Preheat the oven
to 375F/190C/gas 5. Butter four cookie sheets.
Bring the maple
syrup to a boil in a small saucepan over medium heat
and boil for 5 minutes. Add the butter and boil for
2 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes.
Sift the flour,
baking soda, and salt into a large bowl. Stir in the
sugar. Add the vanilla and egg to the maple syrup
mixture, beating until just blended.
Pour into the dry
ingredients and mix well. Drop teaspoons of the
batter 3 inches (8cm) apart onto the prepared cookie
sheet. Do not drop more than four cookies onto each
cookie sheet.
Bake, one sheet
at a time, for 5-8 minutes, or until faintly tinged
with brown on top and slightly darker at the edges.
Cool on the sheets until the cookies firm slightly.
Transfer to racks to finish cooling.
Butter the cookie
sheets again and continue to bake in batches until
all the batter has been used.
Frosting; Mix the
confectioners' sugar, water and food coloring in a
small bowl to make a thin glaze. Drizzle over the
tops of the cookies in a decorative manner.