The Best Soft and Chewy Maple Pecan Cookies with White Chocolate and Glaze

Get ready to indulge in the ultimate autumn treat: these incredible Maple Pecan Cookies! Crafted with a generous amount of rich brown sugar, these cookies are exceptionally soft and wonderfully chewy, a texture that melts in your mouth. Each bite is loaded with creamy white chocolate chips and crunchy pecans, then finished with a luscious maple icing that will transport you straight to fall.

As the leaves begin to turn and the air grows crisp, our kitchen turns into a haven for cozy baking. These maple cookies are a personal favorite, sitting proudly alongside other seasonal delights like our beloved Caramel Apple Cookies. If you’re a true maple enthusiast, you’ll also adore our Apple Cinnamon Scones, crowned with the most exquisite maple syrup caramel glaze. There’s truly nothing like the inviting aroma of maple filling your home.

This recipe consistently produces the best maple pecan cookies you’ll ever taste. We achieve their irresistible ultra-chewy texture by using a combination of brown sugar and maple syrup directly in the dough. A unique aspect of this recipe, and one that might surprise you, is the recommendation for artificial maple syrup over pure. While I deeply appreciate the natural goodness of pure maple syrup, extensive testing has shown that artificially flavored syrup delivers a significantly stronger, more vibrant maple flavor that truly stands out. This ensures that the maple taste is not just present, but boldly memorable, lingering delightfully long after the last crumb is gone.

Beyond the maple, the addition of white chocolate is absolutely essential. Its sweet, creamy notes beautifully complement the robust maple and nutty pecans, adding an extra layer of richness and a touch of elegance that elevates these cookies from delicious to truly extraordinary. It’s a key ingredient that transforms these into a sophisticated cookie party showstopper.

Essential Ingredients for Maple Cookies

Here’s a detailed look at the key ingredients you’ll need to create these wonderfully soft and chewy maple syrup pecan cookies, along with why each one is so important:

• Salted Butter: Using salted butter is a deliberate choice here. The salt not only enhances the overall flavor profile of the cookies but also perfectly balances the sweetness, making for a richer and more nuanced taste experience. Ensure your butter is at room temperature for optimal creaming.
• Brown Sugar: This is a crucial ingredient for achieving that signature soft and chewy texture. You can use either light or dark brown sugar. Dark brown sugar will lend a deeper, slightly more molasses-like flavor and a richer color to your cookies, while light brown sugar will still provide excellent moisture and chewiness without overpowering the distinctive maple notes. Both options are delicious!
• Eggs: Eggs act as the primary binder in this recipe, holding all the ingredients together. They are essential for creating cookies that are soft, moist, and delightfully chewy, preventing them from becoming dry, cakey, or overly crispy. Use large eggs, also at room temperature.
• Maple Extract: While maple syrup provides a base of flavor, maple extract is the secret weapon for amplifying that maple punch. It concentrates the flavor, ensuring a strong and memorable maple presence throughout the cookie dough and the glaze. Don’t skip this for the best results!
• Maple Syrup: For the most pronounced maple flavor that truly shines in these cookies, I strongly recommend using artificially flavored pancake syrup in the cookie dough. Through extensive testing, it consistently delivered a more robust and vibrant maple taste than pure maple syrup. However, if you prefer a more subtle and natural maple flavor, pure Grade A maple syrup can certainly be used, especially for the glaze.
• White Chocolate Chips: These are technically optional, but in my humble opinion, they are absolutely necessary. The sweet, creamy notes of white chocolate beautifully complement the maple and pecan, adding a luxurious texture and boosting the overall charm and deliciousness of these cookies by a thousand percent.
• Pecans: Providing a delightful crunch and a distinctly nutty, earthy flavor, pecans are indispensable for this seasonal treat. They add texture contrast and enhance the overall “fall” vibe of the cookies. Chop them roughly to ensure a good distribution throughout the dough.
• All-Purpose Flour, Baking Soda, and Salt: These standard dry ingredients form the structure of the cookie. The flour provides body, baking soda ensures a soft rise and chewiness, and the salt (in addition to the salted butter) balances the sweetness and enhances all the flavors.

Helpful Substitutions & Variations

• Nuts: While pecans are fantastic, feel free to experiment with other nuts. Walnuts offer a slightly more bitter, earthy note, while chopped hazelnuts or cashews would provide a different, yet equally delightful, textural and flavor experience. Each will lend its own unique character to the cookie.
• Chocolate Chips: If white chocolate isn’t your preference, you have plenty of delicious alternatives. Butterscotch chips would enhance the warm, caramel-like notes, semi-sweet chocolate chips would add a classic chocolatey contrast, or toffee bits could introduce a delightful chewiness and buttery richness.
• Vanilla Extract: For an intriguing twist on the classic, replace the vanilla extract with almond extract. This will infuse your maple cookies with a delicate, nutty almond undertone that pairs beautifully with the maple and pecans.

Step-by-Step Instructions for Perfect Maple Cookies

Achieving bakery-quality maple cookies at home is easier than you think! Just follow these clear steps. Before you begin, ensure your oven is preheated to 350°F (175°C) and prepare your baking sheets. You can spray them with baking spray, line them with a silicone mat, or use parchment paper for easy removal and cleanup.

5. Step 5: Prepare and Apply the Glaze. For an incredibly easy glaze, combine the powdered sugar, maple extract, and 3-4 tablespoons of maple syrup in a resealable plastic bag. Seal the bag tightly and squish it around with your hands until the glaze is completely smooth and free of any lumps. If you prefer, you can also whisk these ingredients together in a small bowl until creamy. Once the cookies are sufficiently cooled, snip a very small hole in one corner of the resealable bag (or use a spoon if whisking in a bowl) and drizzle the luscious maple glaze generously over each cookie. The glaze will typically set in about an hour, allowing for easy stacking. However, we highly recommend enjoying these exquisite cookies fresh, while the glaze is still slightly soft and the cookies are perfectly tender. This glazing method is also fantastic for other treats like our Iced Molasses Cookies, proving how simple and quick it is to add that extra touch of deliciousness.

Storage and Freezing Tips

While many cookies are delightful straight from the oven, these maple pecan cookies truly shine after they’ve had a moment to cool and their luxurious maple glaze has been applied. This allows the cookies to fully set, resulting in the best possible chewy texture and perfect glaze adherence.

Once the glaze has completely set (which usually takes about an hour), you can store these delectable cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for approximately 4 days. For optimal freshness and to maintain their soft, chewy quality, layering them between sheets of parchment paper can be helpful.

To Freeze Raw Cookie Dough:

Freezing cookie dough is a fantastic way to enjoy freshly baked cookies anytime. To do this, scoop the raw cookie dough into individual balls, just as you would for baking. Arrange these dough balls on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, ensuring they don’t touch each other. Place the baking sheet in the freezer for 1 to 2 hours, or until the dough balls are solid. This “flash freezing” step is crucial as it prevents the dough balls from sticking together once transferred. After flash freezing, place the solid dough balls into a freezer-safe airtight container or a heavy-duty freezer bag. They can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to bake, simply place the frozen dough balls on a prepared baking sheet and bake for 12-14 minutes (a few minutes longer than fresh dough). Cool, then glaze as directed.

To Freeze Baked Maple Cookies:

If you prefer to bake a large batch and freeze some for later, follow the recipe as directed for baking, but do not apply the glaze. Allow the baked cookies to cool completely on a wire rack. Once cooled, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and flash freeze for about 1-2 hours until solid. Then, transfer the frozen, unglazed cookies to an airtight, freezer-safe container or bag, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking. They can be frozen for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, thaw the cookies completely at room temperature, then prepare and apply the maple glaze just before serving for that fresh-from-the-bakery taste.

Expert Tips and Creative Variations

• Embrace Artificial Maple Flavor: As mentioned, for the most potent and delicious maple flavor in the cookie dough, I highly recommend using artificially flavored pancake syrup. This was a surprising discovery during recipe testing, yielding a bolder taste profile that truly makes these cookies unforgettable. If you are a purist and prefer the subtle, nuanced notes of pure Grade A maple syrup, it will still yield a delicious cookie, just with a less intense maple kick.
• Experiment with Different Nuts: While pecans are classic for a reason, don’t hesitate to swap them out! Walnuts offer a robust, slightly bitter complement to the sweet maple. Macadamia nuts would add a rich, buttery crunch, while almonds or hazelnuts could lend a delicate, sophisticated flavor. Feel free to mix and match for your perfect nutty balance.
• The Salt is Essential: Trust the recipe on the salt content! The 1½ teaspoons of salt might seem like a lot, but it is precisely the right amount. It brilliantly balances the sweetness from the brown sugar and maple, enhancing all the flavors without making the cookies taste overly salty. It’s a flavor amplifier!
• Almond Extract Twist: For a delightful variation, substitute the vanilla extract with almond extract. The almond notes will harmonize beautifully with the maple and pecans, creating a sophisticated maple almond cookie that’s truly unique.
• Sweet and Savory Maple Bacon Cookies: For an adventurous and incredibly delicious twist, try adding ¼ cup of cooked and finely chopped bacon to the cookie dough along with the white chocolate and pecans. After baking and icing, sprinkle a little extra crispy bacon on top of the glazed cookies. The smoky, salty bacon perfectly complements the sweet maple, creating an irresistible sweet and savory experience.
• Don’t Overbake: For that signature soft and chewy texture, it’s crucial not to overbake these cookies. They should be just turning golden brown at the edges, with the centers still appearing slightly soft when you remove them from the oven. They will continue to set as they cool.
• Room Temperature Ingredients: Ensure your butter and eggs are at room temperature. This allows them to cream together properly, incorporating air and creating a smooth, emulsified dough which leads to a better texture in the final cookie.
• Use a Cookie Scoop: A cookie scoop helps ensure uniform cookie size, which promotes even baking. This means all your cookies will be perfectly done at the same time.

Frequently Asked Questions About Maple Cookies

More Irresistible Fall Cookie Recipes

If you’re anything like us, the arrival of autumn means it’s time to fully embrace the season’s bounty of flavors, especially when it comes to baking. These Maple Pecan Cookies are just the beginning! Here are a few more of our favorite fall cookie recipes that capture the essence of the season, perfect for sharing, gifting, or simply enjoying with a warm cup of coffee or tea:

Printable Maple Syrup Cookie Recipe Card