Love maple donuts? They’re our favorite! So we channeled those irresistible flavors into these Maple Cookies. These cookies are supremely sweet, soft & chewy with crisp edges, and topped with a simple maple glaze. We may just prefer these to the donuts now!
Try some of our other popular cookie recipes — these chocolate-chip cookie bars, these no-baking required avalanche cookies, or these cream cheese frosted cinnamon roll cookies next time.
A maple donut inspired cookie
There are few treats more popular among my two boys than a good maple donut or maple bar. They beg for them when we’re in the grocery store or anytime we pass a Krispy Kreme’s.
Beyond they’re obsession with donuts, they also have an affinity for chip-less cookies (that’s how these Brown Sugar Cookies came to be!)
So, with the strong maple flavor, lack of chocolate chips, and donut-inspired glaze topping, I knew these cookies would be a hit with the boys. What I didn’t know was how much of a hit! My boys have raved for days about these maple cookies — I’ve never seen a batch disappear so quickly!
In fact, I even found a cookie hiding out in my son’s cubby/locker. When asking him why, he explained he didn’t want anyone else to eat it before he had room for another. And that is how I know he did in fact get at least some of my genetics, ha!
What you can expect from this maple cookies recipe
These cookies do taste extremely similar to a maple donut/maple bar and they are very, very sweet.
The cookies are soft and chewy with slightly crispier edges. They have a very rich maple flavor and the glaze tastes similar to the glaze you’d find on a maple bar.
While not complicated to make, these cookies are particular. They take a good amount of overall time from start to finish (even though a lot of that time in hands off). To get that soft and chewy texture, and because of the overall amount of liquid in these cookies, these cookies require a lot of chilling time. Measure carefully (use a food scale if you have one!) and follow the directions closely and these cookies will turn out amazing.
Special ingredients
While most of the ingredients are fairly straight-forward and typical cookie ingredients, there are two unique ingredients in these maple cookies:
- Pure maple syrup. Not to be confused with corn syrup or pancake syrup, pure maple syrup is the sap from a maple tree that has been boiled down to a thicker consistency. It’s just one ingredient! Pancake syrup is made with corn syrup and maple extract. Pure maple syrup is quite spend-y (a lot more than pancake syrup), because it is so labor intensive to make (you can read more of the process here).
- Maple extract. While it may sound fancy, this extract is just as readily available as vanilla or almond extract! Check among the other baking extracts in the grocery store. I recommend McCormick’s maple extract for the best and purest flavor (not sponsored).
QUICK TIP
As a wife to a Vermont-raised guy, who knows every in and out of pure maple syrup, not all maple syrups are the same! There are various grades of maple syrup, which we won’t go into too much depth here. What you need to know: Grade A or B will both work the same in this recipe. Grade be will have more flavor and be darker because it is produced later in the season. It also can be more expensive and tricker to find. I typically use Grade A in these maple cookies.
Maple cookies tips
- Correctly measure the flour. If you press a measuring cup into a bag of flour and scoop, you will pack in way too much flour which affects the texture of these cookies. To properly measure your flour, spoon the flour into the measuring cup until its overfilled. Then use the back of a butter knife to level the measuring cup at the top. (Video visual here)
- Use a Silpat® liner. The cookies end up with much softer bases when baked on a lined sheet pan.
- Roll tall cookie dough balls. Roll the large dough balls to be tall and skinny instead of in a perfect round ball. There is a lot of dough — 2 tablespoons per cookie, but this ensures a large, thick, and ultra chewy cookie. I don’t recommend making smaller cookie dough balls, they don’t end up the same.
- Use fresh ingredients. For the softest and best possible maple cookies, use fresh and soft brown sugar and fresh baking agents.
Maple cookies storage
These cookies store well at room temperature in an air-tight container for 3-4 days. Instead of freezing already-baked cookies, freeze the dough!
To do so: drop the cookie dough balls on a large sheet pan and freeze until solid. Once solid, transfer the frozen cookie dough balls to an airtight container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To bake: You can bake these cookies straight from the freezer. There is no need to thaw, but you may need to add a few extra minutes to the baking time. Bake the maple cookies until the edges are lightly browned, and the center is still soft.
Use up leftover maple syrup in one of these recipes:
Maple Cookies
Love maple donuts? They’re our favorite! So we channeled those irresistible flavors into these Maple Cookies. These cookies are supremely sweet, soft & chewy with crisp edges, and topped with a simple maple glaze. We may just prefer these to the donuts now!
Maple Cookies
Love maple donuts? They’re our favorite! So we channeled those irresistible flavors into these Maple Cookies. These cookies are supremely sweet, soft & chewy with crisp edges, and topped with a simple maple glaze. We may just prefer these to the donuts now!
Ingredients
Cookies
- 16 tablespoons (1 cup; 227g) unsalted butter
- 1 cup (197g) light brown sugar, tightly packed
- 2/3 cup (141g) white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1-1/4 teaspoon pure maple extract Note 1
- 1/2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup (72g) pure maple syrup Note 2
- 1 teaspoon EACH: baking soda, baking powder, fine sea salt
- 3-1/2 cups (435g) white all-purpose flour
Icing
- 2 tablespoons (20g) unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup (72g) pure maple syrup
- 1 cup (108g) powdered sugar
- 1 tablespoon whole milk
- Tiny pinch fine sea salt
- 1/4 teaspoon maple extract
Instructions
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WET INGREDIENTS: Melt the butter in a microwave-safe bowl. Let butter stand at room temperature for 5 minutes to cool back down. If the butter is hot, it will melt the sugars and cause greasy cookies. Use a spatula to scrape every bit of butter into a large bowl. Add in the white and brown sugar and briskly whisk with a whisk until smooth and incorporated, about 1-2 minutes. Take your time here, the butter should be fully incorporated, not rising to the top or separating. Add in one egg, whisk until smooth. Add in the other egg, maple extract, vanilla extract, and maple syrup. Whisk until just combined and smooth.
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DRY INGREDIENTS: Right on top of the wet ingredients add in the baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Mix to combine. Add the flour on top. Switch to a wooden spoon and mix until just combined. Cover the dough tightly and chill for 1 hour.
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ROLL COOKIE DOUGH BALLS: Roll tall cylinders of dough. Each ball should be a full 2 tablespoons of dough (38 grams if you have a food scale). Place on a parchment-lined plate. Cover and refrigerate the balls of dough for an additional 45 minutes.
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BAKE: Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Place dough balls on a parchment or Silpat-lined sheet pan (we like the Silpat sheet best for these cookies), spread far apart (I only bake 6-8 cookies at a time since they spread a lot) and bake for 10-15 minutes. Watch carefully, being sure not to over-bake. Slightly under-baked cookies are the best! Remove from the oven and right out of the oven, press the edges of the cookie inwards with the back of a metal spatula. Let cookies stand on the cookie sheet for 4-5 minutes before removing them to a cooling rack. Allow cookies to cool before icing.
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ICING: In a small pot over low heat, combine the butter and maple syrup. Whisk together until smooth and butter is melted. Once the butter has melted, remove the pot from heat and add in the powdered sugar, milk, salt, and maple extract. Whisk until completely smooth. Thin with additional milk if needed. Use a spoon to drizzle icing over cooled cookies. Let set, about 30-45 minutes.
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STORAGE: Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They’re best enjoyed within 3-4 days. Freeze cookie dough as opposed to baked cookies (see next step).
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FREEZING DOUGH: Instead of freezing already-baked cookies, freeze the dough! Drop the cookie dough balls on a large sheet pan and freeze until solid. Once solid, transfer the frozen cookie dough balls to an airtight container or bag and freeze for up to 3 months. To bake: You can bake these cookies straight from the freezer. There is no need to thaw, but you may need to add a few extra minutes to the baking time. Bake until the edges are lightly browned, and the center is still soft.
Recipe Notes
Note 2: Not to be confused with corn syrup or pancake syrup, pure maple syrup is the sap from a maple tree that has been boiled down to a thicker consistency. I use pure maple syrup; typically Grade A. You can find pure maple syrup near pancake syrups in the grocery store.
Nutrition Facts
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 180kcal | Carbohydrates: 27.8g | Protein: 1.6g | Fat: 7.1g | Cholesterol: 29.7mg | Sodium: 6.4mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 18.1g
We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.
