Maple Cookies With Maple Icing are soft, chewy brown sugar cookies flavored with real maple syrup and a hint of cinnamon, finished with a sweet maple glaze that sets into a thin, shiny layer. Bake them for fall, the holidays or a cozy afternoon with coffee.
How to make maple cookies with maple icing: Cream butter and brown sugar, beat in maple syrup, egg and vanilla, then mix in flour, baking soda and cinnamon. Flatten scoops of dough and bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes. Cool, then dip in a glaze of powdered sugar, maple syrup and milk.
Why You’ll Love It
- Double maple: maple syrup in the dough and in the icing.
- Soft and chewy: brown sugar keeps them tender for days.
- No chilling: the dough goes straight into the oven.
- A big batch: 24 cookies from one bowl of dough.
Ingredient Notes
Maple syrup: Use pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup. Pancake syrup is mostly corn syrup with flavoring and gives a flat, overly sweet taste.
Brown sugar and butter: Beat them together for about 2 minutes until light and fluffy. That air makes the cookies soft, and the brown sugar adds a caramel note that suits the maple.
Cinnamon: Just 1/4 teaspoon warms the flavor without hiding the maple.
Icing: Powdered sugar, maple syrup and a little milk. Start with 1 tablespoon of milk and add more only a teaspoon at a time, because the icing goes from thick to runny very quickly.
Toppings: Roasted chopped pecans or crumbled bacon are optional. I love the bacon here, because its salty crunch balances the sweet maple.
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Ingredients
Cookies
- 1/2 cup butter, softened (1 stick)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Maple icing
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 1-2 tbsp milk, as needed
- Roasted chopped pecans, optional garnish
- Crumbled cooked bacon, optional garnish
How to Make Maple Cookies
1. Heat the oven. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Cream. Beat the softened butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Beat in the maple syrup, egg and vanilla, scraping down the bowl as needed.
3. Add the dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda and cinnamon. Add them to the butter mixture gradually, mixing just until combined.
4. Shape. Scoop 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie and roll into balls. Place them about 2 inches apart on the baking sheets and flatten each one to about 1/2 inch thick with the bottom of a glass.
5. Bake. Bake for 10-12 minutes, until set but still soft to the touch. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheets.
6. Make the icing. Whisk the powdered sugar, maple syrup and 1 tablespoon of milk until smooth. If it is too thick, add more milk, 1 teaspoon at a time.
7. Ice. Dip the tops of the cooled cookies into the icing, or spoon it on and spread it gently.
8. Top. While the icing is still wet, sprinkle with pecans or bacon if you like.
How to Get Soft Cookies and a Glaze That Sets
Pull the cookies when they look set at the edges but still soft in the middle. They firm up as they cool on the hot sheet; if they look fully done in the oven, they will be crisp once cool.
The icing needs completely cool cookies. On warm cookies, it melts and runs off instead of forming a smooth layer. Aim for a glaze thick enough to coat the back of a spoon; it should flow slowly and settle flat.
Give the iced cookies time on a rack. I let them sit until the glaze is dry to the touch before stacking them, so the tops stay smooth and shiny.
Tips for Success
Why did my cookies spread too much?
The butter was too soft or melted. Use butter that is softened but still cool, and measure the flour by spooning it into the cup.
Why is the icing runny?
Too much milk went in. Whisk in more powdered sugar, a spoonful at a time, until it thickens.
Why don’t they taste very mapley?
Pancake syrup was used, or the syrup was light. Use pure maple syrup, preferably a dark, robust grade, which has a stronger flavor.
Variations
- Warm spice: add a little ground nutmeg to the dough.
- Maple pecan: fold chopped toasted pecans into the dough.
- Maple bacon: top the wet icing with crumbled crispy bacon.
Storage
Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days, with parchment between the layers so the icing does not stick. Cookies topped with bacon are best kept in the refrigerator. Unfrosted cookies freeze well; thaw and ice them when you need them.
What to Serve With It
Serve them with coffee, hot cider or a glass of milk. For more cookies and treats, try carrot cake cookies, Baileys chocolate chip cookies or chocolate toffee thumbprints. For a holiday tray, add lazy pecan pie bars, Christmas cherry bars and Scottish tablet.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best glaze for maple cookies?
A simple maple glaze of powdered sugar, pure maple syrup and a splash of milk. It sets into a thin, glossy layer and doubles the maple flavor.
What does adding maple syrup do to cookies?
It adds a warm, caramel-like maple flavor and extra moisture, which keeps the cookies soft and chewy.
Can I use maple extract instead of maple syrup?
Keep the syrup in the dough for moisture, but a drop of maple extract added to the dough or icing makes the maple flavor stronger.
Maple Cookies with Maple Icing at a Glance
These soft maple cookies get maple flavor twice: maple syrup in the dough and a maple icing on top. The recipe makes about 24 cookies.
- Cookie dough: butter, brown sugar, maple syrup, an egg, vanilla, flour, baking soda and a little cinnamon.
- Bake: at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes, until set but still soft.
- Maple icing: powdered sugar, maple syrup and a splash of milk, spread on once the cookies cool.
- Optional topping: chopped roasted pecans or crumbled bacon.
Final Notes
Use pure maple syrup and let the cookies cool completely before icing. If you have a question or bake them, tell me how they turned out in the comments.
Maple Cookies With Maple Icing
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened (1 stick)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp maple syrup for glaze
- 1-2 tbsp milk as needed for glaze
- roasted chopped pecans optional garnish
- crumbled cooked bacon optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Blend in the maple syrup, egg, and vanilla extract, mixing until fully combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and ground cinnamon. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture, blending just until combined.
- Using a cookie scoop, measure out 1 1/2 to 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie and roll into balls. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Flatten each ball to about 1/2 inch thick using the bottom of a glass.
- Place the cookies in the preheated oven and bake for 10-12 minutes, until set but still soft to the touch. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheets.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together powdered sugar, maple syrup, and 1 tablespoon of milk until smooth. If the glaze is too thick, add more milk as needed, 1 teaspoon at a time, until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Once the cookies are fully cooled, dip the tops into the glaze or spoon the glaze onto the cookies, spreading gently with the back of a spoon.
- While the glaze is still wet, sprinkle the tops with roasted chopped pecans or crumbled bacon, if desired, for added texture and flavor.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition values are estimates based on the listed ingredients and serving count. Actual values vary with brands, cuts and portion sizes.
