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Soft and chewy maple sugar cookies feature a sweet and earthy flavor mixed in a classic Christmas cookie. These chewy cookies with maple glaze take only one bowl to mix them up and they come together quickly. The maple flavor is a great addition to the buttery flavor of the classic sugar cookie.
Today is Day 4 of my Christmas cookie week extravaganza! In case you missed it: Monday was Giant Ginger cookies, Tuesday was the best sugar cookies and yesterday was triple chocolate cookies.
These soft maple sugar cookies are such a delicious twist on the classic sugar cookie! I use pure maple syrup a lot when I’m baking, especially when I’m making paleo baked goods. Real maple syrup also adds a deep flavor to any baked good. It’s a festive flavor that reminds you of the holidays.
The base of these maple sugar cookies is a simple sugar cookie and requires only one bowl! Just mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients, chill the dough, bake, and glaze! That’s the best part about it. So simple to pull together, but such a delicious cookie.
The end result is a warm, tender, melt-in-your-mouth cookie with a chewy center, crispy edges, and just the right balance of sweetness and buttery flavor. The addition of maple syrup flavor is one of my favorite things about this cookie.
I promise, add this maple sugar cookie recipe to your list of Christmas cookies and you will not be disappointed!
Looking for more cookie recipes this holiday season? Next time, try these Italian sprinkle cookies, hot cocoa cookies, or Christmas tree meringue cookies. Grab a cookie cutter for these fun gingerbread snowflake cookies.
How to Make Maple Sugar Cookies
The full printable recipe card is below, but let’s walk through the steps with some photos and a video so you have a clear idea of what to expect. This maple sugar cookies recipe is really easy and these step-by-step instructions will make sure they turn out every time.
Make dough. In a large bowl, cream butter and shortening on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Beat until combined about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides and bottom of the bowl as you go. Add in the egg yolks and vanilla extract and beat well. Gradually add the flour, mixing well after each addition.
Chill dough and prepare cookies. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill dough for at least one hour.
While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 300°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
Once chilled, shape the cookie dough balls into one-inch balls using a tablespoon or small cookie scoop and place them on the prepared baking sheets. Place back in the fridge for 10 minutes to chill a little bit more.
Bake cookies and allow to cool. Bake the cookies for 12-13 minutes or until edges are set, being careful not to overbake. Remove from oven and allow to cool on the sheet pan for 2 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Make maple syrup glaze. Stir together the heavy cream, melted unsalted butter, and syrup in a medium bowl. Whisk in powdered sugar until thoroughly combined. Drizzle over cooled cookies and allow to set.
Expert Recipe Tips
- Don’t skip out on chilling the dough. I like to chill it in the fridge for about an hour. Once it’s chilled roll the dough into balls and place them on the baking sheets.
- Since the dough warms up again in your hands while you’re rolling them, I’d recommend putting them back in the fridge for about ten minutes once rolled before putting them in the oven. Cold dough is crucial for the perfect texture. If you skip this step you’ll end up with a cookie spread all over the cookie sheet.
- Use any leftover maple glaze to add rich flavor to other baked goods like these cinnamon streusel paleo carrot muffins or apple banana bread.
Freezing and Storing Tips
Allow the cookies to cool to room temperature and the glaze to set before storing. The glaze isn’t sticky, so the cookies will still be easy to stack and store. Keep them in an airtight container for 2 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
If you make these chewy maple cookies, I’d love for you to give it a star rating ★ below. You can also tag me on Instagram so I can see it!
More Easy Cookie Recipes
- Brown butter salted caramel chocolate chip cookies will be your new favorite cookie recipe.
- These Ritz thin mints are best cookies if you need to make multiple batches for a bake sale or cookie exchange.
- This soft pumpkin cookie with cream cheese frosting is the perfect fall cookie.
- Looking for cutout cookies? These soft gingerbread cookies have amazing flavor and are one of my favorite cookies.
Soft Maple Sugar Cookies
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup pure maple sugar
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- Maple icing:
- 1/4 cup heavy cream
- 1/4 cup melted butter
- 3 tbsp maple syrup
- 3 cups powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl or in the bowl of a stand mixer beat the butter and shortening on medium to high speed for 30 seconds. Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Beat until combined about 3 minutes, scraping down the sides as you go. Add in the egg yolks and vanilla and beat well. Gradually add the flour, mixing well after each addition. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour.
- While the dough is chilling, preheat the oven to 300°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Once chilled shape the balls into one inch balls using a tablespoon and place on the baking sheet. Place back in the fridge for 10 minutes to chill again from when dough warmed in your hands from rolling.
- Bake the cookies for 12-13 minutes or until edges are set, being careful not to over bake. Remove from oven and allow to cool on cookie sheet for two minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- To make the icing, stir together the heavy cream, melted butter and syrup in a medium bowl. Whisk in powdered sugar until thoroughly combined. Drizzle over cooled cookies and allow to set.
- Store in an airtight container for 2 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Did the cookie have maple syrup or maple sugar?
Did you mean all-purpose flour for the 2 1/2 cups? 🙂
Hi Allison! Yep, definitely meant all purpose flour:) Proofreading fail at its finest! Thanks for catching that.