Ingredients
Cookie Base
- 3 large eggs
- 1 cup butter, softened
- 2 cups granulated sugar
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon maple extract
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- All‑purpose flour (enough to make a soft drop‑cookie dough; recipes with this base typically use around 4–4 1/2 cups)
Maple Icing
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- 1–2 tablespoons milk
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
This lineup mirrors published maple cookie with maple icing recipes that use butter, sugar, eggs, buttermilk, maple extract, baking soda, salt, and flour for the cookies, plus a simple powdered sugar–maple–milk glaze.
Ingredients and Why They Matter
In the cookies, butter and granulated sugar create a classic sugar‑cookie style base; soft maple cookies, buttermilk sugar cookies, and maple brown sugar cookies all start with a similar creamed butter‑sugar mixture. Eggs provide structure and moisture, and recipes using this formula consistently use three eggs for tenderness and lift.
Buttermilk adds moisture and a slight tang, contributing to a soft, tender crumb; maple cookie recipes with buttermilk note that it keeps the cookies from drying out and helps them puff up instead of spreading flat. Maple extract delivers concentrated maple flavor without relying on a large volume of syrup in the dough, a technique repeated across maple cookie and maple glaze recipes. Vanilla extract rounds out sweetness and deepens the overall flavor.
Baking soda reacts with the buttermilk’s acidity to lift the cookies, which is standard in buttermilk sugar cookie formulas. Salt is essential to balance sweetness and enhance maple and vanilla notes. All‑purpose flour gives structure; similar recipes use enough flour to make a thick, scoopable batter that bakes into soft, slightly domed cookies rather than spreading thin.
In the icing, powdered sugar provides sweetness and a smooth texture. Pure maple syrup adds true maple flavor; maple glaze recipes strongly recommend real maple syrup over pancake syrup for the best taste. Milk thins the glaze to the right consistency, and vanilla extract adds warmth and complexity. Together they create a quick maple icing that closely matches other cookie and donut glaze formulas.
Step‑by‑Step Instructions
Make the cookie dough
I start by preheating the oven to 350°F (175°C) and lining baking sheets with parchment paper. Maple cookie and buttermilk sugar cookie recipes use this temperature and prep for soft cookies that don’t over‑brown.
In a large mixing bowl, I cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together until light and fluffy, usually 2–3 minutes with a hand mixer. Soft maple cookie and maple sugar cookie recipes highlight this step for building structure and a fine crumb.
Next, I beat in the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition so the batter stays smooth and emulsified. Then I mix in the buttermilk, maple extract, and vanilla, just until combined; maple cookies with buttermilk often add liquids at this stage to keep the batter from curdling.
In a separate bowl, I whisk together the baking soda, salt, and enough flour to match a soft drop‑cookie dough (recipes built on this base specify adding flour gradually and stopping when the dough is thick but still scoopable, not dry). I gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until everything is combined and there are no streaks of flour left.
If the dough seems too soft or loose to hold its shape, maple cookie guides suggest chilling for 20–30 minutes before baking to reduce spreading.
Bake the cookies
Using a cookie scoop or tablespoon, I drop portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Buttermilk sugar cookie and maple cookie recipes portion similarly, allowing room for gentle spreading.
I bake the cookies for 12–15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the tops look set but still soft in the center. Soft maple cookies and maple sugar cookie recipes give nearly the same time frame and visual cues at 350°F. I avoid overbaking to keep the centers tender and moist.
Once done, I let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely, which is standard practice to prevent breaking and to ensure the icing goes on fully cooled cookies.
Maple Icing Instructions
In a bowl, I whisk together the powdered sugar, 2–3 tablespoons pure maple syrup, 1–2 tablespoons milk, and the vanilla extract until smooth and pourable but not too thin. Maple glaze recipes for cookies and donuts use almost identical proportions and adjust with a little extra milk for a thinner drizzle or powdered sugar for a thicker spread.
If the icing feels too thick to drizzle, I add milk a teaspoon at a time until it reaches a slow‑ribbon consistency; if too thin, I whisk in a bit more powdered sugar. Then I drizzle or spread the icing over the cooled cookies. Maple cookie recipes recommend letting the icing set for about 20–30 minutes so it crusts slightly and becomes stackable.