Maple Cookies with Maple Glaze
These maple cookies are a baker's dream. They're a bit different from the norm but, oh, so easy to love.
Maple Cookies:
1 cup butter, softened
¾ cup sugar
¾ cup brown sugar, packed
2 large eggs, room temperature
1 tsp. pure maple flavouring
2½ cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
1 tsp. baking soda
1 tsp. sea salt
2 cups white baking chips
1 cup pecans, chopped
Maple Glaze:
⅓ cup butter, cubed
1¾ cups confectioners' sugar
⅓ cup pure maple syrup
¼ tsp. pure maple flavouring
Preheat an oven to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4).
In a large bowl, cream butter and sugars until light and fluffy, about 5-7 minutes. Beat in the eggs and maple flavouring.
In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda and salt; gradually beat into the creamed mixture. Stir in baking chips and pecans.
Drop dough by rounded Tbsp. 2" apart onto an ungreased baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool on pans for 2 minutes. Remove to wire racks to cool completely.
For the Glaze:
In a saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Remove from the heat. Gradually beat in the confectioners’ sugar, maple syrup and maple flavouring until smooth.
Drizzle over cookies; let dry completely. Store between pieces of waxed paper in airtight containers.
Makes 5 dozen.
Cook's Notes:
Variations:
- Add other types of baking chips: The recipe calls for white chocolate chips, but many kinds of flavoured baking chips pair well with this cookie. Yummy options include butterscotch, cream cheese, espresso and cinnamon chips.
- Try different kinds of nuts: Maple syrup and nuts are a gorgeous match and that isn’t limited to pecans. Make these cookies with walnuts, almond slivers, hazelnuts or cashews.
- Add fruit: For a nice chew, add whole or chopped dried fruits to the cookie batter. Dried cranberries and maple are a nice combination and chopped, pitted dates would be lovely too. You could also dice up dried apple slices and mix them in for a classic Vermont combo.
- Spice things up: Try a dash of an apple pie spice, like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger or allspice, or a combo of all four.
Storage:
- Because of the glaze, store these maple syrup cookies with parchment or waxed paper between the layers. Keep them in an airtight container in a cool and dry place.
- How long do maple cookies last? Maple syrup cookies are best if eaten within three days, but in chillier rooms, the cookies may last as long as five days.
- Can you freeze maple cookies? Unglazed maple cookies can be stored frozen in zip-top bags or in airtight freezer containers. They are best eaten within three months. Don’t forget to glaze them before eating.
- Can you make maple cookies ahead of time? You can whip up a batch of cookie dough and store it in the refrigerator. Because the dough contains raw egg, it’s best practice to use it within two days. You can also freeze the dough, but since this isn’t a rolled cookie, it will be on the softer side.
- To freeze the dough, pack it into an airtight container and keep it in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw the maple cookie recipe dough in the fridge overnight before using.
Nutritional information:
Per 1 cookie: 139 calories, 7g fat (4g saturated fat), 18mg cholesterol, 101mg sodium, 18g carbohydrate (13g sugars, 0 fiber), 1g protein