Description
These Maple Brown Sugar Cookies are soft, chewy delights infused with rich maple syrup flavor and crunchy pecans, topped with a smooth maple glaze. Perfectly balanced between sweet and nutty, these cookies are ideal for cozy afternoons or festive occasions.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 and 1/3 cups (291g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (200g) packed dark brown sugar
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1/3 cup (80ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon maple extract
Add-ins
- 1 cup (130g) chopped pecans
Maple Icing
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup (80ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 cup (112g) sifted confectioners’ sugar
- Pinch salt, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare Dry Ingredients: Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside for later use.
- Cream Butter and Sugar: Using a hand mixer or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, cream the softened butter and packed dark brown sugar together on medium speed until smooth, about 1 to 2 minutes.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Add the large egg and beat on high speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the bowl to ensure even mixing. Then add the pure maple syrup, vanilla extract, and maple extract. Beat on high speed again until mixture is well combined.
- Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Pour the dry flour mixture into the wet ingredients and mix on low speed until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep cookies tender.
- Fold in Pecans: Add the chopped pecans and beat on low just until incorporated. The dough will be creamy and soft.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the dough and refrigerate for 2 hours, or up to 3 days. If chilled for longer than a few hours, allow dough to sit at room temperature for at least 30 minutes before rolling to soften.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 2-3 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats to prevent sticking.
- Shape and Bake Cookies: Roll the chilled dough into 1.5 tablespoon-sized balls and place on the baking sheets spaced apart. Bake each batch for 12 to 13 minutes until the edges are lightly browned but centers still look soft.
- Cool Cookies: Remove from oven and gently bang the baking pan on the counter to deflate puffy cookies and create lovely cracks. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Make Maple Icing: In a small saucepan over low heat, melt together the 2 tablespoons butter and 1/3 cup maple syrup, whisking occasionally. Remove from heat and whisk in the sifted confectioners’ sugar until smooth. Add a pinch of salt to taste if desired.
- Glaze Cookies: Drizzle the maple icing over cooled cookies evenly. Allow icing to set, which takes about one hour.
- Store: Keep cookies covered at room temperature for up to 1 week to maintain freshness.
Notes
- Allow dough to warm slightly if too hard to roll after refrigeration for extended time.
- Using parchment paper or silicone mats ensures easy removal and prevents sticking.
- The maple icing sets nicely and adds a delicious finishing touch, but can be omitted if preferred.
- For crunchy cookies, bake a minute or two longer but watch carefully to avoid overbaking.
- If you don’t have maple extract, vanilla extract alone will still provide great flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 12g
- Sodium: 95mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 3g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 19g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
