Maple Cream Cookies
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These delicious buttery shortbread cookie sandwiches are a homemade treat reminiscent of the iconic Canadian maple cream cookies. Crisp shortbread and fluffy maple buttercream make a fantastic fall dessert or snack.
These maple cream cookies are literally a combination of things I absolutely love. Maple is by far one of my favorite fall flavors, I drink it in my lattes, infuse it in my dressings, and use my go to maple buttercream on cupcakes whenever I can.
They’re inspired by the maple leaf cookies that I absolutely adored (and devoured too much of) on my honeymoon in the land of maple, Canada, so many years ago.
I used my go-to buttercream and modified my classic shortbread recipe, and here we are – a maple infused cookies sandwiched with cream that takes me right back to BC.
Ingredients & Substitutions
There’s no fancy sugar or ingredients you need to make the cookies or the maple buttercream. Just pantry staples and a few things you can easily get at most grocery stores.
The cookies build from my 3-2-1 shortbread cookie but use maple instead of vanilla to change the flavor.
- All-purpose flour
- Sugar – Use either granulated or brown sugar.
- Butter – I prefer unsalted, skip the salt if you’re using salted.
- Maple extract – This is KEY to creating the flavor. Pick up a bottle, it’ll last a good long time.
- Salt
For the maple buttercream I altered it a little from my usual recipe so I felt good about storing it at room temperature for a few days. It also made it a bit stiffer, which is perfect for sandwiching between maple shortbread cookies.
- Butter – unsalted again!
- Maple syrup – Did you know that Grade B or darker amber syrup is stronger in flavor?
- Maple extract
- Powdered sugar – You can finely grind granulated sugar and mix in 1 tablespoon of cornstarch per cup to create a homemade version.
See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.
How to Make – Tools & Tips
The process is fairly simple, but there are a few tools and tips I want to share so you can have perfect cookies every time.
I recommend a silpat (silicone baking mat) or parchment paper, a rolling pin, piping bags, and a cookie cutter. If you want to go with a leaf cutter, go for it, but I just used what I had available and they’ll taste perfect all the same. (Not to mention the round cookies are much easier to fill compared to the leaves.)
Then it’s time to make the cookies. I make shortbread by creaming room temperature butter with sugar, extract, and salt, then blend in the flour to make a dough.
- Lightly flour a clean surface or use a baking mat to roll out the cookies. I recommend between ⅛ to ¼ inch thickness.
- Gently press together if you must reroll, so the dough doesn’t get tough.
- Chill the cut out cookies before baking in the freezer for 10 minutes, this will help them keep their shape.
- Slide the frozen cookies onto a NOT frozen baking sheet before transferring to a preheated oven.
- Bake until the middles no longer seem wet for softer cookies, or until the edges become golden brown for crisp ones.
- Cool completely before frosting them.
When your cookies are cooling, go ahead and make the buttercream. It’s a very simple recipe!
- Start with room temperature butter and syrup.
- Beat everything together except the powdered sugar at first. Once smooth, add the sugar in and beat on low until incorporated, then high to make it fluffy.
Fill a piping bag after that, just a straight tip is fine. Flip half the cookies upside down and fill them. Keep in mind you’ll be pressing another cookie on top, so add a thick enough layer to be seen.
Top the cookies and you’re done! Gorgeous little maple cream cookie sandwiches that you’ll want to try right away. They can be stored at room temperature for up to a week in an airtight container.
Related Recipes
I hope you enjoy these adorable maple cream sandwich cookies. They’re pretty irresistible if I say so myself. For more cookie inspiration, check out my many shortbread recipes while you’re here!
Love this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ?????rating in the recipe card below and, if you really liked it, consider a comment as well. Thanks for visiting!
Maple Cream Cookies
Ingredients
Maple Shortbread
- 169 grams all purpose flour 6 ounces or 1 1/4 cup spooned and leveled
- 113 grams unsalted butter, softened 4 ounces or 1 stick
- 56 grams granulated sugar 2 ounces or 1/4 cup
- 1/4 teaspoon maple extract
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
Maple Cream Filling
- 113 grams unsalted butter, softened 1 stick
- 1/4 teaspoon maple extract
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 200 grams powdered sugar 1 1/2 cups
Instructions
Cookie Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Beat the butter, extract, salt, and sugar together until creamy, just 1-2 minutes.
- Mix in the flour gently, until incorporated but still crumb-like and turn out onto a clean surface. Bring it together into a dough.
- Roll it out to between 1/8 to 1/4" thick and use your cookie cutter of choice to cut out cookies and place on parchment paper or a silpat.
- Transfer to a freezer safe flat surface, like a baking sheet, and freeze for 10 minutes.
- Slide them onto a room temperature baking sheet and bake for 6-8 minutes.*
- Let cool completely on a cooling rack.
Maple Buttercream
- Cream the butter, extract, and maple syrup until thoroughly combined.
- Add in the powdered sugar and beat on low until it begins to incorporate.
- Turn mixer up to high and beat until smooth and fluffy.
- Flip half the cookies upside down. Fill a piping bag or a use a small spatula to fill them. Flip the other cookies on top.
- Store at room temp in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information and cooking times are provided as a best estimate. Values may vary based upon ingredients and equipment.
