Bacon Cookies with Maple Icing & Candied 6 slices of thick cut bacon finely chopped
2 cups all-purpose flour
8 tablespoons butter (1 stick), cut into pieces & softened
1 large egg
3 tablespoons heavy cream
Fry the bacon over medium heat until crisp and drain on paper towels.
In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, butter, egg, and cream & mix until well-blended.
Add the bacon and knead until the dough is soft and the bacon is evenly distributed, about 1 minute.
Roll the dough into one or two logs about 1 1/2 inches thick. Wrap in plastic wrap and chill until firm, at least 2 hours.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
Cut the dough into 1/4-inch thick slices & arrange the slices about 1 inch apart on a lightly greased cookie sheet (use a bit of the bacon grease or use a silicone mat).
Bake until the cookies are firm and very lightly browned (they won't get golden brown), about 12-15 minutes.
Transfer the cookies to a rack to cool. Then, spread with maple icing and top with a small piece of candied bacon (recipes below).
Maple Icing
You don't really need a precise recipe for these. For the icing, I mixed some powdered sugar (let's say about a 1/2 cup) with some Grade A real maple syrup (let's say 3 tablespoons). But really, I didn't measure. I eyeballed it...adding a bit more sugar, then a bit more syrup until I got the right consistency. You want it to be thick enough to spread...unless you want it think enough to pour. It's really up to you. But, you MUST use the good syrup here, NOT the maple-flavored stuff. Ice the cookies when they are cool.