Cinnamon maple sugar cookies are tender and cinnamon-spiced, with a hint of maple flavor in the dough. Top with an easy, quick-setting cinnamon glaze and these are ready to serve!
I know I shared a cookie recipe last week (double chocolate espresso!) and we’re coming up on cookie season, but cinnamon maple sugar cookies couldn’t possibly wait any longer to make their presence known. They’re flavored with just the right touch of maple flavor, with cinnamon featured both in the dough and in the super simple glaze.
Basically, they’re the cookie to get you through until gingerbread men bust through and dominate your winter holiday dessert trays.
Sugar cookie recipes vary from thick and chewy to thin and crisp and all types in between. This recipe for cinnamon maple sugar cookies in particular is based off of a family recipe, which is on the tender side that yields cookies that puff up as they bake. They’re airy and light (in texture, I’m making no claims as for their nutritional value 😜) and stay soft for days.
While I *almost* stopped there, I couldn’t resist topping these cookies with a schmear of cinnamon glaze. It’s super simple to whisk together in a bowl and adds a crispness to bite through on the top of each cookie. Plus it sets up in about 5-10 minutes or so, so you don’t have to wait forever to serve, store, or stack them.
You’ll notice maple extract is used as the maple flavoring here instead of maple syrup. Maple extract, much like vanilla extract, only requires a little bit to be used, and doesn’t throw off the dry to wet ingredient ratio or add additional sugar like using syrup would. Here is the link to my favorite, all-natural, and alcohol-free maple extract. It’s just a few dollars and a bottle will last you a long while.
Sometimes I get leary of flavored extracts, thinking they’ll taste artificial or throw off the flavor of the baked good in some way, but this maple extract gives SUCH a great flavor to these cookies (and these cookies, and this coffee syrup, and even Irish soda bread). Can you tell it’s a favorite? 🙂
Recipe Notes: If you’re looking for a dense, chewy sugar cookie, this recipe won’t satisfy your cravings. These cookies are light, tender, and slightly flaky. The flavor of these cookies also isn’t super bold, so if you’re the type who typically ups the quantity of extracts/spices when following a recipe, feel free to use extra cinnamon and/or extracts as you see fit.
When measuring flour, I first ‘fluff up’ the flour in its canister by stirring it with a spoon. Then I spoon the fluffed up flour into the measuring cup(s), taking care not to pack it in. Once the measuring cup is overflowing, I’ll use the straight edge of the spoon’s handle (or a knife) to level off the flour. This prevents too much flour from being packed into the measuring cup, which can lead to dry cookies.
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 tsp vanilla extract [see note]
- 3/4 tsp maple extract [see note]
- 2 eggs
- 2 1/4 cup all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup confectioners' sugar
- 1 tbsp water, potentially more
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- Cream together butter and sugar in a mixing bowl. Add vanilla and maple extracts and mix until combined. Add eggs and mix until smooth.
- Whisk together flour, cinnamon, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Slowly add dry ingredients to the bowl with the butter mixture and mix until just combined. The dough should be in a ball shape and just a little bit sticky. If dough is too sticky, add additional flour 1 tbsp at a time until it reaches the right consistency.
- Wrap dough ball in plastic wrap and chill in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours.
- Once chilled, preheat oven to 375°F. Line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper and set aside.
- Roll dough out onto a floured work surface until it's about 1/8" thick. Cut cookies with cookie cutters and place about 1 - 1 1/2" apart from one another on the prepared baking sheets, rerolling any scraps and repeating until all of the dough is used.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes, or until cookies are lightly golden brown on the edges. Let cookies cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer the cookies to a rack to cool completely.
- Whisk together all ingredients in a bowl and see how you like the consistency. If you'd like the glaze to be thinner, add additional water a very small amount (1 tsp) at a time and whisk. Spread glaze on cookies, and allow glaze to harden before stacking or storing.
I used a 3" diameter cookie cutter.
Note: If you'd like a stronger maple flavor, you can omit the vanilla extract and instead use 1 1/2 tsp of maple extract. All brands of maple extract are different, and while I enjoyed using equal parts vanilla and maple, I've also made these with all maple and that way was good, too.
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How long will these keep fresh in containers for? -Thanks!
Hi there, they should be fine in containers for at least a few days.
I promised my son I’d make these tonight for Valentine’s Day. If you were going to use maple syrup, how would you modify the recipe?
Hi Chrissy, since maple extract is a lot more concentrated than maple syrup, using a teaspoon or two of syrup won’t give much if any of a maple flavor. While I’ve never tried this with this recipe, maybe substituting maple syrup in for the sugar in the dough would work to both sweeten the dough and give it a maple flavor. I would say that 1/2 cup of maple syrup could be used in place of the 1/2 cup of granulated sugar. These sugar cookies are on the crisper side (versus soft and chewy sugar cookies) so a little extra moisture shouldn’t be a deal breaker when it comes to texture. I hope that helps!
Well I don’t know if it was the maple extract I bought (from OliveNation) or what but mine did not taste like maple at all. I’ll try again with all maple and no vanilla. What do you think?
Hi Jamie, I’m sorry the maple flavor didn’t come through in the finished product! I’ve never used that brand of extract so that may be it, but I think your suggestion of using all maple extract vs vanilla sounds great. Thankfully the amount of extract(s) are pretty flexible in cookies, so increasing the maple so the flavor comes through won’t throw off the rest of the recipe. I hope that helps!
These cookies look amazing — and your photography is terrific! Was wondering if you use Tailwind — because I am starting a new tribe called CHRISTMAS COOKIES and I’d love for you to participate! If you’re interested, send me an e-mail and I’ll invite you! Thanks — these cookies are going on my MUST TRY list this year!
Thanks so much, Lisa! And I do – I will email you now. 🙂
I just saw a recipe for a maple sugar cookie in a magazine and was very intrigued, but yours looks so much better! Especially with that cinnamon glaze on top. And this will give me an excuse to buy maple extract! 🙂
I was surprised by how much I use maple extract – even year round. I bet you’ll love it, Gayle!
Yum… these cookies look so good and perfect for fall. I love that you added maple flavor!
Thanks Celia! It’s one of my favorite seasonal treats. 🙂
I have been wanting cookies and wondering what the perfect type to make would be. This is it! Cannot wait to try them!
Thanks Annie! I look for every excuse to bust out the maple extract this time of year. 🙂
I like the puff and tenderness! Lovely! Plus…totally digging everything maple right now!
Yesssss maple everything! Thanks Rebecca!