Soft Maple Sugar Cookies (Easy, Chewy & Full of Maple Flavor)

  If you enjoy a cookie that’s soft, tender, and full of cozy maple sweetness, these Soft Maple Sugar Cookies are about to become a new favourite. They’re the kind of bake that fills your kitchen with the warm scent of butter and maple, and they stay wonderfully soft for days — the perfect little treat with a cup of tea or tucked into a lunchbox.

Made with simple pantry ingredients and a touch of maple extract, these cookies bake up golden, plush, and melt‑in‑your‑mouth delicious. And that maple icing on top? Just enough sweetness to make each bite feel special.

If you’re wanting a cook that is easy to make, comforting and a little bit nostalgic then you really cannot go wrong with these! This is a wonderful place to start!

 

Most summers when I was growing up we would make the trip as a family to Northern Quebec to visit with my father's family. That is where he was born and grew up. One thing which was always in abundance there was Maple everything. Maple syrup. Maple fudge. Maple candies and these little sugar cones filled with maple syrup on the bottom and capped with a thick maple icing. One of my father's favorite flavors is maple and it is quite naturally one of ours as well.

I remember when I first moved over to the U.K. I took a 4 liter can of Maple Syrup with me. It was pre-9/11 and there was no problem taking liquids onto aircraft.  I was determined not to miss my beloved Maple Syrup.  It had become readily available by the time I left there to move back to Canada, but back then it was almost impossible to find.

These cookies are a real favorite. They have a lovely maple flavor both in the cookie itself and in the sweet decorative glaze that gets flicked over top of them once they have been baked.  They are not crisp cookies, but a soft cookie that almost melts in the mouth.  You could leave the glaze off if you wanted to, but it really is a nice touch. Sometimes I stir some chopped toasted walnuts into the cookie dough.  Then you have Maple Walnut cookies. Always delicious!

This is a cookie that goes together easily, is delicious, and that easily freezes. If you are freezing them I recommend glazing them after you thaw them out and not before you freeze them.  I have never doubled the recipe but I see no reason why you couldn't. I really hope that you will bake and enjoy them as much as we do!

 

INGREDIENTS NEEDED

TO MAKE

SOFT MAPLE SUGAR COOKIES

There is nothing too awfully complicated about these.

• 2 1/3 cup (291g) plain, all-purpose flour (see notes)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (115g) butter, softened
• 1/3 cup (80ml) light olive oil (vegetable oil)
• 1 1/2 cups (287g) extra fine granulated sugar (Blitz it in a food processor for a bit)
• 1 large egg
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp maple extract

For the glaze:

• 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream
• 1/4 cup (57g) butter, melted
• 3 TBS pure maple syrup
• 2 - 2 1/2 cups (260g to 325g) icing sugar

  

NOTES ON INGREDIENTS

All‑Purpose Flour 

 Forms the structure of the cookie. This recipe uses the spoon & sweep method to prevent packing the flour — too much flour makes cookies dry or cakey. In the U.K. all purpose flour is known as plain flour.

Baking Soda 

 Gives the cookies lift and helps them spread gently as they bake.

Salt 

 Just a touch to balance sweetness and deepen the maple flavour.

Butter (Softened) 

 Adds richness and tenderness. Softened butter blends smoothly with the sugar for a soft, plush cookie texture. You can use unsalted butter if you wish. I use salted butter as that is all I keep in the house.

Vegetable Oil 

 A clever addition — it keeps the cookies extra soft and moist, giving them that melt‑in‑your‑mouth texture. I like to use light olive oil as it is better for you than regular vegetable oil.

Granulated Sugar 

 Sweetens the dough and helps create a soft, slightly chewy cookie. The recipe specifies fine granulated sugar, which is Caster sugar in the U.K. You can buy fine granulated sugar to make these cookies or you can blitz your regular granulated sugar in a food processor to break it down to a finer grind if you wish.

Egg 

 Adds structure and richness, helping bind everything together.

Vanilla Extract

Enhances the maple flavour and adds warmth.

Maple Extract

This is used in both the dough and the icing for double maple goodness. It is what gives these cookies their signature maple flavor. You can easily make your own if you are unable to find it where you live. I tell you how here. (Scroll down to the bottom of the page.) Alternately you can use maple syrup in the same amount although the flavor won't be as concentrated.

Heavy Cream

You can use whipping cream. If you haven't got cream you can use milk, or evaporated milk, although the flavor and texture of the drizzle won't be quite as rich.

Maple Syrup

Use pure maple syrup. Do not substitute what is called pancake syrup in it's place. They are not the same thing.

Icing Sugar

This is also known as powdered sugar or confectioners sugar.

 

HOW TO MAKE SOFT MAPLE SUGAR COOKIES

These are really very simple to make. Just follow the directions and your cookies should turn out perfectly.

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. (non-fan oven) Line two baking sheets with baking parchment. Set aside. (The baking paper will help to prevent the cookies from sticking to the pan and also makes removing them easier.)
2. Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together in a bowl. Set aside. (Alternately you can sift the ingredients together into a bowl.)
3. Beat butter, vegetable oil, and sugar together in a large bowl until well combined. Whisk in the egg, vanilla and maple extract. Mix well together. (Make sure everything is evenly mixed.)
4. Add the flour mixture, 1 cup at a time, mixing well together until all the flour has been added. (Adding the flour mixture a bit at a time allows for even distribution.)
5. Scoop out 2 TBS sized balls of the dough, roll into balls with your hands and place 3-inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. (This is about the size of a golf ball. Make sure you have the balls well spaced apart to allow for spreading.)
6. Lightly flatten the balls with the bottom of a glass of the bottom of a metal measuring cup. (Try to get them evenly flattened, but don't use too much pressure to flatten them.)
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to10 minutes. The edges should just be beginning to brown. (They should also be starting to turn golden brown on the bottoms.)
8. Remove from the oven and let sit on the baking sheets for 15 minutes before scooping off onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely. (If you try to scoop them off too soon you risk them breaking apart.)
9. Whisk the cream, butter and maple syrup for the drizzle together in a bowl until well amalgamated. (The mixture should be smooth and lump free.)
10. Whisk in the icing sugar until you have a mixture that is thick but drizzable.
11. Drizzle this haphazardly over the cookies and allow to set before storing in an airtight container. (Let the drizzle set completely before packing the cookies in a container. Place a sheet of wax paper or baking paper in between each layer.)

 

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

about baking most cookies 

CRISP OR CHEWY COOKIES?

If you prefer crisp cookies, press the dough flat with the bottom of a glass dipped in granulated sugar prior to baking.  If you want soft chewy cookies, remove them from the oven about 2 minutes before they are done as they will continue to bake on the hot cookie sheet. If you want crisp cookies bake them for 2 minutes longer.

HOW CAN I KEEP MY COOKIES FROM SPREADING TOO MUCH?

• Don't substitute butter for shortening in a recipe which calls for shortening. shortening has a higher melting point, which means it doesn't liquify as quickly, and does a better job of holding the ingredients together. High butter cookie = a cookie that spreads.
• Grease your baking sheets only if the recipe requests you to do so. Most cookies will not stick unless they contain large amounts of butter or sugar.
• Make sure you preheat your oven before baking. If the oven is not hot enough the fat in the cookies will melt before the other ingredients have time to set up.

WHAT IS THE BEST WAY TO STORE COOKIES?

Cool cookies completely before storing. Pack them in single layers between wax or parchment paper to prevent sticking. Do NOT store crisp and soft cookies together in the same container. Store in an airtight container.

HOW DO I FREEZE COOKIES PROPERLY?

To freeze cookies, place them into airtight containers or freezer bags, again with a layer of wax paper or parchment paper in between the layers.  Again, do not store soft and crisp cookies together. They will keep up to six months frozen. Label properly with the type and the date baked/frozen.

 

HINTS & TIPS FOR COOKIE BAKING SUCCESS 

These hints and tips are sure to help you make the best cookies ever. 

• Use flat cookie sheets without sides for even baking.
• Place cookies at least 2-inches apart on baking sheets to allow for spreading.
• Use a sheet of baking parchment or a light spritz of cooking spray to grease your cookie sheets. It's not necessary to repeat this step for every batch but do wipe off any crumbs or sugar from the surface before adding the next batch. 
• Place your cookie sheets in the middle of the oven.
• Make sure the sides of your cookie sheets don't touch the edges of the oven so that heat can circulate evenly and properly.
• Pay particular attention to bake times.  An extra minute or two can make a big difference to the end result since cookies are for the most part quite small and bake quickly. Always aim to underbake rather than overbake. Cookies do continue to bake after you remove them from the oven.   

 

 

 

 

A FEW OTHER

COOKIE RECIPES FOR YOU TO ENJOY

If you are a cookie monster like I am, then you might also enjoy the following delicious options! 

QUARTER CUP COOKIES -  These incredibly moreish cookies are made from exactly 1/4 cup of each of the main cookie ingredients, aside from the flavorings and soda. The end result is a delicious cookie that everyone enjoys. They were originally called 10 cup cookies, but that made far too many cookies for me, so I reduced everything to 1/4 cup!

LEVAIN BAKERY OATMEAL RAISIN COOKIES - A copycat recipe of the infamous Levain Bakery cookies. These are excellent oatmeal raisin cookies. The recipe makes nine very large cookies.  Each one weighing in at almost half a pound each. These are a real indulgence, with plenty of nutty oats and sweet raisins. You could make them smaller but then they wouldn't be Levain. 

  

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Yield: 22 cookies

Author: Marie Rayner

Soft Maple Sugar Cookies

Prep time: 15 MinCook time: 10 MinInactive time: 15 MinTotal time: 40 Min

Soft and filled with lots of maple flavour. Betcha can't eat just one. Don't be tempted to use all butter. The combination of butter and oil is what makes these so chewable, soft and irresistible. 

Ingredients

• 2 1/3 cup (291g) plain, all-purpose flour (see notes)
• 1/2 tsp baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 cup (115g) butter, softened
• 1/3 cup (80ml) light olive oil (vegetable oil)
• 1 1/2 cups (287g) extra fine granulated sugar (Blitz it in a food processor for a bit)
• 1 large egg
• 2 tsp vanilla
• 1 tsp maple extract

For the glaze:

• 1/4 cup (60ml) heavy cream
• 1/4 cup (57g) butter, melted
• 3 TBS pure maple syrup
• 2 - 2 1/2 cups (260g to 325g) icing sugar

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350*F/180*C/ gas mark 4. (non-fan oven) Line two baking sheets with baking parchment. Set aside.
2. Whisk the flour, baking soda and salt together in a bowl. Set aside.
3. Beat butter, vegetable oil, and sugar together in a large bowl until well combined. Whisk in the egg, vanilla and maple extract. Mix well together.
4. Add the flour mixture, 1 cup at a time, mixing well together until all the flour has been added.
5. Scoop out 2 TBS sized balls of the dough, roll into balls with your hands and place 3-inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
6. Lightly flatten the balls with the bottom of a glass of the bottom of a metal measuring cup.
7. Bake in the preheated oven for 8 to10 minutes. The edges should just be beginning to brown.
8. Remove from the oven and let sit on the baking sheets for 15 minutes before scooping off onto a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
9. Whisk the cream, butter and maple syrup for the drizzle together in a bowl until well amalgamated.
10. Whisk in the icing sugar until you have a mixture that is thick but drizzable.
11. Drizzle this haphazardly over the cookies and allow to set before storing in an airtight container.

Notes

To measure the flour, spoon the flour into your measuring cup with a spoon and sweep any excess off with a flat edge.

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