Maple Shortbread Cookies
Okay friends . . . we are now into the second week of November, which means it is officially time to start thinking about Christmas cookies. And while this Maple Shortbread cookie recipe is definitely perfect for Thanksgiving, it will also be just as at home on your Christmas cookie platters. You might just want to switch up the cookie cutter shape. Or not. Maple leaves are always in season. (Except of course when the trees are bare. Insert sad tuba noise.)
This maple shortbread cookie recipe was born out of necessity. Oh, okay, desire.
I love shortbread. Shortbread cookies are one of my favorite cookies. They have been ever since we made them from scratch when I was about eight years old.
When I was growing up, we–for the most part–made the same Christmas cookies every year: butter cookie cut outs filled with chocolate frosting, Linzer tarts (later they become raspberry thumbprints), pecan balls, cookie gun (cookie press, but my mom had a really cool electric cookie press back in the day) cookies, and rum balls. (Obviously this was before food allergies befell our family.)
Every once in a while, we’d throw in a wild card. And one year, it was a shortbread cookie. I can still remember how absolutely perfect those cookies tasted. But, despite my best efforts shortbread did not make it into the regular rotation.
So here I am, some forty years later, trying to recreate that special shortbread flavor in my own kitchen. Only, I wanted to take things up a notch–not that you need to. Plain, old shortbread is pretty darn excellent. So I added just a scant teaspoon of maple flavoring. (Nope, not maple syrup. I tried that, repeatedly, with disastrous results.) And these maple shortbread cookies were born.
Why you’ll love them:
Quick, easy, made with [mostly] pantry staples, and oh so delicious. What’s not to love about these maple shortbread cookies?
Shortbread has a short list of ingredients:
Incidentally, that’s not where shortbread gets its name. The name shortbread comes from these cookies crumbly texture (from an old meaning of the word “short”, as opposed to “long”, or stretchy). The crumbly texture is caused by the cookies’ by the butter, which gives shortbread cookies a high fat content. This inhibits the formation of long protein (gluten) strands and results in a short texture.
And as if the delightful, rich, buttery cookies wasn’t tasty enough, I dipped these cookies in dark chocolate and added some sprinkles to make them look pretty as well. (If baking for the holidays, just swap out your sprinkles to red and green or blue or white.)
How to make maple shortbread cookies:
Maple shortbread cookies are a pretty easy cookie. Although I should warn you, this dough is crumbly. So it can be a little bit of a pain to roll out. But be patient, and make sure the dough is firm, but not too firm, and you will be fine. It is also a pretty forgiving dough if you have to mash it together with your fingers.
Start by whisking together 2 cups all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, and ½ teaspoon salt in a medium bowl. Set aside while you prepare the butter mixture for the maple shortbread cookies.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat 1 cup butter until lightened, smooth and creamy. This takes a while, probably longer than you think. I’d beat the butter for at least 4 minutes.
Then, gradually add ¾ cup of powdered sugar and continue mixing until the mixture is light and creamy.
Next, add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon maple extract and mix well.
Finally, you will gradually add flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on medium speed until the dough is completely combined.
Then, form dough into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 60 minutes.
Once the maple shortbread cookie dough is nearly done chilling, preheat oven to 350℉ and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Remove the dough from the refrigerator and roll out on a lightly floured surface until the dough is between ⅛”-¼” thickness. Press a cookie cutter directly into dough, making cuts close together, and place cookies on baking sheet spacing at least 2” apart.
Combine any remaining scraps of cough into a ball and re-roll to make more maple shortbread cookies. The number of cookies will vary depending on the size of the cookie cutter used and how thick or thin you roll the dough. I used a 2” cookie cutter and got about 44 cookies.
Transfer baking sheet to 350℉ oven and bake for 8-11 minutes or until edges are just beginning to turn a very light golden brown (bake time will vary depending on thickness of dough and size of cookie cutter).
If desired, melt 1 cup dark chocolate wafers and dip completely cooled cookies into chocolate. Top with sprinkles. Place cookies on a wire rack and allow chocolate to set before serving.
I like to use high quality melting chocolate like these chocolate wafers or Bakers bars. You can place chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and microwave at half power for 1 minute. Remove, stir and continue heating at half-power in 30 second increments, stopping each time to stir, until chocolate is melted. You can also melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler. Fill bottom pan with about 1 inch of water and bring to a simmer. Place chocolate in the top and stir until melted. Be sure not to get any water in the chocolate or it will seize.
Enjoy!
Maple shortbread cookies are perfect with a spot of tea. They’re also great with coffee or milk (if that’s your thing.)
Shortbread cookies are all about that rich, buttery flavor, so I use a high quality butter like Kerrygold for these cookies.
You can also experiment with other shortbread flavors. If you want a basic shortbread cookie, just omit the maple flavoring. If you want to try a brown sugar shortbread, simply reduce the powdered sugar to ½ cup and adding ¼ cup of brown sugar. Increase cornstarch to 3 tablespoons.
Maple shortbread cookies will last in an airtight container for up to seven days. They can also be frozen. I recommend freezing before adding the chocolate, but you can do it either way.
Let me know if you give these maple shortbread cookies a try!
More Nut Free Cookie Recipes
Want even more delicious nut free cookie recipes? Try these black and white cookies or these sunflower butter cookies cups. Or download my FREE Nut Free Cookies guide with 7 delicious cookie recipes:
- Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Oreo Brookie Bars
- Sunflower Butter Cookie Cups
- Chocolate Heath Bar Cookies
- Cookie Butter Cookies
- Lemon Bars
It’s perfect for holiday baking.
Download your FREE Nut Free Cookie guide today!
Off we go!
P.S. If you really want to go all in the maple, try this easy maple spice latte as an accompaniment to the maple shortbread cookies.
Maple Shortbread Cookies
Equipment
- small mxing bowl
- lareg mixing bowl
- Stand mixer
- Rolling Pin
- Cookie Sheets
- Cookie Cutters
- Parchment paper
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 cup butter softened
- ¾ cup powdered sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp maple extract
- 1 cup dark chocolate melting wafers or Baker’s bar
- sprinkles optional
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups all purpose flour, 2 tablespoons cornstarch, and ½ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large mixing bowl with a hand mixer, beat 1 cup butter until lightened, smooth and creamy.
- Gradually add ¾ cup of powdered sugar, mixing until light and creamy.
- Add 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and 1 teaspoon maple extract and mix well.
- Gradually add flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix on medium speed until completely combined.
- Form dough into a disc, wrap in plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for at least 60 minutes.
- Once cookie dough is nearly done chilling, preheat oven to 350℉ and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Remove dough from the refrigerator and roll out on a lightly floured surface until the dough is between ⅛”-¼” thickness. Press a cookie cutter directly into dough, making cuts close together, and place cookies on baking sheet spacing at least 2” apart.
- Combine any remaining scraps of cough into a ball and re-roll to make more cookies.
- Transfer baking sheet to 350℉ oven and bake for 8-11 minutes or until edges are just beginning to turn a very light golden brown (bake time will vary depending on thickness of dough and size of cookie cutter).
- If desired, melt 1 cup dark chocolate wafers and dip completely cooled cookies into chocolate. Top with sprinkles. Place cookies on a wire rack and allow chocolate to set before serving.
Notes
Shortbread cookies are all about that rich, buttery flavor, so I use a high waulity butter like Kerrygold for these cookies.
Make a brown sugar shortbread by reducing the powdered sugar to ½ cup and adding ¼ cup of brown sugar. Increase cornstarch to 3 tablespoons.
I also like to use high quality melting chocolate like these chocolate wafers or Bakers bars. You can place chocolate in a microwave safe bowl and microwave at half power for 1 minute. Remove, stir and continue heating at half-power in 30 second increments, stopping each time to stir, until chocolate is melted. You can also melt the chocolate in the top of a double boiler. Fill bottom pan with about 1 inch of water and bring to a simmer. Place chocolate in the top and stir until melted. Be sure not to get any water in the chocolate or it will seize.
Shortbread cookies are one of my favorite cookies. They are a simple, slightly sweet cookie bursting with buttery goodness. And they are easy to customize with just a hint of flavor. That’s exactly what you will find in the maple shortbread cookies.
