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Soft and chewy Brown Sugar Cookies are made with all brown sugar, flavored with real maple syrup and rolled in sugar to finish them off. These cookies are out of this world!
If you love these, you’ll also love my easy sugar cookies and my snickerdoodles.
My husband said that he never considered cookies to be a favorite dessert until just recently, and now he just wants cookies all the time. I have to say, I feel the same.
To make this recipe, I started off with my molasses cookie as a base, swapping out the molasses for maple syrup and started tweaking from there. These brown sugar cookies are crazy addicting.
They are crispy on the edges with soft and chewy centers. Is that not a requirement for all cookie recipes? You can just sink your teeth right in. These are made with all brown sugar which helps to retain moisture and keeps them soft for days.
One unexpected ingredient I added is maple syrup. It really brings out the molasses flavors in the brown sugar, and you’ll definitely taste it. Maple syrup and brown sugar just got hand in hand. More recently, I started adding a touch of flakey sea salt on top, and oh my Gos, it’s just incredible.
These cookies come together in a snap and are rather easy to make.
Ingredients
- Unsalted butter, softened
- Light brown sugar
- Pure maple syrup- I don’t recommend using imitation maple syrup.
- Egg
- Pure vanilla extract
- Maple extract- If you don’t want to use maple extract, you can add additional vanilla extract.
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Cream of tartar
- Salt
- Cinnamon
- Granulated sugar to roll the dough in.
What does cream of tartar do for cookies?
This gives cookie a little bit of tangy flavor and also helps keep them chewy. There are not great options for substitutions. If you don’t have it, you can leave it out, the cookies will bake just fine.
- Beat the butter and brown sugar
- Add the liquid ingredients
- Combine the dry ingredients, add to batter and beat until the dough forms
- Use a large cookie scoop and scoop cookie dough onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet
- Roll in granulated sugar
- Refrigerate the dough for a minimum of 45 minutes
- Preheat the oven to 350° F, let the cookies rest for 10 minutes at room temperature prior to baking
- Bake for 11-13 minutes. Cool completely
Why do you refrigerate the dough?
The primary reason for chilling the dough is so that the cookies will not spread. It allows the fats to re-solidify, and as the cookies bakes, it slows down the process of spreading. It also gives the flavors a little more time to come together. You’ll find these cookies will puff up a bit in the oven but they will settle as they cool making those picture perfect creases.
- Pre scoop the dough and roll it in sugar mixture prior to refrigerating the dough.
- Use a cookie scoop. This ensure your cookies are the same size and will bake evenly.
- Use a silicone baking mat. This helps prevent the bottom from burning and the added layer also helps the cookies from spreading. Parchment paper will also work but the bottoms of the cookies will be darker.
- Bake one tray at a time. Overloading the oven can cause uneven baking, especially if you have hot spots in the oven.
- When they’re hot and fresh: Use a round cookie cutter, spatula or knife and press the edges of the cookies towards the center for the perfect shape, and to make some of those gorgeous ripples along the edges. You have to do this right when they come out of the oven.
- Add a pinch of sea salt. If you’re a fan of sweet and salty desserts, then I’d recommend adding a pinch of sea salt both prior to and after baking. I love Maldon sea salt flakes (affiliate link).
To freeze the cookie dough, pre-scoop the dough, roll in sugar and then refrigerate for 30 minutes. Transfer dough to an airtight container and freeze. Dough should be thawed but cold prior to baking. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator or for 1-2 hours on the counter at room temperature.
To freeze baked cookies, cool them completely then transfer to an airtight container and freeze.
To keep cookies fresh, keep them stored in an airtight container.
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- Prep Time: 60 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 12 minutes
- Yield: 11 cookies
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Pin RecipeDescription
Soft and Chewy brown sugar cookies are made with all brown sugar, flavored with real maple syrup and rolled in sugar to finish them off.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cups (220g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1/3 cup (78ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 teaspoon maple extract (optional)
- 1 3/4 cups (245g) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for rolling the dough)
Instructions
- Soften cold butter in the microwave for 10-12 seconds. Combine the butter with the brown sugar and beat on medium speed until well creamed together.
- Add the maple syrup, eggs and extracts and mix until well combined, scraping down the bowl as needed.
- In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients. Slowly add into batter and beat on medium low speed until well combined and dough forms.
- Use a large cookie scoop and scoop cookie dough onto a parchment paper lined baking sheet. Roll in granulated sugar. Refrigerate the dough for a minimum of 45 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 350° F. Place the dough about 2 inches apart, and let sit at room temperature for 10 minutes prior to baking.
- Bake at 350° F 11-13 minutes. Allow cookie to cool on the baking sheet for several minutes and then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Maple extract: You can omit this or substitute with additional vanilla extract
- Top with a pinch of sea salt: If you like a sweet and salty combo, and a pinch of sea salt on top prior to and after baking. I love Maldon salt.
- How to store these cookies: Keep in an airtight container
- How to freeze these cookies: To freeze the cookie dough, pre-scoop the dough, roll in sugar and then refrigerate for 30 minutes. Transfer dough to an airtight container and freeze. Dough should be thawed but cold prior to baking. To freeze baked cookies, cool them completely then transfer to an airtight container and freeze.
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: Baked
Keywords: Maple cookies, Brown Sugar cookies, Sugar Cookies, Christmas cookies
Delicious!
★★★★★
wonderful! Thank you Kate!
I used real maple sugar to coat them. Results? Amazing!
★★★★★
Umm that DOES sound amazing!!
If I were to add dried blueberries, cranberries and instant oats, do you think I’d have to adjust the recipe at all?
You would be fine to add in the dried blueberries or cranberries but if you’re adding instant oats, I would consider making one of my oatmeal cookie recipes instead. This Oatmeal raisin cookie is super popular and you can easily swap out the raisins for blueberries and cranberries.
It is not clear to me when the cinnamon comes in. Do you combine the cinnamon with the granulated sugar for rolling?
It’s confusing because you say to add all dry ingredients but I sense that the extra white sugar and cinnamon at the end of the recipe are strictly for rolling.
Hi Diane. The cinnamon is added into the cookie dough. The granulated sugar is to roll the finished cookie dough in (see step 4). I hope this helps.
I’m glad you mentioned the scoop sizes. I want to get a bunch of cookies set for my grandkids. I’ll have to consider getting a sugar cookie and chocolate mix going.