Ingredients (~24 cookies)
Cookie Dough
- 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 tsp maple extract
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
Maple Icing
- 2 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1 1/2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp maple extract
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 Tbsp milk, any variety
In a stand mixer or large mixing bowl, cream together the 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp softened butter and 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp granulated sugar on medium to medium-high speed for ~2 minutes.
The butter should lighten in color and the mixture should look fluffy.
Add 1 egg, 3/4 tsp maple extract, and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract; mix again until evenly combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the 1 2/3 cups flour, 3/4 tsp cinnamon, 3/4 tsp cream of tartar, 1/2 tsp baking soda, and 1/4 tsp salt.
Add the dry ingredients to the creamed butter mixture in several increments, mixing each one in until just combined.
The dough should form a ball shape and will be a bit sticky.
Turn out the ball of dough onto a sheet of plastic wrap, wrap snugly, and place in the refrigerator to chill well for at least 2 hours.
This step is important – the dough won’t roll or cut cleanly if it’s not chilled properly.
Once chilled, preheat your oven to 375F and line a baking sheet or two with parchment paper.
Flour a work surface and a rolling pin generously.
Turn out the dough onto the work surface and sprinkle ~1 Tbsp of flour over top.
Lightly knead the dough to work in the flour – add an additional sprinkling of flour as needed so the dough handles well without sticking.
Roll the dough out until it’s 1/4-inch thick.
Cut cookies with cookie cutters and place shaped cookies ~1 1/2 inches apart from one another on the lined baking sheets.
Re-roll any scraps and repeat the process until all of the dough is used.
Bake for ~9-11 minutes, or until the cookies are turning lightly golden brown on the edges.
Let cookies cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheets; then carefully transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before icing.
Sift the 2 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar into a large bowl and whisk together with 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon.
Add the 1 1/2 Tbsp maple syrup, 1/4 tsp maple extract, and 1/4 tsp vanilla extract; whisk to combine.
The mixture will be in small clumps at this point.
Add the 1 1/2 Tbsp milk a teaspoon at a time until the icing becomes a thick yet smooth consistency.
You might need slightly more or less milk depending on how thick you want the icing – start with 1 1/2 Tbsp and add more if needed.
Pipe or spoon the icing onto the cooled cookies.
Let the icing harden completely before storing or serving – this could take several hours depending on the thickness of your icing and the humidity in your kitchen.
Maple Cinnamon Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp unsalted butter, softened
- 1/2 cup + 1 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 3/4 tsp maple extract
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour, plus more for rolling
- 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp cream of tartar
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
Maple Icing
- 2 1/4 cups confectioners’ sugar, sifted
- 1 1/2 Tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp maple extract
- 1/4 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 Tbsp milk, any variety
Instructions
- Cream butter and sugar for 2 minutes until fluffy.
- Add egg, maple extract, and vanilla extract; mix until combined.
- Whisk together flour, cinnamon, cream of tartar, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl.
- Add dry ingredients to butter mixture in increments, mixing until just combined.
- Wrap dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat oven to 375F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Flour work surface and rolling pin generously.
- Turn out dough and knead in flour as needed to prevent sticking.
- Roll dough to 1/4-inch thickness.
- Cut cookies with cookie cutters and place 1 1/2 inches apart on baking sheets.
- Re-roll scraps and repeat until all dough is used.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes until edges turn lightly golden brown.
- Cool cookies on baking sheets for 10 minutes, then transfer to wire rack to cool completely.
- Sift confectioners’ sugar into a bowl and whisk with cinnamon.
- Add maple syrup, maple extract, and vanilla extract; whisk to combine.
- Add milk one teaspoon at a time until icing reaches thick, smooth consistency.
- Pipe or spoon icing onto cooled cookies.
- Let icing harden completely before serving.