Maple Molasses Cookies

We have a fairly large quantity of maple syrup in the house, and it is finally the season to find maple recipes! I’m not 100% back at work yet, but I will be before you know it thus it is time for fall baking. I have so many ideas, more ideas than there are weeks in the fall, but I will make it work somehow.

While I have made a couple different maple cookies, I am still finding new recipes to try. I wanted to make something with molasses, and I initially was going to use that recipe. It contained oats, that I wanted to use, but I need to do some editing as it was created for high altitude, plus I want to incorporate maple syrup in addition to maple extract. That will come soon!

These don’t contain oats, but do contain molasses, ginger, and nutmeg, so my house smelled amazing while these were baking. I used slightly less than 1 teaspoon maple extract, but fairly close. The maple flavor increases as they age, although I don’t think mine will last long! I made my own icing recipe, since I just wanted powdered sugar and maple syrup. I did need to add some milk or it would have been too thick. These are a perfect fall cookie, with the flavors of home and just a hint of sweetness.

Maple Molasses Cookies
2-1/2 cups flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon ginger
½ teaspoon nutmeg
½ cup butter, room temperature
¼ cup sugar
¾ cup packed brown sugar
1 egg
¼ cup molasses
1 teaspoon maple extract

1 ½ cups powdered sugar
About 2 tablespoons milk
About 2 tablespoons maple syrup

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Line two baking sheets with silicone baking mats.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, ginger, and nutmeg; set aside.  In a large mixer bowl, beat the butter, sugar, and brown sugar on medium until light. Add the egg and mix again on medium. Stir in the molasses and maple extract, mixing until all of the ingredients are incorporated.

With the mixer running on low, gradually add the flour mixture, stirring just until the dough comes together. If needed, stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl to ensure even mixing.

Scoop the dough into the prepared baking sheet, using about 1-1/2 tablespoons dough per cookie.

Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the bottom begins to brown but are still puffy. The cookies will deflate slightly as they cool. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

Once the cookies are cool, drizzle with icing: in a medium bowl combine the powdered sugar and a tablespoon of milk and a tablespoon of maple syrup. Whisk until the icing comes together, adding more milk and maple syrup as needed. The maple syrup adds flavor, but is thick so the milk helps thin the icing as needed. Drizzle the icing over the cooled cookies and allow the icing to set before serving.

Recipe from But First We Brunch