Don't stop 'til you get enough.
Michael Jackson nostalgia has been everywhere lately, thanks to the release of Michael, the new biopic that’s generating plenty of attention. After seeing it in the theater, my kids, who were already fans, have only become even more obsessed with his music. They’ve been moonwalking through the living room, repeatedly requesting “Billie Jean” and “Man in the Mirror” (the single greatest key change in history), and perfecting a surprisingly committed version of the “Thriller” dance that I may have taught them myself. Needless to say, we’re fans.
So when I found out that Michael had a favorite cookie recipe, I had to make it. I tested them while blasting his greatest hits in my kitchen, and had one of those moments where I felt deeply appreciative that this is, somehow, my actual job.
What are Michael Jackson’s favorite cookies?
According to chef Akasha Richmond, who cooked for Michael while on tour, his favorite cookies were maple pecan butter cookies, which she reportedly made for him all over the world. The ingredients list is surprisingly understated: butter, maple syrup, maple sugar, pecans and a mix of all-purpose and whole-wheat flour.
The result lands somewhere between a butter cookie, a pecan sandie and the edge of a really good pancake breakfast. I fully expected these to be more historically interesting than actually delicious. Unfortunately for my self-control, they’re both.
How to Make Maple Pecan Butter Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 1/3 cup maple sugar
- 2/3 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1-1/2 cups unbleached flour
- 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup pecans, chopped
Directions
Step 1: Cream the butter and sugars
Cream the butter, maple sugar and maple syrup together until the mixture is light and fluffy. Add the vanilla extract.
Step 2: Add the dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flours, baking soda and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, then fold in the chopped pecans.
Step 3: Bake the cookies
Drop the dough by teaspoonfuls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, and bake the cookies at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are lightly golden.
How do the cookies taste?
In the less than 24 hours since I made these cookies, somehow almost all of them have disappeared. Even my kids, who normally go for louder, more chocolate- or sprinkle-forward cookies, keep sneaking back for more. Which, in a house currently running on a near-constant Michael Jackson soundtrack, feels appropriate.
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