Glazed Maple Shortbread Cookies
User Reviews
5
Glazed Maple Shortbread Cookies
Description
This recipe for Glazed Maple Shortbread Cookies starts by mixing all-purpose flour and salt in a bowl, while cold unsalted butter and granulated sugar are combined in a stand mixer until creamy. Maple extract is added to infuse the dough with maple aroma. The flour mixture is gently incorporated until the dough just comes together. The dough is divided, shaped into disks, chilled, rolled out, and cut into maple leaf shapes.
The cookies are chilled again on the baking sheet before baking at 350°F until edges are just golden, yielding a tender, crumbly texture typical of shortbread. Once cooled, a glaze made of powdered sugar, maple syrup, and maple extract is spread over the cookies. The glaze can be thinned with milk for desired consistency. Decorative sprinkles or chopped pecans may be added.
The resulting cookies have a soft, crumbly shortbread base with a sweet maple-flavored glaze, making them appealing especially during fall or holiday seasons. Different maple extract brands may affect the glaze color and flavor; Watkins maple extract offers a richer maple flavor while Mapleine produces a classic glaze color.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (283g) all-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup unsalted butter cold and diced into 1 Tbsp pieces
- 6 Tbsp (78g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp maple extract
Glaze
- 1 cup (132g) powdered sugar
- 3 Tbsp maple syrup real
- 1 1/2 tsp maple extract
- milk to thin as needed
- Sprinkles optional, fall colored
- pecans optional, finely hopped
Instructions
- For the cookies: In a mixing bowl whisk together flour and salt. In the bowl of an electric stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together butter and sugar until well combined.
- Mix in maple extract. With mixer set on low speed slowly add in flour mixture and mix just until combined.
- Divide dough into two portions and shape each into a disk (about 5-inches) on a sheet of plastic wrap, wrap plastic wrap around disks and transfer to fridge and chill 30 minutes (don't stack them, place them separately).
- Remove one disk of dough from fridge, rough out to an even 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface (also dusting top lightly with flour).
- Cut in to maple leaf shapes using a cookie cutter then transfer leaves to an ungreased baking sheet.
- Transfer the baking sheet to refrigerator and chill 15 minutes. Meanwhile preheat oven to 350 degrees.
- Transfer from fridge to preheated oven and bake until edges are lightly golden, about 14 - 16 minutes.
- Let cool on baking sheet several minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat with remaining disk of dough.
- For the glaze: In a medium mixing bowl whisk together powdered sugar, maple syrup and maple extract while adding in milk 1/2 tsp at a time to thin as needed (glaze should be somewhat thick, similar to an icing).
- Spread glaze over cooled cookies and immediately top with sprinkles or pecans if using after icing each cookie (glaze will begin to set quickly).
- Let rest at room temperature to allow glaze to set. Store in an airtight container.
Notes
- Maple extract brand affects glaze color; Watkins extract provides deeper flavor, Mapleine offers classic coloration.
- Chill dough in separate disks and again after cutting to maintain shape during baking.
- Adjust glaze consistency with milk as needed for easy spreading.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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