Description
Soft, buttery cookies with a sweet, smooth maple filling nestled in the center, perfect for holiday baking or anytime a simple yet satisfying treat is desired.
Ingredients
1 cup (2 sticks or 226 g) unsalted butter, softened
2/3 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup pure maple syrup
1 tablespoon cornstarch
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Cream softened butter and sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in egg and vanilla extract until combined.
- Gradually add flour and salt, mixing until just combined to form soft dough.
- Scoop tablespoon-sized balls of dough onto prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Press an indentation into the center of each dough ball using thumb or back of a spoon.
- Bake for 12-15 minutes until edges start to turn golden.
- While baking, mix maple syrup and cornstarch in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring constantly until thickened (3-5 minutes); remove from heat and cool slightly.
- When cookies are warm but cooled slightly, spoon thickened maple filling into each indentation.
- Let cookies cool completely so filling sets.
Notes
Makes about 24 cookies.
Variations: sprinkle flaky sea salt on top, mix chopped pecans or walnuts into dough, use cream cheese maple filling, drizzle extra maple syrup over cooled cookies.
Store in airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.
Cookies don’t require reheating but can be warmed slightly before serving.
Chill dough up to 2 days before baking if desired.
Freeze baked cookies without filling; add filling after thawing and warming slightly.
Substitute cornstarch with arrowroot powder or flour if needed.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12-15 minutes
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking and stovetop thickening
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 140
- Sugar: 10g
- Sodium: 50mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 0g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
