3/4 c Butter; softened

1/2 c Granulated sugar

1 Egg

1/2 c Maple syrup

1/2 ts Maple extract

3 c All-purpose flour; sifted

Flaked coconut; optional Cream cheese; softened And/or buttercream frosting And/or candied peel; -optional Recipe by: St. Louis Post-Dispatch 1/1/1990 Cream together butter and sugar with electric mixer. Add egg and maple syrup, mixing until smooth. Mix in maple extract. Gradually add flour to batter, beating well after each addition. Cover dough and refrigerate 4 hours, or overnight. Roll out dough about 1/8-inch thick on a lightly floured pastry cloth. Cut with various shaped cookie cutters. Transfer to ungreased cookie sheets. Sprinkle coconut on unbaked cookies, if desired. (The coconut will adhere without an egg-white wash.) Bake in a preheated 350-degree oven 6 to 8 minutes, or until done. Watch cookies carefully because they burn easily. Cookies are done when they are lightly browned around outer edges. Remove from oven and transfer immediately to racks to cool (if left on baking sheets, the cookies will continue to cook). If coconut is not used, frost cooled cookies with buttercream frosting or spread with soft cream cheese and top with candied peel, if desired. Suggestion: Jam, lemon curd or chocolate glaze may be used to top cookies, or use two cookies to make a sandwich with a sweet filling. -----