Maple Glazed Snickerdoodles

I’m holding onto Summer for as long as I can (3 more official days!), but I’m also excited for all the Fall baking. Like these maple-glazed snickerdoodles! Not only do these cookies have all the cinnamon-sugar goodness, they also have a scrumptious maple glaze.

These cookies are great if you’re looking for something fast to bake: they require zero chill time and are done baking in 10 minutes.

If you’re wondering what the difference is between snickerdoodles and sugar cookies, it’s the cream of tartar. While it’s used in many recipes as a stabiliser, cream of tartar serves to add a distinct tanginess to snickerdoodles. It also causes a chemical reaction with the baking soda, giving the cookie a chewier texture.

For these cookies I used a 1.5 tablespoon cookie scoop. If you want to make them bigger, you’ll need to adjust the baking time. I recommend scooping out all the balls of cookie dough prior to rolling them in the cinnamon sugar, as it makes the process more streamlined.

When baking the cookies, keep a close eye on the first batch as every oven is different. I baked mine for a full 10 minutes, but yours may only need 7 or 8 minutes. You want the cookies to be only slightly browned on the edges and they will look puffy in the oven. Once they have cooled, they will flatten slightly.

I used pure maple syrup in the maple glaze for the best taste. Do not use imitation! Do yourself (and your friends) a favour and add this recipe to your Fall baking list. The day after I made these cookies, I got a text at work from my boyfriend declaring these cookies to be one of the best he’s ever tasted. Now that’s high praise! If you do make them, just don’t expect them to hang around for long.

Mapled-Glazed Snickerdoodles

Yield: 32 cookies

Ingredients:

1 cup unsalted butter (2 sticks, 226 g), room temperature
1 & 1/2 cups granulated sugar
2 eggs, room temperature
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 & 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon cream of tartar
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt

Cinnamon sugar:
3 tablespoons granulated sugar
3 teaspoons ground cinnamon

Maple glaze:
1 cup confectioners sugar
2 tablespoons milk
2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

Method:

1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius). Line 2 cookie sheets with baking mats or wax paper.

2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar at high speed, for about 3 minutes until light and fluffy.

3. Add the eggs one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Add vanilla and mix until fully combined.

4. Add the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda and salt and mix on low speed until the dough comes together.

5. Portion cookie dough using a 1.5 tablespoon scoop, roll into out balls and place on the cookie sheet. Leave about 2 inches in between each cookie.

6. Make the cinnamon sugar: in a wide bowl, whisk together the sugar and cinnamon. Roll each ball of dough in the cinnamon sugar until evenly coated.

7. Bake for 8 to 10 minutes. Allow to cool on pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

8. Make the maple glaze: in a medium bowl, mix the confectioners sugar, milk, maple syrup and vanilla until evenly combined. If glaze is too thick, add 1/2 tablespoon of milk until you reach the desired consistency.

9. Place the cooled cookies on a sheet of parchment paper. Pour the glaze into a small ziplock bag and carefully snip a small corner. Drizzle the glaze over each cookie in a zig-zag pattern. Allow the glaze to set (about 20 minutes).

Notes: store cookies at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 1 week. Cookies can also be frozen for up to 3 months.