¼cup(57g) unsalted buttersoftened to room temperature
¾cup(150g) granulated sugar
2ounces(57g) goat cheese1softened to room temperature
2Tablespoons(30mL) pure maple syrup
1large egg yolk
½teaspoonvanilla extract
¼cup(30g) finely chopped pecans2
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 350ºF (177ºC). Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat. Set aside.
In a medium size bowl, toss together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
In a large bowl with a handheld mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter and sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy (about 2-3 minutes). Add the goat cheese and beat again until completely combined, scraping down the sides and bottom of bowl with a spatula as needed. Add the maple syrup, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and beat until everything is incorporated.
Decrease the mixer speed to low and slowly add dry ingredients. Mix until a dough forms, then fold in the chopped pecans with a spatula.
Using a cookie scoop (I use this #50 cookie scoop for all of my standard size cookies), gently roll dough into balls. Dough will be soft but still workable. Place on prepared baking sheet. Bake cookies for 10-11 minutes, until cookies are just set and slightly cracked on the top. Cookies will puff up but "deflate" as they cool. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for about 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Cookies stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature up to 1 week. Baked cookies may be frozen, up to 3 months. Rolled cookie dough can be frozen up to 2 months. Refrigerate rolled dough balls until firm then freeze. Place frozen dough balls on baking sheet and bake an additional 1-2 minutes.
Notes
Goat cheese: I love making these with maple and/or pecan goat cheese if I can find it. You can usually find this in the fancy cheese section of larger grocery stores.
Pecans: these are optional, but I love the texture they bring to the cookie. You can substitute any nut in place of the pecans, especially if you find a goat cheese with a different type of nut in it.
All nutritional values are approximate and provided to the reader as a courtesy. Changing ingredients and/or quantities will alter the estimated nutritional calculations.