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The best ever Chewy Brown Sugar Maple Cookies. Homemade brown sugar cookies, made with browned butter, sweet maple, and a secret ingredient that really makes these cookies better than the rest. These cookies are generously glazed with a sweet, thick, and creamy maple glaze that melts in your mouth. There’s really nothing not to love! Perfect for autumn, Halloween night, and any other day in between.
We’re ending the week with cookies…yes, always a good idea! And these are extra, extra special cookies.
I know it’s hard to beat a classic chocolate chip cookie, especially my mom’s, but these cookies give all others a run for their money. They’re different, but not so different that you don’t want to give them a try. Think soft in the center, with perfect edges, and just the right amount of sweetness – all thanks to a mix of maple and brown sugar.
We LOVE these cookies and I’ve been excited to share them for well over a week!
The details
Originally I set out to make a fairly basic brown sugar cookie. But as I was writing the recipe I started to wonder, how could I make them better? And how could I make them with a slight twist that would make each cookie even more perfect for the autumn season?
Of course, brown butter came into play, because every dessert is made better with a little brown butter.
Then I wondered about maybe adding some pumpkin, but then I stopped myself. We can save the pumpkin desserts for October…what about apple butter? I wasn’t sure how apple butter in cookies would work. But I’m here to tell you all that it’s insanely delicious and actually the secret to these cookies. Promise, you don’t taste the apple.
My goal with these cookies was to create a maple cookie. Not only with amazing flavor, but also with a texture closer to my mom’s chocolate chip cookies. It took some playing around with the recipe, but I finally landed on a cookie that’s chewy and so DELICIOUS!
Brown the butter
First things first, brown about three-fourths of the butter, but leave the other fourth at room temp. This gives you the flavor of browned butter but leaves you with a cookie that has great texture too.
When the butter is browned, let it chill a bit before mixing up the dough. The rest goes really quickly.
Make the cookies
Take the reserved brown butter and beat it together with dark brown sugar and maple. Add the apple butter and some vanilla. Mix, mix, mix, then simply stir in the dry ingredients.
For the apple butter, I used my homemade maple apple butter. This is one of my favorite things to keep in the fridge all fall long. You can use my homemade apple butter or pick some up at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, your local market, or via Amazon. I will say that the homemade recipe works a little better for the cookies, but either is great! Just make sure your apple butter is spiced for best flavor.
Bake the cookies, and smell the wonderful scents as they bake. It’s better than your favorite fall candle, trust me.
While the cookies bake, make the glaze.
This glaze is everything. It’s what makes these cookies really melt in your mouth. It’s beyond delicious, and easy to make. Just butter, maple syrup, powdered sugar, and salt. Simple, yet delicious.
Drizzle the glaze over each cookie, then eat these warm and gooey. Or let them cool and store them. They’re great either way!
Make these tonight, make them this weekend, or maybe even for Halloween. And then, maybe even again for Thanksgiving. Just be sure to make them soon. Trust me, after the first bite you’ll be making batch after batch. These cookies are delectable, just perfectly set on the edges, but soft and gooey in the center with just the right amount of chew.
Looking for fall cookie recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Glazed Brown Sugar Maple Cookies
Pumpkin Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Milk Chocolate Stuffed Jack-O’-Lantern Cookies
Lastly, if you make these Chewy Brown Sugar Maple Cookies be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Brown Butter Chewy Maple Brown Sugar Cookies
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories Per Serving: 243 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, at room temperature
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup apple butter
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup finely chopped pecans
Maple Glaze
- 4 tablespoons salted butter
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 – 3/4 cup powdered sugar
- flaky sea salt
Instructions
- 1. Add 1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) butter to a small saucepan set over medium heat, cooking until the butter begins to brown, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a heatproof bowl. Stick in the freezer to chill, 10-15 minutes, but no longer.2. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the remaining 1/2 stick butter, the cooled browned butter, and the brown sugar until combined. Beat in the maple syrup, apple butter, egg, and vanilla, beating until creamy. Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Fold in chocolate chips and pecans.4. Roll the dough into rounded tablespoon size balls and place 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.5. Transfer to the oven and bake for 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and tap the baking sheet on the counter 2 times to flatten them down. Return to the oven and bake another 1-2 minutes or until the cookies are just beginning to set on the edges, but still doughy in the center. Remove from the oven and tap the baking sheet on the counter 1-2 times to flatten them down again. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet. They will continue to cook slightly as they sit on the baking sheet. 6. Meanwhile, make the glaze. Melt together the butter and maple syrup in a small pot over medium heat. Remove from the heat and whisk in the powdered sugar, and a pinch of salt.Eat warm (highly recommended), or let cool and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Notes
If you’re Cookie Dough is Dry: reduce the flour to 2 1/4 cups and add 1-2 tablespoons additional maple syrup
I made these with Cup 4 Cup Gluten free flour and ended up spreading them into a pan because I was impatient with the butter and melted it instead of having it room temp! They turned out to be perfect cookie bars!! No one knew they were GF! Score!
Thank you so so much for trying out the recipe! xT
These are AMAZING. Made them for friends and family and they all loved them! I love the pecans and the glaze so much 💗💗
Thank you so much for trying out the recipe! Have an awesome weekend! xT
Umm, probably THEE best cookies I have ever made and eaten.
Wow! Thank you so so much Kristina! xT
Made these to share with my family and not a piece left over. The cookies were easy to make and very delicious. The maple syrup taste amazing. Thanks for such great recipes.
Thank you for trying out the recipe! Have an amazing week! xT
I made these tonight for a neighborhood get together tomorrow. They’re amazing!! Love the fall flavors. They are perfect in every way! Thanks for the recipe!!
Thank you so so much! Hope you’re having a great fall season! 🙂 xT
These cookies are phenomenal! I got 44 cookies using a cookie scoop. Everyone loved them.
Hi Martin! Thank you so much for trying out this recipe! Hope you enjoyed! xT
So excited to make these! For the glaze, would it work to use apple butter instead of the salted butter? I’d love for the glaze to have the apple butter flavor, but not sure if that would work for the texture.
I super high expectations for these and they came out just so/so. I followed everything to a T even weighing out my ingredients. I did substitute apple sauce for apple butter. My cookies did not have the carmelized sugar texture I was hoping for. My glaze was also not white enough even after adding more powdered sugar than what was called for. I didn’t get a maple or brown sugar taste with these. It tasted more like a chocolate chip cookie with pecan pieces.
Oh no I’m so sorry about that!! Thanks for letting me know, I’m really sorry you didn’t enjoy this recipe! xT
Hi there! You could add in a little bit of apple butter but I would probably use regular butter as well to get the right consistency! xT
These are ridiculously delicious! I had to make them with gluten free flour and they were somehow just as good as full gluten cookies. I wasn’t feeling the chocolate chips and subbed pecans for walnuts – they are perfect. The glaze is next level. Another amazing dessert from HBH!
Thank you for taking the time to try out this recipe! So glad to hear you enjoyed it! xT
I wanted to love these, but they’re just okay. The dough was really wet and the cookies spread out SO much, even after chilling the dough for a bit. I ended up with a sheet full of one giant cookie. The taste was good but the texture wasn’t what I was hoping for. Very cakey and not the rich, chewy, gooey-with-crispy-edges that you see in the picture.
Hi Sam,
Thanks for trying these cookies and sharing your feedback, so sorry to hear you had some issues. It sounds like your dough was super warm, next time I would chill for much longer, that should help! xx
I typically never alter a recipe and comment on it, (I think it’s kinda rude) however I didn’t have apple butter but did have pumpkin butter from Trader Joe’s and the cookies were amazing!!! Looking forward to trying the recipe with apple butter though. Thank you for a great fall recipe!
Thank you for taking the time to try out this recipe! So glad to hear you enjoyed it! xT
These are seriously delicious. I will make them again. Great Fall cookie!!!
Thank you so so much for trying out the recipe! Have an amazing week! 🙂 xT
I love these cookies! Would you be able to make the dough a head of time and freeze until ready to bake?
Hi Macy! Yes, that would absolutely work fine! xT
Brown sugar and maple are two of my favorite flavors.
These cookies are amazing.
Thanks so much! So glad you’re enjoying these cookies! xT
Loved the flavor of these & the addition of apple butter! Probably my favorite cookie of yours so far. 🙂
Hi Jenn,
Fantastic!! So glad to hear that this recipe was a hit, thanks for making it:)
Is there something I can substitute for the apple butter? I would like to try these but I am having trouble finding it.
Hey Emily,
I thick applesauce should work well for you! Let me know how these cookies turn out, I hope you love them! xT
I’ve made these cookies 3 times now. The last 2 times I left out the chocolate chips…I love chocolate but I think these cookies are more amazing without the chocolate. I like that the cookie dough is giving – I can either bake right away or put the dough in the fridge for a couple of days then bake. I’ve gotten so many positive reviews on them! Thanks for the incredible recipe that will be on repeat for years!! ❤️
Hey Emily,
Happy New Year!🎆🎈 I appreciate you making this recipe and your comment! So glad to hear it was enjoyed! xx