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If you’re a fan of homemade gingerbread cookies but don’t love molasses, I’ve made a delicious maple syrup soft gingerbread cookie recipe for you! All the warm spiced flavors in a melt in your mouth, soft gingerbread cookie, that’s easy to cut out and decorate with royal icing.
Maple Syrup Cookies are very similar to gingerbread cookies, except I replace the molasses with maple syrup and honey. The result is a soft texture with a lighter ginger maple flavor. Eat them plain or decorate with royal icing and sprinkle with sugar. This recipe bakes almost three dozen cookies, so you will have plenty to eat and place in cookie boxes!
Key Ingredients & Test Notes
- Maple Syrup: I prefer to use Grade B Maple Syrup which has a richer color and stronger maple flavor.
- Honey: Natural honey is the best option, usually found in jars and will say wildflower honey as opposed to the kind in the plastic bear container.
- Unsalted Butter: Make sure butter is softened to room temperature before blending with the sugar.
- Test Note: I’ve tried this recipe with European style butter (82% butterfat) with great results as well.
- Brown Sugar: Soft melt in your mouth cookies are always made with brown sugar. You can use light or dark brown sugar for this recipe.
- Homemade Royal Icing: I have two options for homemade royal icing, one is made with egg whites and the other with egg white powder.
- Maple Buttercream Frosting: Another decorating option is to skip the icing and top your cookies with maple syrup buttercream frosting instead.
Helpful Tips
- Wrap cookie dough in plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours or even overnight before rolling. It is much easier to work with cold dough. Warm dough is harder to cut and transfer onto cookie the tray.
- To roll out the cookie dough, lightly floured your work surface and rolling pin to prevent sticking.
- If your cookie dough becomes too soft, simply place it back in the fridge to chill. Cookies will be soft out of the oven but harden some as they cool to the perfect texture.
- Pipe icing onto completely cooled cookies.
- Decorate with homemade easy royal icing or maple buttercream frosting.
FAQs
Do I need to chill the cookie dough before baking?
Yes, cookie dough should be chilled. Cold cookie dough is needed for cutting out perfectly shaped cookies. Chilling also allows the cookie dough to rest and flavors to develop.
Can I make the cookie dough ahead?
Gingerbread cookie dough can be made up to 2 days prior to baking. Cover in plastic wrap and stored in the fridge until ready to bake. Allow cookie dough to warm on the counter at room temperature for about 15-20 minutes to slightly soften before rolling out.
Can I replace the maple syrup and honey with molasses?
Yes, simply use 170 grams (1/2 cup) of molasses instead of the honey and maple syrup.
Can you freeze gingerbread cookie dough?
After cookie dough is made, stored in freezer safe plastic wrap or an airtight freezer safe bag for up to 3 months.
Storage & Leftovers
Store plain and iced cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days. You can also freeze non iced cookies by wrapping them in plastic wrap, placing in a freezer safe plastic bag for 2-3 months.
★★★★★ Please leave a star rating and review below if you make this recipe! THANK YOU!!
Maple Syrup Soft Gingerbread Cookies
Maple syrup soft gingerbread cookies are tender cut out cookies with classic gingerbread flavor, using maple syrup and honey.
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Ingredients
- 375 grams (3 cups) all purpose flour, 11.7% protein
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 165 grams (¾ cup) dark brown sugar, packed
- 170 grams (¾ cup) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 85 grams (¼ cup) pure maple syrup, grade B
- 86 grams (¼ cup) honey
- 50 grams (1 large) large egg, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Topping
- Easy Royal Icing
- sparkling sugar , for sprinkling
Instructions
Make Cookie Dough
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ginger, cinnamon, and cloves.375 grams all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 tablespoon ground ginger, 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- In the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachment, beat the butter and brown sugar until a paste is formed. 1-2 minutes. Scrape bottom and sides of bowl as needed.165 grams dark brown sugar, 170 grams unsalted butter
- Add in the egg and mix again to incorporate. Then, pour in the maple syrup, honey, and vanilla mixing until smooth.50 grams large egg, 85 grams pure maple syrup, 86 grams honey, 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- Gradually spoon in the flour mixture, continuing on medium speed until blended and a smooth cookie dough is formed.
Chill Cookie Dough
- Divide the cookie dough in half. Shape each half into a disc and cover with plastic wrap. Place discs in the fridge and chill for 3 hours or overnight.
- Don't skip this step! The dough can get sticky if its not cold, chilling long enough for it to easily roll and cut out is important.
Roll Out & Bake
- Preheat oven to 350℉(180℃) and line cookie sheets with two layers of parchment paper.
- When ready to bake, sprinkle your work surface and rolling pin with flour. The dough will be slightly sticky, so it's best to roll and cut cold dough with help from a little flour. Work in batches, using half the dough at a time and storing the rest in the fridge until ready to roll out.
- Roll dough out to 1/4-inch thickness and cut out shapes using your favorite cookie cutters. I dip my cookie cutters in a little flour to prevent sticking. Carefully transfer cookies to the baking sheet. Use an offset spatula to lift cookies from work surface if needed.
- Space cookies 2-inches apart on the cookie sheet. Place pan on the middle oven rack and bake 8-9 minutes until the cookies looked slightly puffed and set.
- Transfer hot pan to a wire rack to cool for 5 minutes before removing the cookies. Let cookies cool completely before decorating with icing.
Decorate
- Use homemade or store bought royal cookie icing.Easy Royal Icing
- Pipe a thin trace line around the edges of the cookie. Then pipe icing to fill in the shape. Take a toothpick and move icing to cover any holes or bare spots.
- Sprinkle wet icing with sparkling sugar.sparkling sugar
Notes
Ingredients Used:
Update: **This recipe has been altered from the original version published in 2018. The total amount of sugar has been decreased, the butter increased for tenderness, and leavening agents slightly decreased to prevent spreading. If you loved the old version, please see the ingredients list below and make according to the same instructions in the recipe card. Ingredients List from 2018:
*Weighing flour is how I test all my recipes. The measurement I use: 1 cup of flour equals 125 grams. Please note that this amount can change based on a different baker’s recipe or using a conversion tool. The weight listed in the recipe is how it was tested and should be used for accuracy. *Different brands of flour are made with soft or hard wheat and have varying levels of protein, ranging from low to high. This can change the final result of a baked good, giving different outcomes on the same recipe. I list the level of protein in the ingredients, the brand of flour tested with and a link to My Baking Ingredients for additional details. When choosing a flour, look at the protein level on the back of the bag and consult the recommended amount for the recipe.
- Flour: King Arthur All Purpose Flour, 11.7% protein
- Butter: tested with both American Butter (80% butterfat) and European style salted butter (82% butterfat)
Update: **This recipe has been altered from the original version published in 2018. The total amount of sugar has been decreased, the butter increased for tenderness, and leavening agents slightly decreased to prevent spreading. If you loved the old version, please see the ingredients list below and make according to the same instructions in the recipe card. Ingredients List from 2018:
- 3 cups (375 grams) all purpose flour, 11.7% protein
- 1.5 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 tablespoon ground ginger
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 3/4 cup (165 grams) dark brown sugar, packed
- 6 tablespoons (84 grams) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (160 grams) pure maple syrup, grade B
- 1/4 cup (85 grams) honey
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
*Weighing flour is how I test all my recipes. The measurement I use: 1 cup of flour equals 125 grams. Please note that this amount can change based on a different baker’s recipe or using a conversion tool. The weight listed in the recipe is how it was tested and should be used for accuracy. *Different brands of flour are made with soft or hard wheat and have varying levels of protein, ranging from low to high. This can change the final result of a baked good, giving different outcomes on the same recipe. I list the level of protein in the ingredients, the brand of flour tested with and a link to My Baking Ingredients for additional details. When choosing a flour, look at the protein level on the back of the bag and consult the recommended amount for the recipe.
Tried this recipe?Mention @twocupsflour or tag #twocupsflour!
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Hi!
Would it be possible to freeze this cookie dough?
These were delicious, thank you! My kid isn’t a fan of icing, but they were perfect just plain.