Baklava Cookies

A Spoonful of Thyme was the blog we were assigned for this month's edition of Secret Recipe Club. Kate who lives out in beautiful California has quite an extensive recipe index. I have really been in the mood for India food lately so originally I through I was going to make Chicken Tikka Masala but the sauce has a ton of different spices that I don't keep in the house. So instead I couldn't resist these Baklava Cookies. Baklava is one of my all time favorite desserts and my mom has actually made a whole tray of it for a previous month of Secret Recipe Club but working with phyllo dough is difficult and time consuming. These cookies are quick, easy and taste surprisingly similar to baklava because of the honey glaze topping with the sprinkled walnuts and cinnamon.

Ingredients for Cookies:
2 3/4 Cups Flour
1 Tsp Baking Soda
1/2 Tsp Baking Powder
1/2 Tsp Salt
1 Tsp Cinnamon
2 Cups Sugar
1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
1 Large Egg
2 1/2 Sticks I Can't Believe it's not Butter - Softened
11/2 Cup Chopped Walnuts

Ingredients for Glaze;
2/3 Cup Honey
2 Tsp Vanilla Extract
3 Tbsp I Can't Believe it's not Butter
1 Tsp Fresh Squeezed Lemon Juice
1/2 Tsp Cinnamon

Top with more cinnamon & finely chopped walnuts

Makes 4 dozen cookie

Preheat the oven to 350 F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper, set aside. In your stand mixers bowl combine the softened margarine and sugar until creamy and smooth. Then add your egg and vanilla extract. 

In a separate bowl combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and cinnamon. Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixing on low in between additions until it is completely combined.

Using a spatula mix in the walnuts pieces. Using your hands or a Tbsp form the cookie dough into small balls. Place the balls about 2 inches a part on a cookie sheet and lightly press down to flatten them. 

Bake about 10 minutes or until the cookies appear firm and the edges are slightly browned. Remove from the baking sheet after 2 or 3 minutes of cooling and allow to cool completely on a baking rack.

While the cookies are baking and cooling you can make the glaze. In a small pot on the stove combine the honey, lemon juice, margarine, vanilla extract and cinnamon over low heat. Mix occasionally, allowing the margarine to melt. It will take about 10-15 minutes for this glaze to come together and thicken to syrup constancy. Let it slightly begin to bubble then remove it from the heat. Drizzle it over the cookies once it has thicken and cooled a bit. Top the cookies with the walnut pieces and cinnamon while the glaze is still sticky so everything will stay on the cookie.

Enjoy!!