Soft Maple Sugar Cookies are buttery, sweet, and lightly flavored with real maple syrup. These soft, chewy cookies have crisp edges, tender centers, and a drizzle of maple icing that makes them perfect for the holidays or any time you’re craving a cozy treat.
Why This Recipe is Special
You’ll love these cookies because they’re simple to make and bake up soft every time. The subtle maple flavor pairs perfectly with the creamy icing, giving them a warm, comforting sweetness that fits right into fall and winter baking. These cookies look beautiful on a Christmas cookie tray and make an easy homemade gift for friends and family.
Ingredient Notes
- Butter and shortening: The mix of both gives these cookies their soft centers and light, crisp edges.
- Granulated and brown sugar: Using both adds depth and just the right chewiness. If you love soft and chewy cookie recipes, try my Ginger Molasses Cookies next.
- Pure maple syrup: Real maple syrup gives the cookies a natural, rich flavor that can’t be matched by imitation extracts.
- Baking soda and cream of tartar: This classic pairing helps create the perfect light texture in sugar cookies.
- Egg yolks: Add richness and keep the cookies tender.
- Vanilla extract: Balances the maple flavor with a bit of warmth.
- Flour: All-purpose flour gives structure without making the cookies dense.
- Maple icing: A simple mix of butter, milk, powdered sugar, and maple syrup creates a silky glaze that hardens just enough to store easily.
How to Make Soft Maple Sugar Cookies
Step one: Preheat the oven to 300°F.
Step two: In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and shortening with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 30 seconds until combined.
Step three: Add the granulated sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
Step four: Add the egg yolks and vanilla extract, then beat until combined.
Step five: Mix in the flour until a soft dough forms.
Step six: Shape the dough into 1 ½-inch balls and place them 3 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.
Step seven: Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. The tops will still look slightly soft.
Step eight: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. The centers will dip slightly as they cool.
Step nine: Once cooled, drizzle each cookie with maple icing.
You can find the complete ingredient list and printable recipe card below.
Substitutions & Variations
- Add crunch: Mix in chopped pecans or walnuts for texture.
- Holiday version: Top with festive sprinkles or drizzle white chocolate for a Christmas cookie tray.
- More maple flavor: Use dark-grade maple syrup or add a few drops of maple extract. If you like this tip, you may enjoy my maple flavored fudge recipe.
- Change the icing: Try a maple glaze made with powdered sugar, milk, and a splash of vanilla for a softer finish.
- Make-ahead dough: Chill the dough overnight to bake fresh cookies the next day.
Crissy’s Soft Maple Sugar Cookies Tips
- Use real maple syrup: Pure maple syrup gives the cookies the best flavor and texture.
- Don’t overbake: The cookies should look slightly soft in the center when removed from the oven.
- Cool before icing: If the cookies are warm, the icing will melt instead of setting.
- Whisk icing slowly: Gradually add milk until it reaches the right drizzling consistency.
- Store properly: Once iced, let them set before stacking or storing.
Storage Instructions
Room temperature: Store Soft Maple Sugar Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. Keep layers separated with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Refrigerator: These cookies can also be refrigerated for up to a week. The icing will stay firm, and the cookies will keep their chewy texture. Allow them to come to room temperature before serving.
Freezer: Freeze cookies in a single layer on a baking sheet, then transfer to an airtight container. They’ll stay fresh for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature before icing or serving.
Make-ahead tip: You can prepare the dough and store it covered in the refrigerator for up to 48 hours. When ready to bake, roll and bake as directed for soft, fresh cookies anytime.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make Soft Maple Sugar Cookies ahead of time?
Yes. These cookies are perfect for make-ahead baking since they stay soft and fresh for several days. You can bake them a day early and ice them once they’ve cooled completely.
Can I freeze Soft Maple Sugar Cookies?
Absolutely. Freeze baked cookies in layers separated by wax paper inside an airtight container. When you’re ready to serve, let them thaw at room temperature and drizzle with icing if needed.
Can I use maple extract instead of maple syrup?
You can, but pure maple syrup provides a deeper, more natural flavor. If you use extract, reduce the granulated sugar slightly to balance the sweetness.
How do I get the icing consistency right?
The icing should be smooth and drizzly, not runny. Add a few drops of milk if it’s too thick, or whisk in a little powdered sugar if it’s too thin.
Are these good for holiday cookie trays?
Yes. Their soft centers and light maple flavor make them a standout among Christmas cookies. They’re great for gifting, parties, or cookie exchanges.
More Easy Christmas Cookies
- Raspberry Almond Shortbread Cookies
- Hershey Kiss Cookies
- Snowball Christmas Cookies
- Christmas Gooey Butter Cookies
Soft Maple Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup shortening
- 1 1/2 cups granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup brown sugar packed
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 3 egg yolks
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
Maple Icing
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/4 cup butter melted
- 3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
Instructions
Cookies
- Preheat oven to 300°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and shortening with an electric mixer on medium speed for about 30 seconds until combined.
- Add granulated sugar, brown sugar, maple syrup, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Beat on medium speed for 2 minutes, scraping the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add egg yolks and vanilla, then beat until combined.
- Mix in the flour until a soft dough forms.
- Shape dough into 1 1/2-inch balls and place them 3 inches apart on an ungreased baking sheet.
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes or until the edges are lightly browned. The tops will still look slightly soft.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. The centers will dip slightly as they cool.
- Once cooled, drizzle each cookie with maple icing.
Maple Icing
- In a small bowl, whisk together heavy cream (or milk), melted butter, and maple syrup.
- Gradually whisk in powdered sugar until the icing reaches a drizzling consistency.
Notes
Save This Recipe?
Enter your email and we’ll send it straight to you + get all our latest recipes.
Nutrition
Did you make this?
I would love to hear from you! Make sure to leave your review below and follow on Pinterest for more!
LOL, I didn’t read comments before making them so I didn’t have any problems. I did note the unusual flour amount, and made sure the cookies were spaced out the 3 inches. I expected them to spread and they did. However, they looked exactly like the picture, came out exactly as I expected and the family proclaimed them one of the best cookies they ever had.^^Shrug^^ I would not substitute fake maple syrup for pure maple syrup. Fake stuff is corn syrup which behaves differently, as in, it prevents recrystallization of sugar so perhaps if that was substituted the cookies would have spread more, and stayed softer/wetter?
I added 1/2 cup more flour. Increased temp to 320 and baked 15 mins. Came out perfect!
My husband asked me why I tried so many new cookie recipes? This is why. These are a keeper. I adapted the frosting with more maple syrup and a touch of maple extract. Incredible! He knows why now… Hahahaha!
Haha, that’s right! Your hubby is lucky to have a wonderful wife who loves to bake! :)
These cookies are absolutely perfect! My son asked why I made them today, when he thinks I should have been making them ALL of HIS LIFE! I took some to work and they asked me to NEVER bring them again. They are simply too good to resist! Thanks for sharing your recipe!
Do these need to be refrigerated?
I made these for Christmas, adding extra flour as well as some maple extract to the dough. These came out great and were a hit! Definitely going to make these again.
Highly recommend making these with caramel glaze (a little caramel extract, a pinch of heavy whipping cream, powdered sugar, and water–so that they dry quicker). Tastes like fall in a cookie
I recently tried these without the recipe adjustments the comments suggested. (I like making my own mistakes^^). I rolled the dough into 15g balls and baked them at 150°C.
The result … thin and crispy. A bit like too-thin chocolate chip cookies. Which I could have expected as the dough tasted a lot like chocolate chip cookie dough. I learned: needs more flour.
They taste fine, a little sweet, but otherwise okay. It’s not what I expected, though. I’ll try them with an additional cup of flour.
I made these last night with my kiddos and they turned out GREAT! I substituted coconut oil for the shortening and the cookies are seriously delish. Thanks for this recipe; I know that we will be making it for years to come!
Hi. I just made these cookies last night and here my two cents. They were way too sweet!! I didn’t make the icing and boy am I glad! This can be a decent recipe with some changes. I don’t know about you but I expect recipies to work without having to adjust key ingredients like flour & sugar. That being said, I would reduce the granulated sugar to 1/2 cup & keep the brown + maple syrup at 1/4 cup. One cup of sugar is plenty for these. That should now allow for the 1 3/4 cups of flour to be almost right, maybe adding a little more if needed. Also, the cookies needed to cool for at least 10 min on the baking sheet before transferring to a rack. Plus, the icing looks pretty but I’m not sure these cookies need it. Finally, I used butter flavored shortening along with European butter, that combo is a great one for sugar cookies. Happy baking :-)
I read the better homes and garden recipe and made sure all the ingredients are the same. They were except for the icing where they had 3-4 cups powdered sugar rather than 2-2 1/2 cups. Just letting anyone know in case they had trouble with the icing!