Maple Cinnamon Cookies
Maple is one of those flavors that quietly sits on the sidelines, even though it absolutely deserves a moment in the spotlight. These maple cinnamon cookies are cozy, nostalgic, and perfect for fall. They start with a soft, brown sugar rich cookie base, warmed with cinnamon, then get topped with smooth maple frosting and sprinkles for that bakery style finish. This is an old recipe of mine that I somehow always forget about, and every single time I make it, I wonder why I ever stopped. Sweet, comforting, and full of flavor, these cookies are the kind you make once and immediately remember why they’re a favorite!
Baking Tip and Flavor Secret
For the best maple flavor, this recipe uses maple extract in both the cookie dough and the frosting, which gives the cookies a rich, cozy maple taste without overpowering the cinnamon and brown sugar. That said, you can easily adjust the flavor to your liking by adding maple to just the cookies or just the frosting, depending on how subtle or bold you want it. And here’s the fun secret: there is actually no maple syrup in this recipe at all, yet it still delivers some of the best natural tasting maple flavor every single time!
Maple isn’t just a fall flavor, or something reserved for pancakes and waffles. It’s rich, warm, and versatile enough to be enjoyed year-round, at any time of day. These cookies are proof that maple deserves far more recognition than it gets, bringing depth and comfort without being overly sweet. Whether you’re baking them in the middle of winter, spring, summer, or fall, maple holds its own beautifully, and this recipe lets it shine exactly the way it should!
Why I Measure in Grams (and You Might Want To, Too)
If you’ve ever made the same recipe twice and gotten two totally different results, the measuring method is often the reason.
Professional bakeries almost always measure by weight, not volume. Measuring cups leave room for inconsistency—especially with ingredients that pack differently depending on how you scoop or pour them. A scale removes all of that guesswork.
One of the biggest offenders is sugar. Different sugars (and even the same sugar measured by different people) can vary wildly in volume, but 100 grams is always 100 grams. Measuring by weight gives you repeatable, bakery-consistent results and cuts down on extra dishes at the same time.
A food scale is one of the best (and most affordable) investments you can make for your kitchen if you love baking and want your recipes to turn out exactly the same every time.
Ingredients To Prepare
Before baking, take a few minutes to gather the ingredients below and to ensure that they are soft, chewy, and perfectly mapley!
Once you have all of the ingredients ready to go, you’re officially set up for maple cinnamon cookie success. I always recommend measuring everything out ahead of time so the process is smoother, and you can focus on making the best cookies possible!
Maple Cinnamon Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/4 tsp maple extract
- 2 1/2 cup all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup butter
- 3 cups powdered sugar
- 3 tbsp heavy cream or milk
- 1/2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 tsp maple extract
- 1 tsp brown food coloring
- sprinkles optional
Method
- Preheat your oven to 350°F on convection. In a stand mixer or using a hand mixer, beat the room-temperature butter for 3–5 minutes, until pale and off-white.
- Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the butter. Beat for about 2 minutes, until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Mix in the egg until fully incorporated. Stir in the vanilla extract and maple extract.
- Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Mix on low speed if using a stand mixer, or gently fold with a spatula if mixing by hand, just until a dough forms.
- Using a ⅓-cup scoop or your desired size, place one ball of dough on a baking tray and bake it as a test cookie. This helps ensure no ingredients were missed, checks your oven temperature, and shows how much the cookie will spread.
- After the test cookie, scoop and space the remaining dough on the tray, using the test cookie as a guide for spacing. I was able to fit six cookies per tray. The dough can be left domed or gently flattened if preferred. Bake for 12–14 minutes for ⅓-cup cookies.
- For perfectly round cookies, place a circular bowl or cup over the warm cookies and gently swirl to smooth the edges. Let the cookies cool on the tray for about 10 minutes before removing.
- Beat the butter and shortening together until smooth and off-white. Gradually add the powdered sugar until fully incorporated. Add the heavy cream and extracts, then whip until light and fluffy. For smoother piping, gently fold the frosting with a spatula to reduce air bubbles.
- Divide the frosting as desired and add food coloring and additional extracts. Add coloring gradually until the desired shade is reached, as food coloring strength can vary.
- Frost the cooled cookies and finish with sprinkles. Store cookies in the refrigerator for up to 10 days or at room temperature for up to one week.
