Soft Maple Brown Sugar Christmas Cookies

These soft, chewy maple cookies with brown sugar are the kind of cozy Christmas cookies everyone asks for. They’re packed with warm maple flavor, buttery richness, and the softest centers — a perfect match for holiday baking. If you love comforting treats like cinnamon sugar donut muffins, these cookies deserve a spot on your Christmas cookie tray.

The secret that makes these cookies win every time? A simple step that truly changes the texture and you’ll see the proof inside the recipe.

Why You’ll Love It

• Perfect for Christmas: A cozy maple flavor that fits any cookie exchange or holiday party.
• Soft & chewy: Brown sugar keeps the cookies tender for days.
• No chill time: The dough goes straight to the oven.
• Holiday-friendly ingredients: Everything is pantry-staple and budget-friendly.
• Make-ahead friendly: Freeze beautifully for Christmas gifting.

The Game-Changing Trick (With Proof)

The key to these maple cookies with brown sugar is beating the butter and brown sugar for a full 2 minutes. This isn’t optional — it’s the step that keeps the cookies thick, soft, and never flat.

Why it works: Brown sugar digs tiny air pockets into the butter. During baking, these air pockets trap steam, helping the cookies lift and preventing spreading. The proof is visible: the dough becomes lighter in color and more pillowy. These micro-air pockets give you that classic soft, chewy Christmas cookie texture.

Ingredients

This recipe uses simple pantry ingredients, just like other easy bakes such as soft pumpkin cookies with cinnamon frosting and almond snowball cookies .

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional but recommended for Christmas)

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar for 2 full minutes. The mixture should look lighter and fluffy — this is the step that keeps the cookies soft and thick. If your kitchen is warm during Christmas baking, this step helps even more.
3. Add the maple syrup, egg, and vanilla. Mix until smooth and creamy.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until a soft, sticky dough forms. Do not overmix.
6. Scoop dough into 1 1/2-tbsp balls and place on the baking sheets, leaving space for spreading.
7. Bake for 9–11 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers still look soft. This gives you the classic chewy Christmas cookie texture.
8. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips & Variations

• Add crunch: Stir in 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts for a festive texture.
• Christmas glaze: Mix powdered sugar with a drizzle of maple syrup and a touch of milk.
• Extra spice: Add nutmeg or cardamom for a warm Christmas flavor.
• Brown butter option: For deeper flavor, brown the butter first, then cool before mixing.

Substitutions

• Light or dark brown sugar: Both work — dark gives deeper flavor.
• No maple syrup? Use maple extract + milk (1/2 cup liquid total).
• Dairy-free: Use vegan butter; dough may be softer but works well.

Serving Suggestions

Serve these maple cookies with brown sugar warm with coffee, hot chocolate, or a holiday spread like sweet potato casserole . They also make perfect gifts in cookie tins and freeze beautifully for Christmas prep.

Storage & Reheating

• Room temperature: Store in an airtight container up to 5 days.
• Freezer: Freeze baked cookies up to 3 months.
• Reheat: Microwave 8–10 seconds for fresh-from-the-oven texture.

FAQs

More to Try

• Raspberry Filled Almond Snowball Cookies
• Gourmet Peanut Butter Chocolate Ruckus Cookies
• Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Cinnamon Frosting
• Vanilla Wafer Cookies Dessert Secrets
• Moon Cookies Recipe

Conclusion

These maple cookies with brown sugar bring all the cozy flavors of Christmas into one soft, chewy bite. With the simple two-minute creaming trick, you get perfectly thick cookies every single time — no flattening, no guessing. They’re easy, festive, family-friendly, and made for holiday baking season.

Soft Maple Brown Sugar Christmas Cookies

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• Author: Sarah
• Total Time: 20 minutes
• Yield: 24 cookies 1x
• Diet: Vegetarian

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Description

These soft, chewy maple cookies with brown sugar are the kind of cozy Christmas cookies everyone asks for. They’re packed with warm maple flavor, buttery richness, and the softest centers — a perfect match for holiday baking.

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional but recommended for Christmas)

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat the softened butter and brown sugar for 2 full minutes until lighter and fluffy.
3. Add the maple syrup, egg, and vanilla. Mix until smooth and creamy.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until a soft, sticky dough forms. Do not overmix.
6. Scoop dough into 1 1/2-tbsp balls and place on the baking sheets, leaving space for spreading.
7. Bake for 9–11 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers still look soft.
8. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Add 1/2 cup chopped pecans or walnuts for crunch. Make a glaze with powdered sugar and maple syrup. Freeze beautifully for Christmas prep.

• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Cook Time: 10 minutes
• Category: Dessert
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

Nutrition

• Serving Size: 1 cookie
• Calories: 140
• Sugar: 9g
• Sodium: 85mg
• Fat: 6g
• Saturated Fat: 3g
• Unsaturated Fat: 2g
• Trans Fat: 0g
• Carbohydrates: 20g
• Fiber: 0g
• Protein: 1g
• Cholesterol: 15mg

Keywords: maple cookies, brown sugar cookies, Christmas cookies, soft cookies, holiday baking