Cookie Experiments - Maple Cut Out Cookies

I have finished my Christmas Shopping about 2 weeks ago.  I am unusually very excited for Christmas this year. Is it because I know I don't have to go shopping?  Is it because I'm now 30 and "old"?  Or because of the kids?  I don't know.  Anyways - I'll be the first to tell you that I'm no Martha Stewart in the kitchen.  But I've been on a cooking kick lately.  I've been trying new recipes. If I can succeed at baking certain recipes, anyone can.  Plus, I'm blogging them here so I can easily come back to them in the future.  I'm not really good at keeping anything organized in my house. 

Maple Cut Out Cookies (original recipe from Gooseberry Patch Old Fashioned Country Cookies cookbook)

I followed a recipe, but made some adjustments. I'm bad at following directions, but I thought these came out awesome.

1 c. Butter or margarine (I used Smart Balance 50/50 Sticks - they seemed to work fine)
2/3 c. sugar
1/2 c. pure maple syrup or the crap you buy at the grocery store
1/3 c. milk
3 1/2 c. flour
1/2 t. baking soda
1/2 t. ground ginger

In medium saucepan, combine butter, sugar & syrup. Bring to boil. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature. Add milk. In separate bowl, combine dry ingredients. Add cooled syrup mixutre. Mix well. Put in plastic wrap (I used waxed paper) and chill for at least 2 hours (I think I waited 3).

Roll out dough to about 1/4" thickness. Cut with leaf cutter or whatever you want. Bake on ungreased cookie sheet at 375 for 8-10 minutes (I used parchment paper and cooked at 350 for 8 minutes). Remove to cooling rack immediately.

Maple Glaze (optional)

1/2 c. sifted powdered sugar (I didn't sift mine)
3 T. syrup
Mix and frost cookies (I actually only frosted half of mine and ran out of frosting. Must have gone crazy. I'm just going to freeze the rest and frost them when I defrost them). The recipe said it makes 3 1/2 dozen but I got about 7 dozen out of it. I must have smaller leaf cookie cutters than the lady who made this recipe up.