MAPLE DONUT COOKIES

Maple Donut Cookies are soft & pillowy donut-shaped cookies with a lovely maple glaze topping. Everything you love about maple donuts, only in cookie form!

Our family has always loved maple bars, so when I had the idea to make maple donut cookies, I was so excited to test the process out! I used my Soft Buttermilk Sugar Cookie dough recipe because unlike other donut cookies, where you cut out donut shapes from traditional sugar cookie dough, I wanted these to really resemble donuts in taste and texture.

The result? OMG! They’re incredible- maple bar lovers rejoice, because I’m about to introduce you to your new favorite cookie! They’re pillowy, perfectly sweet cookies with a lovely soft maple glaze topping. Sprinkles are optional but super fun! Be sure to read my notes and watch the video. Maple Donut Cookies aren’t difficult to make, but the dough is a bit sticky, so I give tips on managing it better.

Maple Donut Cookie Ingredients

Butter: Use ½ cup softened butter (1 stick) to create a soft, tender cookie crumb. Softened butter helps mix the sugars and eggs smoothly.

Sugars: You need ½ cup of each granulated sugar and brown sugar. The granulated sugar helps with crisp edges, while brown sugar adds moisture and a deeper flavor thanks to its molasses content.

Egg: 1 egg binds ingredients and provides structure without making the cookie dense.

Buttermilk: Adding ¾ cup buttermilk gives the cookies moisture and a slight tang. Also it reacts with baking soda to help leaven the dough.

Extract: 1 tsp vanilla enhances the natural flavors without overpowering the maple.

Flour: 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour provides the right texture when combined with leavening.

Baking soda: Using ½ tsp baking soda leavens the dough by releasing carbon dioxide with acid from buttermilk, giving a light texture.

Salt: ½ tsp salt balances sweetness and strengthens flavor.

Maple Glaze ingredients

Butter: You need 2 TBSP butter to add richness and a glossy finish.

Milk: 2-4 TBSP milk adjusts the glaze consistency for smooth spreading.

Sugars: ¼ cup brown sugar sweetens and thickens the glaze, while 1 cup powdered sugar creates a smooth texture.

Syrup: 1 TBSP corn syrup (or maple syrup) adds shine and enhances the flavor.

Extract: Adding 1 tsp maple extract provides concentrated maple aroma and taste to the glaze.

How to make maple glaze

You make a traditional maple glaze by whisking together warm milk and melted butter with corn syrup, brown sugar and maple extract. Once smooth, whisk powdered sugar into the butter mixture until the appropriate consistency is formed. Feel free to add in a little more milk if you need to! I give instructions on how to make the maple glaze on the stovetop or in the microwave below.

Why Use Maple Extract Instead of Maple Syrup

I get this question often and while it seems like there wouldn’t be an issue, using maple syrup in place of maple extract just does not work. The reason why is the syrup adds too much liquid and not enough maple flavor. So to get even a fraction of maple flavor, you’d have to use 4-5x the amount of syrup for the icing.

Maple Donut Cookie Recipe

Maple Donut Cookies are soft & pillowy donut-shaped cookies with a lovely maple glaze topping. Everything you love about maple donuts, only in cookie form!

4.84 from 6 votes

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Course: Cookies

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes

Chilling time: 1 hour hour 15 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 36

Calories: 108kcal

Author: Jessica & Nellie

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Ingredients 

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• ½ cup softened butter 1 stick
• ½ cup granulated sugar
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• ¾ cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt

Maple Glaze

• 2 TBSP butter
• 2-4 TBSP milk
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 1 TBSP corn syrup or maple syrup
• 1 tsp maple extract
• 1 cup powdered sugar

Instructions

• Cream together butter and sugars for 1 minute. Add in egg, buttermilk and vanilla and mix again until smooth.
• Combine dry ingredients and add 1/2 to the mixing bowl. Mix, then add the other half. Dough will be softer and stickier than normal cookie dough. Cover and let cool in fridge for at least 1 hour.
• Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
• Spray cookie scoop and your hands lightly with non-stick spray. Scoop out about 1.5 to 2 TBSP of cookie dough into your hand. Roll dough into a ball and gently flatten the ball until it's about 1/2" thick.

  You can shape the cookie dough into donuts in one of two ways. Method 1) Use a small round biscuit cutter to punch a hole in the center of the flattened dough. Place the donut hole back into the mixing bowl to be used for more cookies. This method is easier when you spray the biscuit cutter with non-stick spray first.

  Method 2) Press the top and bottom center of the flattened dough with your thumb and forefinger until you create a hole. Use your hands to pull the hole open wider, until it's about 2-2.5" wide. Place shaped donut cookies on the parchment lined cookie sheet, repeating process until you have 6-8 cookies on your sheet.
• Place mixing bowl with remaining dough back in the fridge or freezer. Bake for 9-10 minutes and let cool for an additional 2 minutes on the cookie sheet. Transfer to a cooling rack.
• To make MAPLE GLAZE: In a small saucepan, combine butter and brown sugar. Whisk in milk and heat for about 5 minutes on medium heat, stirring often, until butter is melted and sugar is dissolved. Remove from heat and add in corn syrup and maple extract.

  Add in powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time, whisking until smooth between additions. Add 1-2 tsp more milk if necessary. Glaze will begin to harden as it cools, so keep maple glaze warm on the stove, whisking occasionally. To make in the microwave, combine 2 TBSP milk and butter in a small mixing bowl. Heat for 30 seconds. Add in brown sugar, corn syrup and an additional 1 TBSP milk. Heat another 30 seconds in the microwave. Whisk until smooth.

  Add in maple extract and powdered sugar until a smooth, dippable consistency is reached. Add in more milk if needed.
• Dip the top round face of each cooled donut cookie in warm maple glaze. Sprinkle with fall-themed sprinkles immediately, if desired. Cool to set. Cookies can be stacked once cooled. Store leftovers in an airtight container.

Video

Notes

yields 2.5- 3 dozen cookies

Must chill dough for at least 1 hour before shaping into donuts! Dough is easier to handle if you return it to the fridge in between batches. 

Use non-stick spray on the cookie scoop, your hands and biscuit cutter when shaping to make the process easier. 

Nutrition

Calories: 108kcal | Carbohydrates: 18g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 82mg | Potassium: 28mg | Fiber: 0.2g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 114IU | Calcium: 14mg | Iron: 0.5mg

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How long are Maple Donut Cookies good for?

Your baked Maple Donut Cookies will stay fresh for about 3 to 5 days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

For longer storage, place them in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature before serving. It’s best to freeze the cookies without the maple glaze. Once thawed, you can apply the glaze fresh to maintain its texture and appearance.

What can be used as a substitute for buttermilk?

You can replace buttermilk with a mixture of regular milk and an acid like lemon juice or white vinegar. Use ¾ cup of milk with 1 tablespoon of acid, let it sit for 5 minutes, then add to your dough.

This provides the same acidity that buttermilk contributes, which helps with texture and rise.

How can you ensure the glaze sets properly on the cookies?

Allow the cookies to cool completely before applying the glaze to prevent melting. Use a glaze with the right balance of powdered sugar and liquid to achieve a thick but spreadable consistency.

Let the glazed cookies rest at room temperature for at least 30 minutes to fully set.

Is there an alternative to maple extract to maintain the flavor in the glaze?

You can substitute pure maple syrup for maple extract in the glaze. Use about 1 tablespoon of syrup to match the maple flavor.

Keep in mind this may slightly alter the glaze texture, so adjust powdered sugar if needed for consistency.

Enjoy more maple flavored cookies here:

• Maple Sandwich Cookies are buttery cut-out cookies shaped like maple leaves and filled with a silky maple buttercream for the perfect fall-inspired treat!
• Our recipe for Maple Bacon Cookies combine savory and sweet with bacon grease and maple syrup in the dough, then topped with maple icing and crispy crumbled bacon—irresistibly bold and delicious!
• These Honey Maple Chocolate Chip Cookies are sweet, nutty, and irresistible, made with honey, maple syrup, crunchy pecans, and melty chocolate chips.
• Oatmeal Pumpkin Sandwich Cookies are spiced oatmeal cookies filled with a rich, buttery maple frosting—perfectly cozy and delicious!

Maple Donut Cookies are soft, pillowy, donut-shaped cookies topped with a sweet maple glaze—everything you love about maple donuts, now in cookie form!