Maple Glazed Shortbread Cookies Recipe

These maple glazed shortbread cookies are buttery, crisp, tender, and finished with a sweet maple syrup glaze. They are simple to make, beautiful on a holiday cookie tray, and full of cozy maple flavor.

Why You’ll Love These

Shortbread cookies are a classic for a reason. They are rich, buttery, lightly crisp around the edges, and wonderfully tender in the center. This maple glazed shortbread cookies recipe takes that traditional flavor and adds the warm sweetness of maple for a cookie that feels especially perfect for fall and the holiday season.

The dough is made with simple pantry ingredients: butter, powdered sugar, flour, salt, and maple extract. Once chilled and rolled, it cuts cleanly into shapes, making it ideal for festive cookies. A maple leaf cutter gives them a seasonal look, but round, square, or any favorite cookie cutter will work just as well.

The glaze is what makes these cookies extra special. Pure maple syrup and maple extract give it a deep, sweet flavor that complements the buttery shortbread without overpowering it. Once the glaze sets, the cookies are easy to serve, package, or store. They are a lovely choice for Thanksgiving, Christmas, cookie exchanges, or any time you want a homemade cookie with a cozy maple finish.

Ingredients Needed for Glazed Maple Shortbread Cookies

• Powdered sugar – Traditional shortbread is often made with butter, flour, and powdered sugar. It helps create a delicate, tender texture.
• Unsalted butter – Butter is the heart of shortbread. Use softened butter so it creams smoothly with the sugar.
• Maple extract – This gives the cookie dough its maple flavor and helps the taste come through after baking.
• All-purpose flour – The base of the dough, giving the cookies structure while keeping them crisp and tender.
• Kosher salt – A small amount balances the sweetness and enhances the buttery maple flavor.

How to Make Maple Glazed Shortbread Cookies Recipe

Start by whisking the all-purpose flour and kosher salt together in a medium-size bowl. This helps distribute the salt evenly throughout the dough.

In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to cream the softened unsalted butter, powdered sugar, and maple extract until the mixture is light and fluffy. This step helps create the delicate texture that makes shortbread so good.

Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix on low speed just until combined. The dough will begin to come together. Avoid overmixing once the flour has been added, as that can make the cookies less tender.

Place the dough on a sheet of plastic wrap. Shape it into a disk, wrap it tightly, and refrigerate for at least 45 minutes. Chilling the dough is important because it helps the cookies hold their shape and keeps them from spreading too much in the oven.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper so the cookies bake evenly and release easily.

Lightly dust your work surface with powdered sugar. Roll the chilled dough to about 1/4-inch thickness. Cut the dough into your desired shapes, then place the cookies on the prepared baking sheets.

A maple leaf-shaped cutter gives these maple shortbread cookies a beautiful seasonal look, but a round cutter works perfectly too. This recipe yields about 24 cookies, depending on the size of the cookie cutter. A 3-inch leaf cutter usually makes about 20 cookies.

Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown. Let them cool on the sheet pans for 2 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before glazing.

Ingredients for the Maple Syrup Glaze

• Powdered sugar – The base of the glaze and what gives it a smooth, sweet finish.
• Pure maple syrup – Adds natural maple sweetness and flavor to the glaze.
• Maple extract – Strengthens the maple flavor so it stands out on the finished cookies.
• Milk – Use only if needed, a small amount at a time, to thin the glaze to a spreadable consistency.

To make the glaze, mix the confectioners’ sugar, maple syrup, and maple extract in a small bowl. If the glaze is too thick, add milk 1/2 teaspoon at a time until it is thick but still easy to spread.

Spread the maple glaze over the cooled cookies with a knife, or transfer it to an icing bag or zip-top bag. If using a bag, snip a tiny hole in one corner, pipe an outline around each cookie, and then fill in the center. A toothpick or butter knife can help smooth the glaze and fill any gaps.

Let the glaze set completely before serving or storing the cookies. This helps keep the tops neat and prevents the cookies from sticking together.

If you want a deeper color for the glaze, food coloring can be used, but it is optional. The exact color will depend on how much coloring you add, and the cookies are just as delicious with a natural pale maple glaze.

How to Store Maple Glazed Shortbread Cookies

Store maple glazed shortbread cookies in an airtight container or zip-top bag. Make sure the glaze is fully set before stacking them. These cookies can also be frozen for up to 3 months.

More Delicious Holiday Cookie Recipes

• Gingerbread Cookies
• Italian Fig Cookies (Cucidati)
• Cut-Out Sugar Cookies
• Italian Butterball Cookies
• Chocolate Peppermint Cookies
• Cardamom Pistachio Cookies