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
OMG! Everything I make from your recipes becomes my new favorite, but these are seriously over the top ah-ma-zing! Such a unique taste! These will definitely be added to regular rotation this fall!
I agree at the comment on how amazing these are. I needed to come up with some new cookie ideas for a wedding cookie bar. I tried these and everyone who did a taste testing for me (the people I work with are always glad to lend a hand). A unanimous two thumbs up. Thanks for providing a new cookie for my repertoire.
I’m a college teacher and made these for students as a Thanksgiving treat. Everyone loved them – including five people who asked for the recipe. Maple is a Canadian favourite and this was a great cookie!
While these cookies were good, I thought they were really sweet and lacked maple flavor. Everyone’s taste buds are different I suppose. Next time I would up the salt, or use salted butter, and add a drop or two of maple extract to the glaze.
What I would really like to see is this made into an oatmeal cookie recipe. All of the oatmeal cookies on SBA that I have made are absolutely fantastic.
These cookies came out perfectly and are delicious! I haven’t iced them yet but I can only assume they will be even better once the icing is on there. My husband tasted one and said they’re the first cookies he’s ever liked with nuts in them. OH and I ran out of maple extract (only had about 1/2 tsp left instead of the full 1 tsp *crying face emoji*) and they’re still great! Can’t wait to make them again very soon.
PS Trader Joe’s sells toasted pecan pieces so if you buy those then you don’t have to chop or toast the pecans yourself, woohoo!
These cookies were fabulous! Thanks for the recipe Sally! 🙂
First of all, I never comment on your blog but I am a huge fan all of your recipe that I make and this one really excited me because the flavor combination-WOW! but I am sad to report that these came out very dense and cakelike for me. I followed the instructions and tips to the letter but the flavor is underwhelming and the denseness is not appealing at all. Based on my description, can you tell where I went wrong? I am determined to try again but would appreciate your perspective. Thanks!
Hi Melissa! Thanks so much for the comment. Did you follow the recipe exactly? Make any substitutions? The underwhelming flavor– were you sure to add maple extract? Be sure to spoon and level the flour instead of packing it into the measuring cups.
My daughter made these today and my husband said “you can eat these until you get sick” so I tried one and then another, even though I am supposed to be on a diet and indeed though I don’t often agree with my husband, I wanted to eat the entire batch and surely would have gotten sick! Even my son had to compliment his sister and said they were amazing. For a cookie that doesn’t involve chocolate to be this good seems impossible but here I am leaving this review (which I never usually do!)
Wow! I never write reviews, but these may be the best cookies I’ve ever had. My teenage son made them and when the cookies were just out of the oven, the mouth-watering scent of warm maple drew me into the kitchen. I ate one then and two more after they were frosted and cooled. Next time we’ll have to double the recipe. Delicious is an understatement!
My fiancé who doesn’t care much for sweets; “these are the best cookies I’ve ever had.” Enough said, but seriously…. I’ll be making these a llama the time.
Ohhh, boy! Theses are my new favorite cookie! And there’s no chocolate!! They are THAT good! Thank you, Miss Sally! Another winner!
These were delicious! We are not a fan of nuts, but they recently had pumpkin spice chips on sale at the grocery store, so I used those instead. They tasted amazing! A great Fall treat :).
These cookies are exceedingly delicious! I felt compelled to make these, influenced highly by your claim that these were the best cookies you had ever made! I am glad I did; I gave some to a friend and she said they were fantastic and the best cookies she had ever had. Thank you for your great recipes.
Is it possible to halve this recipe? I made it and they were AMAZING! I only got to try a bit of one so I wanna make them again for me lol… but is a lot of cookies.
I got the maple extract at HeB. They had Adams made with natural flavors and it didn’t taste artificial or anything. I also used dark brown sugar. The glaze is to die for!!!
OMG. I made these yesterday, Chilled the dough for a few hours. They were so delish. I think the next time I make them I will add a few white chocolate chips…I didn’t do the icing so they definitely were missing just a little something. But absolutely amazing recipe, thanks so much Sally!! You’re so talented! Chewy and soft, just as promised. Not overpowering on the maple flavor which is appreciated!
Hi Sally! Just made these delicious cookies!! Wow! You are amazing!! Thank you for a this one and ALL of your recipes! Your cookbooks take pride of place on me shelf!!
Sally- I had wanted to make these cookies since you first posted them, but I was determined to wait until the weather cooled. This past weekend I decided I couldn’t wait any longer and made them and O M G am I happy I did. These cookies are AMAZING. They were good without the glaze, but once the glaze was added, HOLY MOLY. Thank you for another amazing recipe, these will definitely be included in my holiday cookie cooking!
Excellent recipe! My husband has already asked when I’m going to be making these again :-). Thank you for the recipe!
Wow these cookies are SO GOOD!! Amazing that you can keep coming up with these winner recipes Sally!
I didn’t have maple extract so just doubled the vanilla and they are delish, such gorgeous chewiness on the outside!! I’ve never used dark brown sugar before and I love the flavour it gives these!
And that maple icing… oh my… so perfect! Eating some of the leftover icing now on a donut defrosted from the freezer – that I froze for this kind of can’t-waste-this-delicious-leftover-icing situation!! 😀
Made these today. Mine came out considerably thicker and more cake like than yours and I followed your recipe except for subbing walnuts for pecans. I tried one before glazing it and was slightly underwhelmed by the taste and texture. But after the maple glazing, I got more of the maple hit and oh my they are soft and incredibly delicious. Next time I make these, I’m going to gently press them down. Fantastic fall cookies!
I made these for some friends who had given me maple syrup from their farm in New York. Two comments I got from them were: “if I could choose any cookie it would be these” and “I could eat these all day”. A true winner!
Could this be made in a bar version? If so, what modifications would you recommend? Thanks!
Hi MJ– I recommend a 9×9 inch baking pan for cookie bars. Bake at 350F– I’m unsure of the bake time. You can use a toothpick to test the center for doneness. When it comes out clean, they’re done!
Another AMAZING recipe, Sally, in fact I think it may be my new favorite! I did not think anything could too the Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, but alas, these reign supreme! My hubby could not stop saying “wow” as he ate one. My one kiddo even said it as the best cookie I have ever made. I did make two slight changes, I used a habanero infused maple syrup in the glaze and topped the cookies with flaky sea salt. The combination of salty, sweet and heat took these over the top! Thank you for such a wonderful cookie recipe!
These are amazing! I can definitely see why these are your favorites! Thick and SUPER chewy with a wonderful maple flavor. The first time I made them I didn’t use pecans but I just made another batch with toasted pecans and I can’t wait to try them, thanks Sally!!!
Hey Sally,
I made theses a little over a week ago and now have an order request!
Just happened to have real maple syrup from friend who makes it in Michigan! But, have not found extract yet, used more vanilla and they were fine. Will continue to look for extract. Anyway, here in Bama making another batch this morning! Have a great day!
Amazing recipe! Sally, you’re the bomb!
These are ridiculously addicting! A must-bake.
Your brown sugar cookies are a family favorite! Think I can roll these in sugar like that recipe? Or will they be too sweet?
Yet another “keeper” recipe from Sally! You go girl! I’m not a big fan of maple but the flavor blend in these cookies was fantastic. The outsides perfectly crispy yet the inside chewy and yet also crunchy from the toasted pecans. I ate three of these cookies on the way to deliver them to my daughters work. They were lucky I just didn’t turn around and keep them for myself! I used the maple extract and look forward to experimenting with it by using it in your banana bread, baked oatmeal and maple granola! I don’t normally use dark brown sugar but after tasting these cookies I’m going to add dark brown sugar to some of your other cookie recipes. You have opened my eyes, and tastebuds, to new flavors. Thank you for all your time you devote to making me a better baker. Our Chessie girl sending healing thoughts to your Jude.
These look so yummy! I made the dough this weekend and plan to bake them today or tomorrow.
Question – could you brown the butter in the icing? When I first saw this recipe I read it as “maple brown butter sugar cookies” and I can’t get that out of my head! Let me know if you think it would take away from anything or mess with the consistency. Thanks, as always!!!
You can certainly brown the butter if you wish! I hope you love them!