Maple-Walnut Bars

These cookies are our version of the maple-walnut bars from the Freight House Cafe in Erving, Massachusetts. Soft and chewy and generously studded with toasted walnuts, the blondie-like bars get smoky notes as well as moistness from a generous pour of maple syrup. The flavor of the bars will be deeper and richer if you use “dark” or “very dark” maple syrup rather than “amber”; we suggest skipping “golden,” the lightest color class in the maple grading system. You can, of course, devour the bars the day of baking, but we think the flavor and texture are even better the day after. In an airtight container at room temperature, they will keep for several days.