Introduction

These maple cookies offer a delightful combination of soft, buttery dough and a sweet maple glaze. Perfect for maple lovers, they bring cozy flavors into every bite and are great for sharing with friends and family.

A stack of soft, round cookies arranged on a white plate with a smooth caramel-colored glaze on top. Each cookie is thick and light brown with a slightly crackled texture. The glaze is shiny and spread unevenly in the center of each cookie, creating a glossy layer that contrasts with the matte cookie surface. The plate sits on a white marbled surface, adding a clean and bright background to the warm tones of the cookies. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Ingredients

¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup pure maple syrup (Grade A recommended)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp cornstarch
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
1 ½ cups powdered sugar (for the maple glaze)
2 tbsp pure maple syrup (for the glaze)
1–2 tbsp milk (as needed for glaze consistency)
1 tbsp melted butter (for the glaze)
Pinch of salt (for the glaze)

Instructions

Step 1: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar using a hand mixer or stand mixer for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and maple syrup, then mix until fully combined and smooth.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir just until the dough comes together. Avoid overmixing.
Step 3: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour or up to overnight. This chills the dough to help prevent spreading and enhances the flavor.
Step 4: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 5: Scoop about 1½ tablespoons of chilled dough and roll into balls. Place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
Step 6: Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the centers still seem slightly underbaked. They will finish setting as they cool.
Step 7: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.
Step 8: To make the glaze, whisk together powdered sugar, maple syrup, melted butter, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Start with 1 tablespoon of milk, adding more as needed until the glaze is smooth and spreadable but not runny.
Step 9: Spoon the glaze over the cooled cookies, focusing on the center and allowing it to spread naturally. Let the glaze set for 30 minutes at room temperature or chill briefly in the fridge until firm.

Tips & Variations

For extra texture, stir in ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts into the dough before chilling.
Use Grade A maple syrup for a sweeter, lighter maple flavor, or Grade B for a stronger, deeper taste.
If you prefer a thicker glaze, reduce the milk gradually to achieve your desired consistency.
To keep cookies soft, avoid overbaking and store properly after cooling and glazing.

Storage

Store glazed cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If unglazed, they can last up to a week. To re-soften slightly, warm gently in the microwave for 10–15 seconds. For longer storage, freeze unglazed cookies for up to 3 months and glaze after thawing.

How to Serve

A close-up view of a stack of soft round cookies on a white plate, each cookie with a rough, golden-brown base layer topped with a smooth, light caramel-colored glaze spread unevenly on the top surface. The cookies are piled casually, showing various sizes of the glaze patches, with some glaze edges gently dripping over the textured cookie edges, all set on a white marbled texture background. photo taken with an iphone --ar 4:5 --v 7

Serve this delicious recipe with your favorite sides.

FAQs

Can I use a different sweetener instead of maple syrup?

While maple syrup is key to the flavor, you can substitute honey or agave nectar in the dough and glaze, but the cookies will lose that distinctive maple taste.

How do I prevent the cookies from spreading too much?

Chilling the dough for at least an hour before baking helps control spreading. Also, avoid overmixing the dough and ensure your butter is softened but not melted.

Maple Cookies with Maple Glaze Recipe

Print Recipe

★★★★★

4.8 from 119 reviews

These Maple Cookies are a delightful treat featuring a soft, buttery base infused with pure maple syrup and topped with a luscious maple glaze. Perfect for maple lovers, these cookies combine the rich flavors of brown sugar and vanilla with the unique sweetness of Grade A maple syrup, baked to a light golden perfection and finished with a smooth, sweet glaze that enhances every bite.

Author: Toney
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
Yield: 24 cookies 1x
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

Scale

For the Cookies

¾ cup unsalted butter, softened
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
¼ cup pure maple syrup (Grade A recommended)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tbsp cornstarch
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt

For the Maple Glaze

1 ½ cups powdered sugar
2 tbsp pure maple syrup
1–2 tbsp milk (as needed for consistency)
1 tbsp melted butter
Pinch of salt

Instructions

Make the Dough: In a large mixing bowl, cream together the softened butter and brown sugar using a hand mixer or stand mixer for 2–3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add the egg, vanilla extract, and maple syrup, then mix until fully combined and smooth.
Add Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir just until the dough comes together, being careful not to overmix.
Chill the Dough: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 1 hour or up to overnight. Chilling helps prevent spreading and enhances the flavor.
Preheat the Oven: Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Shape the Cookies: Scoop about 1½ tablespoons of chilled dough and roll into balls. Place them 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets to allow space for spreading.
Bake: Bake the cookies for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden and the centers still appear slightly underbaked. They will finish setting as they cool.
Cool: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing to prevent melting the glaze.
Make the Glaze: In a small bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, maple syrup, melted butter, and a pinch of salt. Add 1 tablespoon of milk to start, then add more as needed until the glaze is smooth and spreadable but not runny.
Glaze the Cookies: Spoon the glaze over the cooled cookies, focusing on the center and allowing it to spread naturally. Let the glaze set for about 30 minutes at room temperature or chill briefly in the fridge until firm.

Notes

Using Grade A pure maple syrup enhances the distinct maple flavor in both the dough and glaze.
Chilling the dough is essential to prevent spreading and helps develop the flavor.
Do not overbake; cookies should still look slightly underbaked in the center for a soft texture.
Adjust the milk in the glaze gradually to achieve the perfect spreadable consistency.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Glaze may soften in warm environments.

Keywords: maple cookies, maple syrup cookies, soft maple cookies, maple glaze, fall cookies, homemade cookies, easy cookie recipe