Maple Pecan Cookies

Kicking off cookie season with one of my new favorite cookies- these maple pecan cookies are rolled in a maple sugar before baking and the taste of these cookies really fits right into the cozy feeling I’m looking for these days.

Rolling these cookies in the maple sugar creates a crackly, slightly crunchy coating to a super chewy, soft cookie. The pecans make these cookies look like they have little mountain ranges in them. Most importantly, they are easy to make and perfect for any cookie boxes on your list this year. Let’s get to it!

How to Make Maple Pecan Cookies

The ingredients to make these cookies are pretty simple- the only thing you may not already have on hand is real maple syrup. We’re starting out by toasting the pecans until they are just starting to lightly brown and then mixing together the butter with the sugars and maple syrup.

The mixture should look like the picture below, and then it’s time to add in the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and mix until everything is well combined.

Then add in the dry ingredients along with the toasted pecans, and stir until you have a thick but soft dough.

In a small bowl, stir together the remaining sugar and maple syrup. You’ll want to really work the maple syrup into the sugar until it’s well distributed. The mixture will have a texture kind of like wet sand at this stage.

Then it’s time to roll each cookie into the sugar mixture to coat it completely.

Then it’s off to the oven until you have these sweet little maple snow mountain looking cookies that I’m obsessed with! I think you guys will really enjoy this one- I love the maple sugar coating on the outside and they taste amazing!

Tips & Tricks for Maple Pecan Cookies

Here are all my tips and tricks to help you make the perfect maple pecan cookies!

• Do I need to toast the pecans? I think it makes a big difference in the flavor of these cookies- the pecans get a stronger flavor from toasting so I don’t recommend skipping this step.
• Do I need to use real maple syrup? Yes, this recipe calls for real maple syrup and it cannot be replaced with pancake syrup. You really want that maple flavor to shine here!
• Why do I need to use an egg yolk? Using a full egg plus an extra yolk helps these cookies reach the right texture and contributes to the chewy-inside-crisp-outside result of these cookies.
• Be sure to really work the maple syrup into the sugar for rolling. At first the maple syrup will kind of clump up in the sugar, but just use the back of a spoon to mash the two together until well combined. The mixture should look like wet sand!
• How do I know when the cookies are finished baking? The cookies should look slightly cracked and puffy, and should only be slightly golden brown around the edges. Pull the cookies from the oven at this stage, and they will settle into the perfect chewy cookie as they cool.
• I’m at about 5,000 ft. above sea level and I find that most people who live between about 3,000-7,000 ft. above sea level do not need to make any adjustments to my recipes.

Enjoy!

5 from 1 vote

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Maple Pecan Cookies

Servings 24 cookies

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups chopped pecans
• 3/4 cup softened butter
• 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup plus 1/3 cup granulated sugar separated
• 1/4 cup plus 1 tbs pure maple syrup separated
• 2 tsp. vanilla extract
• 1 egg
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. cream of tartar
• 1/2 tsp. salt

Instructions

1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Heat a small dry skillet over low-medium heat and add the pecans, stirring as they toast. Once the pecans become fragrant, about 5 minutes, remove from the heat and transfer to a bowl to cool.

2. In a large bowl, beat together the butter, brown sugar, 1/2 cup sugar, and 1/4 cup maple syrup until well combined and fluffy. Beat in the vanilla extract, egg, and egg yolk and mix until combined. Add in the flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt and mix until everything is combined and you have a thick dough. Stir in the cooled pecans.

3. In a small bowl, work the remaining maple syrup and remaining sugar together. You want to kind of mash the maple syrup into the sugar until the mixture resembles wet sand. Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoonful cookies and roll each cookie into the sugar mixture to coat.
4. Bake the cookies about 2 inches apart on your baking sheets for 8-10 minutes. The cookies should spread out and will look cracked and puffy, but they will settle as they cool. Enjoy!

Dough-Eyed

Hello and welcome! My name is Nicole, and Dough-eyed is a food blog for people who want to bake for their family and friends in high-altitude areas. Think of me as a friendly voice there with you in the kitchen, here to give you confidence when you’re baking, and to help you with the struggles of baking at high-altitude. Come back every week for new recipes, tips, and advice on high-altitude baking!