Ingredients
- 150g ground almonds
- 180g all-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 115g unsalted butter, softened
- 120ml pure Quebec maple syrup (amber)
- 1 egg yolk
- 100g maple jelly or high-quality raspberry jam
Method
- Beat butter and maple syrup together, then stir in the egg yolk.
- Incorporate ground almonds, flour, and cinnamon to form a soft dough.
- Divide in two, wrap, and chill for 45 minutes until firm.
- Roll out, cut shapes (half with window cut-outs), and bake at 165°C (325°F) for 10-12 minutes.
- Let cool, spread jam on whole cookies, and top with windowed cookies.
Conversion and rationale
Original sweetener (classic version): 100g white sugar
Conversion used: Replaced 100g white sugar with 120ml amber maple syrup in dough. Swapped dusting sugar with maple sugar flakes. Lowered baking temp to 165°C to protect almond flour from burning.
Why Quebec maple syrup: Almond flour and maple syrup create an exceptional flavor synergy, transforming this classic Austrian holiday biscuit into a celebration of Canadian forest products.
General rule: 1 cup (250 ml) sugar ≈ 3/4 cup (180 ml) maple syrup; reduce liquids by 45–60 ml per cup of syrup and lower oven by 15 °C. Substitution calculator →