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Soft, chewy cookies featuring pure maple syrup, warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, and crunchy pecans. Ready in about 25 minutes total and perfect for a cozy fall treat or holiday cookie spread.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2½ cups (312.5 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ¾ teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter, room temperature
  • 1 cup (200 g) dark brown sugar, packed (light brown sugar works too)
  • 1 large egg, room temperature
  • ½ cup (118.29 ml) pure maple syrup
  • 1½ cups (163.5 g) chopped pecans
  • 1 tablespoon cream cheese, room temperature (for icing)
  • 1 tablespoon unsalted butter, room temperature (for icing)
  • 1 tablespoon milk (for icing)
  • ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar (for icing)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or lightly grease it.
  2. Whisk together all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon, and ground nutmeg in a medium bowl and set aside.
  3. Cream room-temperature unsalted butter and packed dark brown sugar with a hand mixer or stand mixer paddle for 1–2 minutes until light and fluffy, scraping bowl sides as needed.
  4. Add the large egg and beat until incorporated, then pour in the pure maple syrup and mix until combined.
  5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture on low speed, mixing just until no large streaks of flour remain; scrape the bowl with a spatula and avoid overmixing.
  6. Fold in the chopped pecans (toast them first if desired).
  7. Use a large cookie scoop to drop dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 3 inches apart.
  8. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10–14 minutes, until the edges are a light golden tan and the centers still look slightly soft.
  9. While cookies are warm on the baking sheet, optionally place a round tool (sifter or biscuit cutter) around each cookie and gently nudge the dough inward to shape neat rounds.
  10. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5–10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
  11. Beat softened cream cheese and softened unsalted butter until smooth, then stir in powdered sugar and milk until you reach a drizzle-able consistency.
  12. Once cookies are completely cooled, drizzle or dip them in the cream cheese icing (optional).

Notes

Use room temperature ingredients for better blending and texture., Do not overbake; pull cookies from oven when edges start to tan and centers are still soft for a tender, chewy cookie., Use 100% pure maple syrup for authentic flavor., Optional: Toast pecans before folding in for added depth and crunch., Flavor swaps include walnuts or hazelnuts instead of pecans, adding chocolate chips or dried cranberries, or using pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon and nutmeg., For gluten-free version, substitute flour with a 1:1 gluten-free blend and adjust as needed., For vegan version, use vegan butter and replace egg with a flax egg (1 tbsp flaxseed meal + 3 tbsp water, chilled)., Store cookies at room temperature in an airtight container with a slice of bread for up to one week to keep soft., Icing is best kept refrigerated and cookies refrigerated up to 10 days, noting possible faster drying., Freeze cooled cookies in single layer, then transfer to container for up to 3 months; thaw before eating., Cookie dough can be frozen and baked from frozen adding 2–4 minutes to baking time., Reheat cookies for 6-10 seconds in microwave or 5-7 minutes in 300°F oven., Cookies can be made without chilling dough; chilling up to 24 hours is optional.

Nutrition

Find it online: https://margorecipes.com/maple-pecan-cookies/