About These Chewy Maple Sugar Cookies
These maple sugar cookies are INCREDIBLY soft and chewy. They are extra flavorful, with both maple sugar AND maple syrup in the recipe. I’m excited to add this seasonal, fall-flavored recipes to my cookie recipe collection on Hummingbird High!
What is maple sugar?
Maple sugar is made from maple sugar that is cooked down until it forms dry granules similar to that of granulated white sugar. You can use it in recipes like you would white or brown sugar, and doing so adds lots of maple flavor to the recipe.
The maple sugar gives these cookies their pillowy-yet-chewy texture. However, if you can’t find this delicious specialty ingredient, don’t worry! I’ve also included notes on how to make the cookies with brown sugar.
Ingredients and Substitutions
Now that I’ve convinced you to make these soft and chewy maple sugar cookies, let’s talk about some key ingredients and potential substitutions:
Common Ingredient Substitutions And Sources
Here are common substitutions for the ingredients in the recipe:
- All-Purpose Flour. Substitute the all-purpose flour with your favorite 1-1 Gluten Free All Purpose Flour (I like the ones by Bob’s Red Mill and King Arthur Baking Company) to make the recipe gluten-free!
- Kosher Salt. Kosher salt is the best salt for baking recipes. But you can replace the kosher salt in the recipe with table salt. Just use half the amount listed in the recipe when you do!
- Unsalted Butter. You can substitute the unsalted butter with salted butter without any noticeable difference in taste. You can also use vegan butter sticks to make it dairy-free—however, it won’t be vegan since the dough still contains an egg.
- Maple Sugar. The recipe below uses maple sugar, which is maple syrup that’s been treated so that it has the texture and consistency of white granulated sugar. It is available online, as well as at Whole Foods, health food co-ops, and other gourmet grocery stores.
Note that maple sugar is a little on the pricey side. So if you want to buy a small bag and make it stretch, I recommend using light or dark brown sugar in the cookie dough instead. Then, save the maple sugar for the cookie coating.
Best Recipe Tips
Best Baking Techniques
- The recipe instructs you to roll each cookie dough ball in a bowl of maple sugar (similar to how you would roll snickerdoodle cookies in cinnamon sugar). Don’t skip this step! The cookies turn out puffy and cakey looking (like a whoopie pie) if you do. If you’re out of maple sugar, you can roll the dough balls in granulated sugar instead.
- I like to bake the cookies one pan at a time. I find that doing so makes the best cookies, ensuring that none of them have overly burnt bottoms or raw centers. However, to save time, you can bake two sheet pans at a time. Position a rack in the upper-third position of the oven, and a second one in the lower-third position of the oven. Bake a pan on each rack, swapping their positions half way through the Bake Time.
How To Customize The Recipe
- This recipe is great for customizing! I like to add 1 cup (6 ounces or 170 grams) of chocolate chips for a maple chocolate chip cookie variation, or 1 cup of any kind of nut (though I recommend pecans!) for maple nut cookies. If you find their appearance to bleh, you can also drizzle them with a maple syrup or coffee glaze.
Troubleshooting Cookie Fails
Get the Recipe:
Maple Sugar Cookies Recipe
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Bake Time: 10 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 19 cookies
These soft and chewy maple sugar cookies have both maple sugar AND syrup in the cookie dough, making them taste extra flavorful and keeping them soft and moist for days!
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For The Maple Sugar Cookie Dough
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First, whisk together the dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.
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Cream the butter and sugar. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the butter and sugar. Beat on medium-high until light, fluffy, and doubled in volume, 2 to 3 minutes, using a rubber spatula to scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl as necessary.
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Add the egg, maple syrup, and dry ingredients. Reduce the mixer to low and add the egg. Slowly pour in the maple syrup and beat until just combined. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl. With the mixer on low, gradually add the dry ingredients and beat until just combined. Scrape down the bottom and sides of the bowl once more, and beat on low for an additional 30 seconds.
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Chill the cookie dough. Cover the bowl of cookie dough with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for 1 hour, or up to 3 days.
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When ready to assemble and bake the cookie dough, prep your oven and pans. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two half sheet pans with parchment paper.
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Coat the cookies. Place the maple sugar for assembly in a medium, shallow bowl. Use a 3-Tablespoon cookie dough scoop to portion the cookie dough into balls, dropping them directly into the bowl with maple sugar. Toss until the cookie dough balls are completely and generously coated. Place the cookie dough balls at least 3 inches apart on the prepared sheet pans.
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Bake the cookies. Bake one pan at a time for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges have set but the centers are still soft. The cookies will look puffed when you pull them out of the oven, but will fall and crack into the perfect cookies as they cool. Cool the cookies on the pan on a wire rack for 20 minutes, or until the edges and bottoms of the cookies have set and feel firm to the touch. Repeat with the remaining cookie dough.
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Serve and store. Serve warm, or at room temperature. The cookies can be stored in an airtight container or zip-top bag at room temperature for up to 3 days.
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Weeknight Baking:
Recipes to Fit your Schedule
Over the past several years of running Hummingbird High, I kept a crucial aspect of my life hidden from my readers: I had a full-time, extremely demanding job in the tech world. In my debut cookbook, Weeknight Baking, I finally reveal the secrets to baking delicious desserts on a tight schedule.
