Name: Maple Cookies
Yield: 30

This Maple Cookies Recipe channels all the satisfying flavors of maple donuts into a sweet, soft, and chewy cookie with crisp edges and a simple maple glaze.

author’s note

The Cookie Version of a Maple Bar!

Few treats are more popular with my two boys than a good maple donut or maple bar. They always ask for them at the grocery store or whenever we pass a Krispy Kreme®.

Beyond their donut obsession, they also love chip-less cookies, which inspired these Brown Sugar Cookies! With strong maple flavor, no chocolate chips, and a donut-inspired glaze, I knew these cookies would be a hit.

What I didn’t expect was just how much! My boys have raved about these maple cookies for days. I’ve never seen a batch disappear so quickly!

The wet ingredients being mixed together.

What To Expect From This Maple Cookies Recipe

This maple cookies recipe tastes a lot like a maple donut or maple bar and fits right in with a reliable maple desserts. They are soft and chewy with slightly crispy edges, packed with rich maple flavor, and topped with a glaze that’s similar to a maple bar’s.

While they’re not hard to make, these cookies do take some time from start to finish (most of it is hands-off). To get that soft and chewy texture, they need plenty of chilling time because of the liquid.

The maple extract and maple syrup that's used in this maple cookies recipe dessert.

Special Ingredients

While most ingredients in this Maple Cookies Recipe are common, there are two unique ones:

Pure maple syrup: This is not corn syrup or pancake syrup; it’s the sap from a maple tree boiled down to a thicker form. It’s just one ingredient.
Maple extract: This extract is as straightforward to find as vanilla or almond extract. Look for it in the baking aisle.

Quick Tip

As the wife of a Vermont-raised guy who knows pure maple syrup well, I can say not all maple syrups are the same! Grade A and Grade B both work for this recipe. Grade B has a stronger flavor and darker color because it’s produced later in the season, but it can be pricier and harder to find. I usually use Grade A syrup for these cookies.

The dry ingredients being added to the wet and mixed together and rolled out and baked.

Maple Cookies Recipe Tips

Measure the flour correctly: Spoon and level the flour for an accurate measurement.
Use a Silpat® liner: Baking cookies on a lined sheet pan gives them softer bases.
Roll tall cookie dough balls: Shape the dough into tall, skinny balls instead of reliable rounds. Avoid smaller dough balls, as they won’t turn out the same.
Use fresh ingredients: For the softest maple cookies, use fresh brown sugar and baking agents.

he icing being whisked together in a pot over the stove for this maple cookies recipe.

Storage

Leftovers?

Storage: Keep cookies in an airtight container at room temp for 3–4 days.
Freezing: Freeze dough balls on a sheet pan, then move to a container or bag for up to 3 months. Bake straight from frozen, adding a few minutes until edges are lightly browned and centers stay soft.