Glazed Maple Shortbread Cookies
Buttery maple cutout cookies with delicate, crumbly centers, lightly golden edges, and a sweet pure maple syrup glaze. A quick freezer rest helps the cut shapes hold their edges.
Servings: 18 cookies
Calories: 183kcal
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.
Nutrition
Calories: 183kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.4g | Cholesterol: 27mg | Sodium: 2mg | Potassium: 30mg | Fiber: 0.3g | Sugar: 10g | Vitamin A: 315IU | Calcium: 11mg | Iron: 1mg