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The best ever Chewy Brown Sugar Maple Cookies. Homemade brown sugar cookies, made with browned butter, sweet maple, and a secret ingredient that really makes these cookies better than the rest. These cookies are generously glazed with a sweet, thick, and creamy maple frosting that melts in your mouth. There’s really nothing not to love! Perfect for autumn, Halloween night, and any other day in between.
We’re ending the week with cookies…yes, always a good idea! And these are extra, extra special treats.
I know it’s hard to beat a classic chocolate chip cookie, especially my mom’s, but these cookies give all others a run for their money. They’re different, but not so different that you don’t want to give them a try. Think soft in the center, with perfect edges, and just the right amount of sweetness – all thanks to a mix of maple and brown sugar.
We LOVE these cookies and I’ve been excited to share them for well over a week! They are Pinterest worthy!
The details
Originally I set out to make a fairly basic brown sugar cookie. But as I was writing the recipe I started to wonder, how could I make them better? And how could I make them with a slight twist that would make each cookie even more perfect for the autumn season?
Of course, brown butter came into play, because every dessert is made better with a little brown butter.
Then I wondered about maybe adding some pumpkin, but then I stopped myself. We can save the pumpkin desserts for October…what about apple butter? I wasn’t sure how apple butter in cookies would work. But I’m here to tell you all that it’s insanely delicious and actually the secret to these cookies. Promise, you don’t taste the apple.
My goal with these cookies was to create a maple cookie. Not only with amazing flavor, but also with a texture closer to my mom’s chocolate chip cookies. It took some playing around with the recipe, but I finally landed on a cookie that’s chewy and so DELICIOUS!
Brown the butter
First things first, brown about three-fourths of the butter, but leave the other fourth at room temp. This gives you the flavor of browned butter but leaves you with a cookie that has great texture too.
When the butter is browned, let it chill a bit before mixing up the sugar cookie dough. The rest goes really quickly.
Make the cookies
Take the reserved brown butter and beat it together with dark brown sugar and maple. Add the apple butter and some vanilla. Mix, mix, mix, then simply stir in the dry ingredients.
For the apple butter, I used my homemade maple apple butter. This is one of my favorite things to keep in the fridge all fall long. You can use my homemade apple butter or pick some up at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, your local market, or via Amazon. I will say that the homemade recipe works a little better for the cookies, but either is great! Just make sure your apple butter is spiced for best flavor.
Bake the cookies, and smell the wonderful scents as they bake. It’s better than your favorite fall candle, trust me.
While the cookies bake, make the glaze.
This creamy frosting is everything. It’s what makes these cookies really melt in your mouth. It’s beyond delicious, and easy to make. Just butter, maple syrup, powdered sugar, and salt. Simple, yet delicious.
Drizzle the glaze over each cookie, then eat these warm and gooey. Or let them cool and store them. They’re great either way!
Make these tonight, make them this weekend, or maybe even for Halloween. And then, maybe even again for Thanksgiving. Just be sure to make them soon. Trust me, after the first bite you’ll be making batch after batch. These cookies are delectable, just perfectly set on the edges, but soft and gooey in the center with just the right amount of chew.
Looking for fall cookie recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Glazed Brown Sugar Maple Cookies
Pumpkin Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Milk Chocolate Stuffed Jack-O’-Lantern Cookies
Lastly, if you make these Chewy Brown Sugar Maple Cookies be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Brown Butter Chewy Maple Brown Sugar Cookies
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories Per Serving: 243 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Watch the How-To Reel
Ingredients
- 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup apple butter
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
Maple Glaze
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- flaky sea salt
Instructions
- 1. Add 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) butter to a small saucepan set over medium heat, cooking until the butter begins to brown, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a heatproof bowl. Stick in the freezer to chill, 10-15 minutes, but no longer.2. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the remaining 1/2 stick butter, the cooled browned butter, and the brown sugar until combined. Beat in the maple syrup, apple butter, egg, and vanilla, beating until creamy. Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Fold in chocolate chips and pecans.4. Roll the dough into rounded tablespoon size balls and place 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.5. Transfer to the oven and bake for 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and tap the baking sheet on the counter 2 times to flatten them down. Return to the oven and bake another 1-2 minutes or until the cookies are just beginning to set on the edges, but still doughy in the center. Remove from the oven and tap the baking sheet on the counter 1-2 times to flatten them down again. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet. They will continue to cook slightly as they sit on the baking sheet. 6. Meanwhile, make the glaze. Melt together the butter and maple syrup in a small pot over medium heat. Remove from the heat and whisk in the powdered sugar, and a pinch of salt.Eat warm (highly recommended), or let cool and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Notes
If you’re Cookie Dough is Dry: reduce the flour to 2 1/4 cups and add 1-2 tablespoons additional maple syrup
This post was originally published on September 17, 2021
I mean how could anything with brown butter not be delicious. Making these for a little baking competition.
Wish me luck! I did sneak one and they’re absolutely delicious.
I hope you love the recipe Naomi, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I’ve been trying to make these for a week or more, but I had been sick and had no energy! Finally! I finished glazing them at 10:45 tonight! Worth the wait! My husband doesn’t care for semisweet chocolate, so we used milk chocolate. Other than that, we followed the recipe exactly! I used my Pampered Chef Small Scoop (1 Tbsp), and it made 48 cookies!! ? Delicious, Tieghan! Thank you! I’ve made your recipes all week with my kids. They are so easy and delicious!
Hey Dayna,
Wonderful!! So glad to hear that this recipe was loved, thanks for making it:) xTieghan
Loved making it these cookies with my girls! Thanks for sharing ?
Hey Katie,
Wonderful!! So glad to hear that this recipe was loved, thanks for making it:) xTieghan
These are SO good!!!! Eating one as I type this.
Hey Jayme,
Wonderful!! So glad to hear that this recipe was loved, thanks for making it:) xTieghan
I didn’t have enough chocolate chips, so subbed in some butterscotch ones — actually, maybe prefer that! These tasted delicious and looked pretty too, with the drizzled glaze on them.
Hey Sally,
Wonderful!! So glad to hear that this recipe was loved, thanks for making it:) xTieghan
BEST COOKIES EVER!!! BIG FALL ENERGY. everyone should make these, ASAP!
Hey Taylor,
Wonderful!! So glad to hear that this recipe was loved, thanks for making it:) xTieghan
Can you make these without the apple butter ?? I have everything but ???
Hey Meg,
You will need to use something in its place, so pumpkin butter, pumpkin puree, or apple sauce would all be great options. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I made some with nuts and some without. The ones with pecans were much better, however, on the whole, I didn’t love them. My teenage son, who is a big maple syrup fan, LOVES these. He wanted more for breakfast! Ha!
Hey Andrea,
Thanks for giving the recipe a try, sorry you didn’t enjoy the cookies. xTieghan
UPDATE: I didn’t so much like these right out of the oven, but love them on day two!
Thanks Andrea!
These were delicious! I used homemade apple butter since I have a ton that I need to utilize somehow, and I love how it comes through but is also complementing the brown-butter flavor and obviously the chocolate and nuts. My only critique (more of a personal preference) was that they were a little too soft for me—I almost need to eat some of them with a fork because they’re so soft and gooey—so I think next time I’ll use a little less butter and/or add more flour so they have more body. Still love it and will make again!
Hey Kaley,
Thanks a bunch for trying out this recipe, I am delighted to hear that it was enjoyed! Have the best day:) xTieghan
Not a fan of these cookies. I don’t like the texture of the cookie. I am confused by the glaze. Won’t make these again.
Hey Liz,
So sorry you didn’t enjoy the recipe, please let me know if I can help in anyway! xTieghan
Loved them! Browned butter really shined. I found them to be very soft, but I also used high fat, European style butter. I also played with my oven temp and 360° for 8 minutes gave just the perfect color. Complex flavors, glaze is a lovely finish. I used chocolate chunks and I think next time I would use a smaller chip for better distribution.
Hey Debbie,
Thanks a bunch for trying out this recipe, I am delighted to hear that it was enjoyed! Have the best day:) xTieghan
Honestly amazing gonna make these throughout my life and share the recipe to my kids saying I created the recipe #stealingideas
Hey there,
Thanks a bunch for trying out this recipe, I am delighted to hear that it was enjoyed! Have the best day:) xTieghan
tasted terrible honestly hated it please quit
Hey John,
Sorry you didn’t enjoy the cookies, please let me know if I can help in anyway! xTieghan
so i have no form of fruit butter on hand. i know a common swap for an egg in baking recipes is applesauce/apple butter; do you think it would work the other way around, adding an extra egg to make up for the lack of fruit butter?
Hey Liz,
In place of the apple butter you can use pumpkin butter, apple sauce, or pumpkin puree. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xTieghan
I just used Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Butter in the recipe but haven’t tried the cookies yet, just finished the glaze… I did add more confectionary sugar than called for just so I could drizzle it (my only comment so far). Looking forward to tasting later tonight
I hope they are delish Sheila!!
I just made these cookies and they turned out really yummy but the glaze was nothing like it should be! It was so sticky and never hardened on the cookies! Tips??
Hey Abby,
Thanks a bunch for trying out this recipe, I am delighted to hear that it was enjoyed! Sorry to hear about the glaze, was there anything you adjusted? Maybe you needed to add a bit more powdered sugar. Have the best day:) xTieghan
Can I use light brown sugar instead of dark brown sugar? I assume I can but it would change the flavor?
Thanks!
Hey Christina,
That will be just fine to do. I hope you love the cookies, please let me know if you give them a try! xTieghan
Love these cookies!! As did my whole family. They turned out exactly as pictured. The dough was on the sticky side but I was still able to roll them no problem. They are very soft even after baking but I love a good soft cookie 🙂
The flavors are so delicious together and the glaze is a great addition. I made some with chocolate chips and some without because a family member gets migraines from chocolate. Definitely prefer the ones with chocolate chips flavor wise and they also held up better. The ones without chocolate chips were even softer/wetter and spread out thinner after baking. Still delicious though!
I used the larger powered sugar measurement of 3/4 cup for the glaze and it hardened perfectly. It took some time but it got there.
Will absolutely make these again! Perfect fall recipe.
Hi Christina,
Fantastic!! So great to hear that you enjoyed this recipe and thanks a lot for making it. Thanks for sharing what worked well for you. Have a great week!? xTieghan