| 1 | To brown the butter, melt butter in a small, heavy saucepan over low heat. |
| 2 | When fully melted, increase heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, until the butter turns a medium brown and smells nutty. |
| 3 | Measure out 1 cup to use for cookies and reserve the rest for the filling. |
| 4 | Refrigerate until firm but not solid, about 30 minutes. |
| 5 | For cookies, heat oven to 325 degrees. |
| 6 | Have ready a cookie press and ungreased baking sheet(s). |
| 7 | Beat the 1 cup brown butter, ?cup of the confectioners" sugar, vanilla and salt in large bowl of electric mixer until creamy. |
| 8 | Add egg and egg yolks and mix to combine. |
| 9 | Stop mixer and add flour; mix on low speed just until flour disappears. |
| 10 | Transfer dough to a cookie press and press onto baking sheet in desired shapes, spacing them 1 ?inches apart. |
| 11 | Bake until set, 16 to 18 minutes. |
| 12 | Transfer to a wire rack to cool. |
| 13 | For filling, cook maple syrup in a heavy 2-quart saucepan over high heat for 5 minutes. |
| 14 | Cool to lukewarm then stir in remaining ?cup confectioners" sugar. |
| 15 | Beat the reserved brown butter in a food processor or a small bowl of electric mixer until light. |
| 16 | Add the syrup mixture and beat until smooth. |
| 17 | If mixture is too thick, add a small amount of milk or cream until it is spreadable. |
| 18 | Assemble cookies by spreading about ?teaspoon filling on the flat side of half the cookies. |
| 19 | Sandwich with another cookie. |
| 20 | second-place winner in the 1995 chicago tribune holiday cookie contest: by sarah frudden of chicago |
