool on a wire rack before serving.