Fluffy Maple Frosted Sugar Cookies
These Fluffy Maple Sugar Cookies are sweetened with real maple syrup and covered in a rich maple frosting. It’s the perfect fall cookie to add to your holiday tables.
I’ve never considered myself a food snob. We eat well, and occasionally I enjoy going to a really upscale, hoity toityย restaurant, but if you give me the choice between meatloaf and glazed duck with haricot verts (<<<They’re green beans, people!!), 99% of the time I’m going to choose the meatloaf.
There are, however, a few things I am a snob about, and one of them is maple syrup. A few years ago, the Mr. and I started buying real maple syrupย from Leane and Michael’s Sugarbushย through Green Bean Delivery. Needless to say, I’ve become a maple syrup snob. There are manyย times you can get away with the cheaper, off brand version of ingredients, but if there’s one thing I would suggest you splurge on, it’s real maple syrup.ย There really is no flavor comparison. ย For me, maple syrup went from being the sugary goo I pour on my pancakes to a flavor force to be reckoned with. I started craving maple everything–maple squash, maple chicken, maple caramel, even maple salad dressing.
This fall, the maple hankerings hit me again in full force. I’m not sure where the idea of a puffy maple-frosted cookie came from, but once it was lodged in my brain, there was no getting out of it. These cookies had to be made. I searched the web for what I was looking for, but nothing seemed to be quite right, so I pieced together a few different recipes to come up with what I feel is the ultimate fall cookie.
It starts with fluffy, pillowy soft sugar cookies sweetened with pure maple syrup. The cookies themselves are only mildly sweet and just a tad sturdier than cake. Then comes the frosting. It’s essentially a caramel frosting made even better with a few teaspoons of maple extract. The combination of the deep, maple caramel frosting and the puffy cookies is perfect. Just sweet enough to make you reach for a glass of milk, but not so sweet that your fillings want to pop out of your teeth.
Add these to your holiday cookie plates, your Thanksgiving dessert table, or your “it’s a Tuesday” routine.ย But don’t blame me if you suddenly find yourself a maple syrup snob too.
Fluffy Maple Frosted Cookies
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 2/3 cup sour cream
- 1 teaspoon maple flavoring
- 3 cups flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the frosting:
- 1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1 T unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons maple extract
- 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups powdered sugar
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
Instructions
For the cookies:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper. In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and brown sugar on medium high speed until fluffy and thoroughly combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the maple syrup, sour cream, and maple flavoring and beat until well combined.
- In another mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, powder, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, beating on low speed. Increase speed and beat until thoroughly combined, about 1 additional minute.
- Drop the dough by the rounded Tablespoon onto the cookie sheets, leaving about an inch and a half between cookies. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until cookies are puffed and lightly browned.
For the frosting:
- Combine the brown sugar and cream in a small sauce pan. Bring the mixture to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Boil for 4 minutes. Remove the mixture from heat and stir in the butter and maple extract. Add 1 1/4 cups powdered sugar and whisk until smooth. If needed add an additional 1/4 cup of powdered sugar. You want the frosting to be thick but still spreadable. Immediately spread the frosting on the cookies. Sprinkle with chopped pecans.
- Allow the cookies to set, then store in an airtight container. Cookies will stay fresh for 3-4 days, but pecans will lose their crunch after 2 days.
Notes
This frosting sets up quickly, so don't make it until you're ready to spread it. If the frosting gets hard, you can add a Tablespoon of warmed cream and whisk again.
Frosting adapted from Tater Tots and Jello; Cookies adapted from Dulce Doughย
OMG! So glad that I can across this recipe. My husband isn’t a huge fan of sweets in general, but he absolutely loved these! And if you’re looking for an online organic food delivery service in Tennessee for any reason, make sure to check out Carrot Krate. I’ve been using them for over a year now, and I have not been disappointed. I bought a few ingredients from them.
Thanks so much for allowing me to include your recipe in my round-up of 60 Ultimate Cookie Exchange Recipes on Taste As You Go, Courtney! Happy Holidays!
These look amazing!
I’m a maple snob also! Once you have the real stuff, it is REALLY hard to go back to Aunt Jemima. These cookies are fall central in every bite!
Poor Aunt Jemima. You were good to me, but we’ve all moved on.
Yup, I’m a big believer in real maple syrup, not the imitation crap. There’s just no comparison! These cookies are gorgeous, Courtney! The look insanely fluffy ‘n soft on the inside, and that creamy frosting is making my mouth water. Beautiful photos too, my friend.
Thanks dear! I feel thoroughly justified in my maple syrup snobbery.
Oh. My. These look decadently delicious! Can I order a dozen for delivery? ๐
You know? For you, I just might say yes! ๐
LOVE these Courtney. I made some cinnamon cookies the other day with a similar frosting, but I’m loving the maple sugar cookie idea. Those cookies really do look super fluffy!!! Tuesday routine it is.
Woahhhh. This is WAY better than the average sugar cookie!! The maple flavoring looks perfect!!
Sues