These easy maple pecan cookies are full of flavor and are the ultimate treat for fall. Made as classic drop cookies with maple syrup, brown sugar and toasted pecans. With soft, chewy centers, they are sure to become a Thanksgiving and Christmas favorite!
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Whether it's crackers, cookies a tart or pie; pecans are a well loved baking ingredient {at least at my house!}
With decades of cookie baking behind me, I am always in for a simple drop cookie recipe, like these lemon coconut cookies. No mixer is needed, which makes them quick and easy to make.
The texture of these pecan maple cookies is the best! They are not dry or cakey, but soft with a chewy center and they have a rich flavor, much like my chocolate chipless cookies. They look like they came out of a bakery, but are seriously easy to make!
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💬 do I have to use maple extract?
I don't recommend it skipping it! Maple syrup does not provide a strong maple flavor all on its own. The cookies will still be soft and taste great, but they won’t have much maple flavor. I use McCormick's maple extract.
🛒 ingredient notes and substitutions
Please scroll to the printable recipe card at the end of this post for the full list of ingredients and baking directions.
Pecans ~ add flavor and texture. I prefer to toast the pecans, which is included in the recipe card. If you want to skip the toasting step, you can, but you’ll lose some of the rich pecan flavor. For a maple walnut cookie, feel free to substitute the pecans with toasted walnuts.
Sugar ~ dark brown sugar adds a greater depth of flavor and more chewiness to the drop cookies.
Maple syrup ~ pure maple syrup is what we need for these maple pecan cookies. Please avoid pancake syrup as it doesn’t have the same burst of maple flavor that you get with pure syrup.
Maple extract ~ in testing this drop cookie recipe, I found maple syrup on its own didn’t impart much maple flavor. I had to play with how much extract to add, but 2 teaspoons really helps to bring home the maple flavor.
🥣 how to make without a mixer
Start by toasting and chopping the pecans.
In a medium to large bowl, add the melted butter and allow to cool for 3-5 minutes. Then add the dark brown sugar, pure maple syrup and kosher salt and mix until fully incorporated.
Add the eggs, vanilla and maple extract. Now stir until the mixture is combined and smooth.
Sprinkle the baking soda and cornstarch over the mixture and stir well. Then add the flour in three additions, with the pecans with the final flour and stir until the dough comes together. Hold aside some pecan pieces, if you'd like to top the cookie dough balls with them.
Use about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie {I like using a size 30 scoop} and place the dough onto a plate or cookie sheet pan that will fit in your freezer, the dough is soft and may not fully hold it's shape. If you held aside pecan pieces, press them into the dough ball tops now. Freeze the cookie dough portions for 20 minutes.
While you freeze the dough, preheat oven to 350°F {unless already on from toasting the pecans} and prepare two sheet pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats and set aside. Once the dough has chilled, place 10 - 11 cookies on each prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart. Bake one pan at a time for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are set. You want the cookies to look a little soft in the middle
👩🏻🍳 tips for the best maple pecan cookies
Let the butter cool for a few minutes before adding the sugar and maple syrup to keep the baked cookies from being overly greasy.
For the best flavor and texture, use pure maple syrup AND maple extract.
Save aside some of the toasted pecan pieces for pressing on the tops of the cookie dough balls before baking. This gives them that bakery worthy look.
Use the cookie scoot for perfectly round and thick cookies. Use a biscuit/round cookie cutter, glass or bowl that is slightly larger than the cookies and scoot them back into a thicker and perfectly round cookie. Do this when the cookies are still hot right out of the oven.
Remember to snap a picture and tag me on Instagram if you make these soft and chewy Maple Pecan Cookies. It warms my heart to see you bring these recipes to life! Thank you for being here and happy baking!
If you make this recipe {or any recipe!} from two sugar bugs please come back and leave a review and a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ star rating. I read every comment, and I LOVE hearing from you!
📖 recipe
Soft and Chewy Maple Pecan Cookies
These easy maple pecan cookies are perfect for Thanksgiving or Christmas. Made as classic drop cookies with maple syrup, brown sugar and toasted pecans. With soft, chewy centers, they are sure to become a fall favorite!
I highly recommend using weight {metric} measurements when available for more accuracy and the best results.
Ingredients
- 1 cup pecan pieces*, toasted (120g)
- 10 tablespoons unsalted butter (140g), melted
- 1 cup packed dark brown sugar** (200g)
- 5 tablespoons pure maple syrup (75g)
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons maple extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour (312g)
Instructions
- To toast the pecans: Preheat oven to 350°F and prepare baking sheet pans with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Toast the pecans (1 cup/120g) on a parchment or aluminum foil lined baking pan for 5-8 minutes. Allow the nuts to cool and chop into small pieces before making the cookies. Can be done a day or two ahead of time.
- In a medium to large bowl, add the melted butter (10 tablespoons/140g) and allow to cool for 3-5 minutes. Then add the dark brown sugar (1 cup/200g), pure maple syrup (5 tablespoons/75g) and kosher salt (½ teaspoon) and mix until fully incorporated.
- Add the eggs (2 large), vanilla (1 teaspoon) and maple extract (2 teaspoons). Stir until the mixture is combined and smooth.
- Sprinkle the baking soda (1 teaspoon) and cornstarch (2 teaspoons) over the mixture and stir well. Then add the flour (2 ½ cups/312g) in three additions, with the pecans with the final flour and stir until the dough comes together. Hold aside some pecan pieces, if you'd like to top the cookie dough balls with them.
- Use about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie (I like using a size 30 scoop) and place the dough onto a plate or cookie sheet pan that will fit in your freezer, the dough is soft and may not fully hold it's shape. You should get about 20-22 cookies. If you held aside pecan pieces, press them into the dough ball tops now. Freeze the cookie dough portions for 20 minutes.
- While you freeze the dough, preheat oven to 350°F (unless already on from toasting the pecans) and prepare two sheet pans with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat and set aside.
- Once the dough has chilled, place 10 - 11 cookies on each prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake one pan at a time for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are set. You want the cookies to look a little soft in the middle. For perfectly round cookies, use the cookie scoot*** when the cookies are hot from the oven. Allow the cookies to rest on the pan 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
*The best way to measure pecans is by weight.
**I use dark brown sugar, but light brown will also work.
***use a biscuit/round cookie cutter, glass or bowl that is slightly larger than the cookies and scoot them back into a thicker and perfectly round cookie. Do this when the cookies are still hot right out of the oven.
If you only have table salt, use half the amount.
If you don't have cornstarch you can leave it out with no other adjustments.
Cookie dough can be prepared and covered and refrigerated overnight, then baked the next day; the cookies may need an extra minute of baking time if chilled. Cookie dough can also be formed into balls and frozen for up to one month; let the cookie dough sit out at room temperature until the oven preheats. The cookies may need an extra minute of baking time if baked frozen.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. The maple pecan cookies also freeze well for up to three months. Store in an airtight container or zip-top bag in the freezer. Allow to come to room temperature before serving (about 30 minutes).
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
22Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 182Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 96mgCarbohydrates: 23gFiber: 1gSugar: 11gProtein: 3g
The nutrition information is based on third-party calculations, is an estimate only and may not be entirely accurate. Actual nutritional values will vary based on brands used and portion sizes.
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