Cranberry Maple Brown Butter Shortbread Cookies

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Line two 12-count cupcake tins with baking cups, or use a square 9 inch baking pan lined with parchment paper. You’ll use the middle rack of the oven – so position the rack now.

To make the brown butter:

In a small sauce pot, heat the 1/2 cup of butter on medium heat until it boils and resembles a light golden color, about 4 to 5 minutes. Remove from heat. Using a small wire mesh strainer, pour the butter through the strainer into a medium bowl.

To make the brown butter shortbread cookies:

Into the bowl with the brown butter, add the sugar and flour and mix well with a wooden spoon. Cover and refrigerate for 10 minutes. If the dough is too stiff and cold, allow it to sit for a few minutes so that it becomes soft and pliable again.

Using a tablespoon, scoop out the dough and place it into the lined baking cups, using the spoon to spread and distribute evenly. Or put all of the dough into the prepared cake pan, if you are making a cake instead of cookies.

Bake for 15 minutes in cupcake pan and (20 minutes for square pan), or until the dough is a nice golden brown. Remove from the oven and allow the crust to cool on a rack while you make the cranberry maple filling.

Maple fruit topping:

In a sauce pot combine the maple syrup, salt, cranberries and vanilla. Cook over medium heat until you reach a boil, then continue to cook for about a minute. Remove from heat.

Using a teaspoon, place a spoonful onto each shortbread cookie, then top with 4 to 5 white chocolate chips. Return cookies to oven and bake for an additional 8 to 10 minutes, or until chocolate chips begin to melt.

Remove from oven and allow to cool on a wire rack. I removed the baking cups from the cupcake pan and allowed the cookies to cool in the baking cup liners on a wire rack.