Maple Shortbread Cut-Out Cookies
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases. Read the full disclosure here.
Why You’ll Love These Maple Shortbread Cut-Out Cookies
- Buttery shortbread has a tender bite, while the lightly golden edges add just a little crispness.
- The dough stays lightly sweet, so there’s room for a generous drizzle of maple glaze. That’s my kind of cookie decorating!
- Because the dough contains no eggs, you can bake an eggless treat without changing the recipe.
- Leaf cutters make a lovely fall batch, but your everyday round cutter works beautifully, too.
I first tried these when my sweet cousin Ellen made them for a family get-together. She shared the Taste of Home recipe, and I’ve added a pinch of salt and a quick freezer rest for cleaner edges. For a thicker cookie with a nutty twist, try my maple peanut butter cookies.
Ingredients for Maple Shortbread Cut-Out Cookies
You’ll need softened butter, maple flavoring, and cornstarch for the dough, plus powdered sugar and pure maple syrup for the glaze. Use butter that yields to gentle pressure but still holds its shape. Also, spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it; packing it down can leave this delicate dough dry.
Maple Shortbread Cookie Dough
- 1 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon maple flavoring or maple extract
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, plus a little for rolling
Cornstarch gives the shortbread a delicate, tender bite, while maple flavoring adds flavor without a big splash of liquid. Check your bottle’s directions if you have a highly concentrated flavoring. If you use salted butter, omit the added pinch of salt.
Two-Ingredient Maple Glaze
- 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 small pinch salt, optional
Choose pure maple syrup for the glaze. Grade A Dark Color, Robust Taste syrup gives a bolder maple finish, while Amber Color, Rich Taste syrup is gentler. Organic describes production practices rather than flavor strength, so check the color and taste label. Here, syrup belongs in the glaze; the dough gets its flavor from extract.
How to Make Maple Shortbread Cut-Out Cookies
- Using a mixer, beat 1 cup softened unsalted butter, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 3 tablespoons cornstarch until smooth and blended. Then mix in 1 teaspoon maple flavoring and 1 pinch salt. Gradually add 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour, mixing just until the dough comes together.
- Press the dough into a flat disk, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for about 45 minutes, until firm enough to roll. Meanwhile, line your baking sheets with parchment.
- Heat the oven to 325°F. Roll the dough to 1/4-inch thickness on a lightly floured surface. Cut with a floured 2 3/4-inch leaf cutter, place the cookies 1 inch apart on the prepared sheets, and gently reroll the scraps.
- Freeze the cut cookies on their baking sheets for about 10 minutes to firm the edges. Then bake at 325°F for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges look light golden. Let them rest on the sheets for about 5 minutes before carefully moving them to a rack to cool completely.
Maple Glaze
- Whisk 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar with 1/3 cup pure maple syrup and the optional small pinch of salt. Drizzle or spread over the completely cooled cookies. Allow about 30 to 60 minutes for the glaze to set before stacking; humidity and glaze thickness can extend that time.
Tips for Tender Maple Shortbread Cut-Out Cookies
- Keep the dough cool and the thickness even for tidy shapes and tender middles. Also, avoid baking on a warm sheet, which softens the butter before the cookies reach the oven.
- If the dough cracks straight from the fridge, let it sit for 5 to 10 minutes. Then press the edges together and roll gently.
- Dust the counter lightly rather than working handfuls of flour into the dough. Too much extra flour steals that buttery tenderness!
- Watch the edges instead of waiting for deeply browned tops. Smaller cutters may finish sooner than the listed baking time.
- Cool the cookies completely before glazing. Otherwise, the icing runs off and leaves you with a sticky baking sheet.
- If the glaze looks thin, first let it stand briefly. For a thicker finish, whisk in additional confectioners’ sugar 1 teaspoon at a time.
How to Store Glazed Maple Shortbread Cookies
Store the baked cookies in an airtight container at cool room temperature for up to 5 days. First, let the glaze dry fully; then separate layers with parchment so the tops stay pretty. For gifting, choose a shallow tin and cushion the cookies with parchment because shortbread can be fragile.
For longer storage, freeze unglazed baked cookies for up to 3 months. Thaw them in their closed container before adding fresh glaze. You can also wrap the dough disk tightly and refrigerate it for up to 2 days before rolling.
Maple Shortbread Cut-Out Cookies Variations
- For a cinnamon twist, add 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon with the flour. The gentle spice tastes lovely beneath the maple icing.
- For vanilla-maple cookies, replace the 1 teaspoon maple flavoring with 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. You’ll still get maple from the glaze, although the cookie itself will taste like vanilla shortbread.
- For a salty finish, add a few flakes of sea salt while the glaze is wet. However, skip the optional glaze salt if you’re adding salt on top.
A gluten-free flour blend or arrowroot substitution may change how this dough rolls and spreads. Since those swaps haven’t been tested here, stick with all-purpose flour and cornstarch for the texture described.
Maple Shortbread Cut-Out Cookies FAQ
Can I Use Maple Syrup Instead of Extract in Maple Shortbread Cookies?
No, maple syrup isn’t a direct replacement for the dough’s maple flavoring. It adds more liquid with a milder flavor. Instead, use 1 teaspoon vanilla extract if needed, and keep the pure maple syrup in the glaze.
Why Is My Dough Crumbly?
Too much flour or butter that is too cold can keep the dough from coming together. First, press a small handful together; it should hold. If it doesn’t, let the dough soften slightly and mix briefly again before adding anything.
Why Did My Cutout Cookies Spread?
Warm dough or warm baking sheets can blur the edges. Chill the cut shapes on a cool, parchment-lined sheet for about 10 minutes in the freezer, then bake in a fully preheated 325°F oven.
Can I Freeze Maple Shortbread Cookie Dough After Cutting?
Yes. Freeze the cut shapes on a lined tray until firm, then transfer them to an airtight freezer container for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen at 325°F, allowing a few extra minutes and watching for lightly golden edges.
More Cookies for Your Baking List
Keep the maple theme going with soft maple brown sugar cookies. Or, fill out a buttery cookie tray with homemade pecan sandies and vanilla bean shortbread cookies.
- Brown Butter Ferrero Rocher Oatmeal Cookies
- Maple Peanut Butter Cookies (Thick Bakery‑Style)
- Brown Butter Maple Cookies (Bakery Style Fall Favorite)
- Brown Butter Caramel Pecan Praline Cookies
- No Chill Christmas Sugar Cookies Recipe for Busy Bakers
Glazed Maple Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Rolling Pin
- 2 3/4-inch leaf-shaped cookie cutter
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Plastic wrap
- Wire cooling rack
- Whisk
Ingredients
Maple Shortbread Cookies
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon maple flavoring or maple extract
- salt 1 pinch
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour plus a little for rolling
Maple Glaze
- ¾ cup plus 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- salt 1 small pinch, optional
Instructions
Maple Shortbread Cookies
- Beat 1 cup softened unsalted butter, 1/4 cup granulated sugar, and 3 tablespoons cornstarch until smooth and blended. Mix in 1 teaspoon maple flavoring and 1 pinch salt. Gradually mix in 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour just until the dough comes together.
- Press the dough into a flat disk, wrap tightly, and refrigerate for about 45 minutes, until firm enough to roll. Meanwhile, line baking sheets with parchment.
- Heat the oven to 325°F. Roll the dough on a lightly floured surface to 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with a floured 2 3/4-inch leaf cutter and arrange the cookies 1 inch apart on the prepared baking sheets. Gently reroll scraps. Expect about 18 cookies; yield varies with cutter shape.
- Freeze the cut cookies on their sheets for about 10 minutes. Bake at 325°F for 20 to 25 minutes, until the edges are light golden. Rest on the sheets for about 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to a rack. Allow about 30 minutes total for cooling, or until completely cool.
Maple Glaze
- Whisk 3/4 cup plus 1 tablespoon confectioners' sugar, 1/3 cup pure maple syrup, and the optional small pinch of salt until smooth. Drizzle or spread over the completely cooled cookies. Allow about 30 to 60 minutes for the glaze to set before stacking, longer if needed in humid conditions.
Notes
- Use softened butter, not melted. If using salted butter, omit the added salt.
- Chill the cut cookies for 10 minutes before baking to help preserve their shape.
- Use pure maple syrup in the glaze; don’t substitute it for maple extract in the dough.
- Cool completely before glazing, and let the glaze set before stacking.
- Store airtight for up to 5 days or freeze unglazed cookies for up to 3 months.
