With big flavor, crisp edges, and mega chewy centers, these maple brown sugar cookies are a definite favorite. Top with maple icing for the ultimate fall cookie! Chilling the cookie dough is imperative, so set aside 2 hours or prepare the cookie dough the day before.
I may say this a lot, but nothing has been truer than in this very moment… (dramatic? who, me?) … these maple brown sugar cookies are the best cookies I’ve ever made. And that statement holds big weight considering I authored an entire cookbook of JUST cookies.
Maple brown sugar cookies > every other cookie. I know a good one when I bite it!
Plus, this recipe is such a fan favorite, that it deserved a spot in print! You’ll also find this recipe in my New York Times best-selling cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101.
These Maple Brown Sugar Cookies Are:
- Brown sugared and buttery
- Unbelievably chewy and soft in the center—not cakey
- Crisp on the edges
- Filled with pure maple syrup
- Topped with luscious maple icing
The maple icing sets, so these are perfect for stacking and transporting. Because, trust me, you’ll want to bring these everywhere you go. Football game? Bring them. Party? Bring them. Bake sale? Sell them. No occasion at all? Make them.
Video Tutorial
10 Ingredients in Maple Brown Sugar Cookies
We use most of these in maple pecan snickerdoodles, too!
- All-Purpose Flour: All-purpose flour is the structure of the cookie. I played around with different amounts. 2 and 1/4 cups wasn’t enough and 2 and 1/2 cups was too much. 2 and 1/3 cups was the perfect amount to hold up to the liquid maple syrup.
- Baking Soda: Baking soda provides lift.
- Salt: Salt balances the flavor.
- Butter: 1 stick (1/2 cup) is plenty for the maple cookies and be sure you use room-temperature butter. It should be cool to the touch and not overly soft and greasy.
- Dark Brown Sugar: For optimal flavor and texture, reach for brown sugar. I recommend dark brown sugar for extra flavor, but light brown sugar works too.
- Egg: 1 egg provides structure, stability, and richness.
- Pure Maple Syrup: We can’t make maple cookies without pure maple syrup. Avoid “breakfast syrup,” which doesn’t have the same robust maple flavor that pure syrup contains. I played around with different amounts and 1/3 cup is plenty. And, as a bonus, the pure syrup helps create slightly crisp edges.
- Vanilla Extract: Adds flavor. Have you tried homemade vanilla extract yet?
- Maple Extract: Pure maple syrup isn’t enough to guarantee mega maple flavor. Without the crutch of maple extract, the cookies were lacking. Pure maple extract is difficult to find, so reach for imitation. I prefer McCormick brand because the flavor doesn’t taste fake. You can use it in maple pecan snickerdoodles, maple walnut tassies, and maple bacon doughnuts, too!
- Pecans: Nuts are an optional ingredient, but they add awesome (and complementary!) flavor and texture. If you love these maple pecan snickerdoodles, you’ll also love pecans here.
Which Pure Maple Syrup Is Best?
Grade A is good, but Grade B is darker and more flavorful because it’s produced later in the season. Honestly, you can’t go wrong with either here!
How to Make Brown Sugar Maple Cookies
Minimal effort, mega results. ♥
- Whisk the dry ingredients together.
- Cream the butter and brown sugar together.
- Beat in the egg, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and maple extract.
- Mix dry and wet ingredients together.
- Add the pecans.
- Chill the cookie dough. This cookie dough contains an additional liquid (maple syrup), so chilling the dough is crucial. Set aside 2 hours to chill this cookie dough. Without chilling, the cookies will spread into a greasy puddle.
- Roll cookie dough into balls. Each dough ball is about 1.5 Tablespoons, or 35g.
- Bake until the edges are set. Cookies are done in about 12–13 minutes.
Then we’ll obviously drizzle maple icing all over the tops!
That Irresistible Maple Icing!!
You only need 3 ingredients for this super easy maple icing: butter, maple syrup, and confectioners’ sugar. To avoid any lumps, sift the confectioners’ sugar. If desired, a pinch of salt adds exceptional depth of flavor. The wonderful thing about this maple icing is that it eventually sets, so these cookies aren’t sticky or difficult to store.
You have my full support to use this maple icing for anything and everything. We found it to be the perfect finishing touch on these pumpkin crumb cake cookies. Some ideas: on banana scones, pumpkin scones, and apple cinnamon scones, obviously.
By the way! Today’s cookies differ from the Soft Glaze Maple Cookies in Sally’s Cookie Addiction. Those are ultra cakey (think pancakes!) with moderate maple flavor. These are more similar to chewy chocolate chip cookies in terms of texture.
Loving These Fall Cookies Too
- Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Cookies
- Butter Pecan Cookies
- Snickerdoodles (no cookie dough chilling!)
- Oatmeal Scotchies
- Caramel Apple Spice Thumbprints
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Pecan Sugar Cookies
- Brown Sugar Shortbread Cookies
Maple Brown Sugar Cookies
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 13 minutes
- Total Time: 2 hours, 50 minutes
- Yield: 28-30 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
With big maple flavor, crisp edges, mega chewy centers, and crunchy pecans, these maple brown sugar cookies are a definite favorite. Chilling the cookie dough is imperative, so set aside 2 hours or prepare the cookie dough the day before. This recipe is also in my New York Times best-selling cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101.
Ingredients
- 2 and 1/3 cups (292g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 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 (113g/80ml) pure maple syrup*
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon maple extract*
- 1 cup (120g) chopped pecans*
Maple Icing
- 2 Tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter
- 1/3 cup (113g/80ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 cup (112g) sifted confectioners’ sugar*
- pinch of salt, to taste
Instructions
- Make the cookies: In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt together. Set aside.
- In a large bowl using a handheld mixer or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and creamy, about 3 minutes. Add the egg and beat on high speed until combined, about 30 seconds. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed. Add the maple syrup, vanilla extract, and maple extract, then beat on high speed until combined, about 1 minute. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and beat on low speed until combined. Add the pecans and beat on low speed until just incorporated. Dough will be creamy and soft.
- Cover the dough and refrigerate it for at least 2 hours (and up to 3 days).
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. (Always recommended for cookies.) If the dough has chilled for longer than 3 hours, let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes before shaping the cookies.
- Scoop and roll cookie dough into balls, about 1.5 Tablespoons (35g) of dough per cookie. Arrange the cookies 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 12–13 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned and set but the centers still look very soft. Cool the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Make the icing: In a small saucepan over low heat, melt the butter with the maple syrup, whisking occasionally. Once the butter has melted, remove from heat and whisk in the sifted confectioners’ sugar and salt. Taste. Drizzle over the cooled cookies. Icing will set after about 1 hour. Store cookies covered tightly at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Allow to come to room temperature then continue with step 5. Baked cookies, with or without icing, freeze well for up to 3 months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw. Read my tips and tricks on how to freeze cookie dough.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Glass Mixing Bowl | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mats or Parchment Paper | Medium Cookie Scoop | Cooling Rack | Small Saucepan
- Brown Sugar: I recommend dark brown sugar for a deeper flavor, but you can use light brown sugar instead if needed.
- Maple Syrup: Avoid syrup labeled “breakfast syrup” or “pancake syrup,” which doesn’t have the same robust maple flavor that pure syrup contains. Grade A is good, but Grade B is darker and more flavorful because it’s produced later in the season. You can’t go wrong with either in these cookies.
- Maple Extract: Pure maple syrup isn’t enough to guarantee mega maple flavor. Without the crutch of maple extract, the cookies were lacking. I use McCormick brand maple extract. You can find it in the baking aisle or online.
- Pecans: The pecans are optional, but add wonderful flavor and texture. I use unsalted, unroasted pecans, but feel free to use salted roasted pecans or toast the pecans before using, if desired. You can also substitute chopped walnuts.
- Confectioners’ Sugar: To avoid any lumps, sift the confectioners’ sugar.
- Be sure to check out my top 5 cookie baking tips AND these are my 10 must-have cookie baking tools.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Question about freezing / thawing cookies: Ive made these cookies (and some others of yours) in advance for some treat boxes I’m making. So I’ve frozen them in airtight containers, but in bulk. I have some individuals bags to package each cookie in, and it would be nice to prep them by packaging each cookie in advance while they’re still frozen. Would that affect how them thawing at all (e.g be more likely to make them soggy or anything), or would this essentially be the same as thawing them while still covered/in their containers?
Thank you!
Hi Arielle, that should be fine to take the frozen cookies and seal them while frozen. Hope this helps!
10/5! Incredible! These have a perfect crunch on the outside and softness on the inside. It was a bit nerve-racking pulling them from the oven as they are a bit soft/floppy when fully baked, but they came out great! The maple extract tip is key! I have previously made maple icing for bundt cakes, and it was good, but weak. Here, the maple flavor punches! Could eat a whole tray. Will make again!
I didn’t want to share these cookies with anyone because they are so delicious I wanted them ALL to myself!!!!! They are so delicious. 10/10 highly recommend!
OMG! I just made these and couldn’t wait for them to cool completely before I tried one. Even without the glaze these things are addictive. Can’t wait to try one WITH the glaze. I will be adding this to the favorites list today. Sally, I’ve tried many of your recipes and you never disappoint. I can always count on you for a fantastic dish. Thank you for your dedication and sharing.
I just did a few test cookies from a large batch and they didn’t flatten quite enough. They are bit cakey. Can I fix this current batch of dough? Could I add some mented butter and mix it in? My taste testers said they taste amazing. But I’d like to get that chewy texture.
Hi Anna! How did you measure your flour? If they seem too cakey, it could be that there was too much flour soaking up all the wet ingredients. Be sure to spoon and level (or use a kitchen scale) to ensure the flour isn’t over measured. There’s not much you can do to this existing batch of dough, but you could flatten out the cookie dough balls a bit before putting them in the oven to help initiate spread. Hope this helps for next time!
Made these again today as bar cookies. Baked 20 minutes at 350 degrees.
Better than blondies!
Absolutely love these cookies! They turned out perfect. I cooked them a little less, but my oven does not maintain a consistent temp and can run hot.
I will definitely be making these again!
Help, I want to love these cookies but every time I make them they turn out so flat and really chewy, like the sugar has overcooked and turned candy like. I’ve made it twice, I follow the recipe exactly. The only difference is I use flour that I grind myself, but I’ve never had trouble substituting it before in place of all purpose. I weigh all my ingredients, chill and cook exactly.
Hi Amy, here are our best tips to prevent cookies from spreading! Hope it helps for next time.
They came out a bit cakey and dense (might have overmixed the dough idk) but they were still really good. Bit too much of a butter taste in the icing though so I would definitely reduce that if I were to make these again.
These cookies look amazing delicious. If I don’t have maple extract. What can I use or substitute for it? TIA
Hi LuAnn, The maple extract helps boost the flavor, but you can leave it out if needed.
Hello! I can’t get maple syrup where I live, but can get maple extract. Is there a way to make these without maple syrup? Thanks!
Hi DK, maple syrup really is key for best taste and texture. You could try swapping with an equal amount of honey and then increasing the maple extract, but the taste won’t be quite the same.
Hi Sally,
My cookies looked nice and puffy when they came out of the oven but after I let them cool, they lost all height. They still taste good, but I’m wondering what causes cookies to flatten?
Thank you!
Hi Katie! It’s normal for cookies to deflate just a bit when they cool. If they seemed to spread too much, though, here are all our best tips to prevent cookies from spreading. We’re glad you still enjoyed them!
One of the best cookies I’ve made. The texture changed from soft to chewy the next day, something I always wanted but never achieved until now. Baking a cold dough is an excellent idea I will now always do. Thank you, Sally
These cookies are divine. The maple flavor is perfect. I am originally from Canada and we have maple cookies more often there. I would suspect that this is due to the maple leaf on the Canadian flag which is a symbol. Anyway we love these cookies and I will be making them often. Thank you.
Wowzer!!!!! I received a bottle of maple syrup from a friend in Michigan. That’s why I had to try this recipe! And oh my God, it was so good. Thank you Sally
I followed the recipe exactly and even had them in the oven for less than the suggested time, and the bottoms all came out burnt. Do you know why this could be? The middle and tops were still soft, so wondering if it has to do with the syrup. Let me know what you think!
Hi Isabel, what sort of baking sheet are you using? We find that the light silver kind is best for baking cookies, and we always line them with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Dark metal baking sheets can cause the bottoms of the cookies to brown too much, particularly when they are light-colored cookies. Hope this helps!
Made twice now, as written. Great cookies. Everyone loves them.
Just made these without pecans. Soooo delicious and easy to make. Only got 19 cookies though and I weighed everything, not sure why
I wondered if I could use chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips in this recipe instead of nuts?
These cookies are delicious! Perfect for a fall treat
Hi,
I desperately want to make these, as they look INCREDIBLE. I can’t access the maple syrup extract here in the UK, without paying an obscene amount for a tiny amount and getting it shipped from US. Any tips and tricks / alternatives?
Hi Laura! The maple extract helps boost the flavor, but you can leave it out if needed.
Tweaked with browned and cooled butter, white sugar substitute mixed with a TBL of molasses (for brown sugar). Definitely add chopped pecans. Wonderful recipe, husband-approved!
I have a wheat allergy and want to try this using Bobs red mill gluten free all purpose flour. Do I need to add in Xanthan gum? If I do how much would I use?
Hi Chelsey, we haven’t tested that substitution so we’re unsure of any other modifications needed, but let us know if you do any experimenting.
These look and sound delicious. Can you use a baking spread instead of butter?
Hi Lauren, it is really best to stick with butter for these cookies.
These cookies are delicoius! Easy to make and a huge fan favorite. They are now part of my cookie collection! I’ve given the recipe to many!! Made exactly as written but did add extra 10x sugar to frosting to thicken! Sooooo goooddd!
I really wanted to love these cookies but they are just meh to me. The cookie itself had little flavor. The icing helped but I had to add extra powdered sugar to make it less runny. First cookie it just ran off with little on the cookie. I don’t think I’d make these again.
Hi Noelle, we’re so sorry you were disappointed in these cookies. Did you use imitation maple extract? Without it, we can find the maple flavor lacking. Thank you for giving these a try.
My grandson is allergic to treenuts, can I follow recipe as stated without nuts? Thank you
Hi Doreen, absolutely, feel free to omit the nuts with no other changes.
I’d like to call your recipes and roll great you’re only problem Is regular wheat flour, It’s not the gluten I have to stay away from it’s the wheat product. Load out cookies don’t hold together like they used to and it doesn’t matter what combination I use they always seem to be either veryBut you don’t seem to stay together like regular flour Especially if you’re making a loaf of some sort and you’re using alternative flourYou don’t get the consistency of regular flour but we’ll carry on try something new thank you for your recipes they’re awesome.
These cookies are very easy yet SO delicious! They are wonderfully soft and chewy, and have a great maple flavor. The icing adds the perfect touch! I will definitely make these again.
My sisters ask me to bake these year after year! Delicious.
As much as I bake these cookies, they still seem to be raw in the middle.
Hi Charlie, you can definitely bake them a little longer next time.
All I taste is baking soda and the cookies are not even chewy. It’s more like a cross between cake and cookie. FYI I measure my ingredients by scale.