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 and these maple pecan slice & bake 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
Can I freeze these?
Yes. See recipe Note.
Another winner recipe!! Just as described, these cookies have crispy edges and a soft and chewy center. I thought they tasted great w/o the drizzle, so I left that off. They have a delicious subtle maple flavor – not overpowering at all – just enough. This recipe will be made again and again – guaranteed!
I typically don’t have any interest in cookies that do not contain chocolate and/or peanut butter, but these maple brown sugar cookies are SO GOOD. I only used half the amount of pecans called for, and chopped them quite finely, and it was perfect! Fresh out of the oven, they tasted exactly like pancakes with syrup, but less so as they cooled. By the next day, the flavor and texture were spot on. I will definitely make these again!
This recipe got rave reviews at the community dinner I took them to. I wish you had a recipe box on your website as I love so many of your recipes.
Hi Gayle, So glad you love these! Next to the “print recipe” button is a “save recipe” button. Click on that to save the recipes that you love!
And then, Michelle, there’s no “box” after you save them but when you click the little search magnifying glass, the ones you have saved will show up first.
I am trying this recipe today and wanted to make them a little bigger. Maybe using a 3tbsp scoop. Would that be fine to do?
Yes. The cookies may spread a bit more, so you may want to refrigerate the dough for an extra hour. The bake time will have to be extended by a couple minutes.
This is a winner!
So glad these cookies were a hit, Diane!
Love this recipe. I baked them exactly as suggested and they were beautiful! Definitely
a keeper! Thank you Sally!
Maple cookies were not very good not much flavor. Disappointed
Hi Joan, we’re so sorry to hear that. Did you omit the maple extract by chance? Pure maple syrup isn’t enough to guarantee mega maple flavor. Without the crutch of maple extract, the flavor can be lacking. And did you use pure maple syrup rather than breakfast syrup? Breakfast syrup will not impart the same flavor. Thank you for giving these cookies a try!
I had the same problem. No taste beyond a flour taste and icing never got close to setting. Very disappointing.
A new family favorite. These cookies are so tasty and delishious! They are devoured almost instantly. I frost the cookies with a brown sugar frosting.
These cookies were the favorite on a cookie platter I made! They are surprisingly yummy! Thanks!
Will it make much difference to use light brown sugar instead of dark? (Don’t have dark handy. Should I consider adding molasses?)
Thanks!
Hi Drew, We haven’t tested these cookies with molasses, but there should be plenty of flavor coming through, even with light brown sugar. Let us know if you give them a try!
Did you ever try this? I also on have light brown sugar on hand
Just add an extra tsp or two. I make all of my own brown sugar. It’s usually 1 T per cup for light so an extra tsp will be enough. You can always just go by color. It will be fine
OH MY GOSH this recipe is AMAZING. my favorite cookies on the planet. so chewy and buttery and maple-y. Sally’s recipes are always a hit but this is by far my favorite recipe of hers. a great recipe for beginners or pros! thank you for the DELICIOUS recipe Sally!
I made these last year for my besties birthday and she loved them! I can’t wait to make these a tradition for her birthday every year.
This cookie is absolutely fantastic. I’ve had ZERO troubles with the recipe. It’s the first cookie on my list for Fall baking. Sally, you rock!!
I made this and my cookies turned into a giant blob cookie. the recipe itself didn’t taste all that bad, but it was hard to get down. The cookies were a greasy blob at best. I’m sorry that I rated it this, mainly because I LOVE this website. In the end, it just didn’t work out for me.
Hi Rose, some how I missed this review earlier in the month. Sorry these were a disappointment. It sounds like the cookies overspread pretty badly. If you ever want to try them again, you can add more flour, such as 2-3 Tablespoons to help soak up some moisture. Thank you for the feedback.
I won a cookie contest with this recipe!!! They were a hit and everyone wanted the recipe! I sent them right to this page! I have loved every one of your recipes I’ve tried! Sally you are my new “go to”!
I missed this comment earlier in the summer. I am so glad to read this! Congrats!
These turned out great! So happy with them. Going to try freezing them so I can have one whenever I want
I had really high hopes for this recipe, but my cookies came out as one giant sheet pan sized flat melted mess!! I went back through and triple checked the recipe afterwards to make sure i didnt miss anything, and everything matched the recipe. I even had my dough chilled overnight. I was so disappointed as these arent exactly cheap cookies to make! I am no rookie baker, so I cannot understand what went wrong!
Hi Morgan, I’m so sorry to hear that! I’d be happy to help you figure out what went wrong. We have an article here on how to prevent cookies from over-spreading that lists some of the common causes of this issue.
Can I use granulated maple sugar instead of brown, to amp up the maple flavor without using extract?
Hi Tracy, we haven’t tested that, but it sounds delicious. Let us know how it goes.
My dough was very hard after refrigeration, I nearly broke my scoop. The second batch, I split the dough in half, then formed it into a log in waxed paper to refrigerate. After an hour all I needed to to was slice, roll and bake.
I was wondering how it would taste with chopped crispy bacon on top of these maple brown sugar cookies. Anyone ever suggested that?
Sounds wonderful, Cindy! Other bakers have reported adding chopped bacon to the top – let us know if you try.
I was going to ask the same thing!
I made these for morning tea for my church. I received compliments and all the cookies were eaten. I made one change: I added 1/2 teaspoon maple extract to the icing to amplify its maple flavour.
I didn’t have maple syrup extract so I replaced it with rum extract. I was a little worried because I tasted the dough and it had a bit of a kick, but it ended up be it delicious once baked, and tasted even better the next day. I’m adding this to my cookie rotation! Thank you for a great recipe!
I add half browned butter, half regular butter into the batter, and pink salt to the top of the cookie after glazing and it took it from a 9/10 recipe to a 11/10 recipe. I’ve made this recipe 5-6 times now and it’s always a hit!!
I haven’t made these cookies yet, but I love maple, so I’m hoping. My question: Can I substitute Gluten-free All purpose flour or Gluten-free 1 to 1 Baking flour?
Some readers have commented that they tried this recipe with a 1:1 substitute of gluten-free flour and had success, but I have not personally tested it. Let us know what you try!
Can this recipe be made in a 9x 13 pan and cut into bars?
Hi Audra, We recommend a 9×9 inch baking pan for cookie bars. 350F, but we’re unsure of the bake time. You can use a toothpick to test the center for doneness. If it comes out clean, they’re done. Enjoy!
I made this today with Bobs 1:1 GF flour and they were amaaaazing!
I have made this recipe for my family twice in two days in a row. If you see this message, MAKE THESE COOKIES!!! They are so delicious and my family all feel guilty after eating so many! They are cakey and so easy to make and just so yummy. One of my new favorite recipes!
Is same recipe you printed in the Cookie addiction cookbook. I noticed the soda and salt amounts are reversed and the book does not mention chilling the dough. I made them according to the book before I looked up the recipe on the website. The cookies were more cakey.
Hi J.P, are you referring to the Glazed Soft Maple Cookies? That is a different recipe all together, though both are delicious! Those are supposed to be a softer cookie, these are chewy.
Delivilishly good!
I only have time for one hour of chilling…can I do an hour in a pinch?
Hi Lily, the cookies may spread more.
Hi Trina, I chilled the cookies for one hour to see if it would work, and the came out beautifully still! Hope this is helpful. 🙂
Cookies were great but idk what I did wrong! They are FLAT
Hi Liz, there are quite a few factors that can go into overly thin cookies. Was your butter a little softer than room temperature? Warm butter can often contribute to flat cookies. This post on tips to prevent cookies from spreading will be a helpful resource to review. Thank you for giving these a try!