Pecan Mushroom Cookies

These woodland beauties are as delicious as they are whimsical. Great for making with kids.

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup powdered sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1/4 cup plain yogourt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup pecan meal (ground pecans)
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp allspice
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/4 tsp ginger
• For the assembly and topping
• 1/2 cup chocolate chips melted with 1/2 tbsp unsalted butter (for dipping the caps)
• 1/2 cup white chocolate chips, melted
  (for attaching the stems)
• 1/4 cup unsalted, shelled pistachios, roughly chopped (for sprinkling)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat your oven to 350˚F, and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.

1. In a large bowl, beat the butter and sugars until fluffy.  Add the eggs, maple syrup, yogourt and vanilla, and beat again.
2. In a second bowl, whisk together the flour, pecan meal, baking powder, cinnamon, allspice, pumpkin pie spice, and ginger. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, and mix until combined. Chill the dough for 1 hour or use immediately.
3. Roll 2/3 of the dough into 2-inch balls (mushroom caps), and shape 1/3 of the dough into log-shaped stems.
4. Space the mushroom caps 2 inches apart on the prepared sheet, and bake them for 8 to 10 minutes.
5. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack, and while they’re warm, notch out a small hole in the bottom of each cap to insert a stem.
6. Next, bake the stems for 8 minutes, and cool them on a rack.
7. Dip the top of each stem in melted white chocolate, and fit them into the caps.
8. Leave them to set upside down in the fridge.
9. Next dip the caps in melted chocolate, and sprinkle with pistachios.
10. Place cap-side-down on waxed paper to set.  t8n