Maple Pecan Cookies
These maple pecan cookies are the ultimate soft and chewy Fall cookie recipe! You can’t even tell they’re gluten free and they’re packed with fresh maple flavor, cinnamon and finished with a maple glaze.
We have all the apple and gluten free pumpkin cookies covered on the blog from the past couple of years, so this year we’re mixing it up and making maple pecan cookies! They’re thick and chewy (so if you’re into thin and crispy – this isn’t the recipe for you!) have the perfect natural maple flavor and are finished with a simple maple glaze.
They’re a fun recipe to make when you’re sick of apple and pumpkin but still want some delicious Fall flavors. If you love this recipe, try my gluten free cinnamon roll cookies next!
Before we get started…
- This recipe is gluten free, but if you are not, you can most likely swap the GF flour for regular all purpose flour with no problem.
- The maple glaze is totally optional. The cookies are plenty flavorful and sweet without it so feel free to omit if you want to reduce the sugar content.
- Be sure you are using pure maple syrup and not a maple flavored syrup.
How to make maple pecan cookies
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. In a mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, add the softened butter and brown sugar. Beat together with an electric mixer for about 30 seconds. Add in all remaining wet ingredients and beat until combined.
Add in the dry ingredients, aside from the pecans and mix until everything is well incorporated. Fold in the pecans.
Let the dough set in the fridge for just 15 minutes. If you prefer the cookies spread more than pictured and are thinner, don’t chill.
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and scoop the dough using a 2 tablespoon scoop. Leave enough space between each cookie for spreading. Bake for 11-14 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. They will continue to firm up as they cool.
Let cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. To make the glaze, whisk together all ingredients in a small dish, adding the milk only as needed to thin. Drizzle the glaze on top once the cookies have cooled and enjoy! Try my gluten free apple bread next!
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Key ingredients and swaps
Butter. I used regular unsalted butter, but dairy free butter works just as well. Be sure it is softened to room temperature so it creams really easily with the brown sugar.
Egg. The egg will act as a binder, but since there is only one egg, you can safely swap with a vegan alternative. I suggest a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flax + 3 tablespoons of water) or 3 tablespoons of apple sauce to replace the egg.
Brown sugar. Brown sugar has molasses which will pair really well with the maple and pecan flavors. It also contains more moisture than white sugar which will keep the cookies nice and chewy!
Maple syrup. I opted against using any maple extract in these maple pecan cookies to make them a bit more approachable, so make sure you are using pure maple syrup to get the best flavor.
Flour. I of course used gluten free flour, but regular all purpose flour will work just as well. Be sure to spoon and level so you don’t end up with too much! I have tried both Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 and King Arthur and both work well.
How to store and freeze
These gluten free maple pecan cookies will keep at room temperature for about 3 days in a container. They’re naturally soft so should stay soft and not dry out if stored this way.
You can also freeze the cookies, either before or after baking! To freeze just the dough, scoop into balls, then place in a freezer safe bag. When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit and bake for a few extra minutes to account for the frozen dough.
To freeze after baking, let the cookies cool completely, transfer to a freezer safe bag and freeze for up to 1 month. Reheat at 300 until warm through the center.
More Fall cookie recipes!
- Vegan Pumpkin Cookies
- Almond Flour Pumpkin Cookies
- Snickerdoodle Protein Cookies
- Sweet Potato Oatmeal Cookies
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Maple Pecan Cookies
by: claire cary
Equipment
Ingredients
Wet
- ½ cup unsalted butter room temperature
- 6 tablespoons brown sugar
- ½ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Dry
- 2 ⅛ cup gluten free all purpose baking flour
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chopped pecans
MapleGlaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon milk as needed to thin
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a mixing bowl or bowl of a stand mixer, add the softened butter and brown sugar. Beat together with an electric mixer for about 30 seconds.
- Add in all remaining wet ingredients and beat until combined.
- Add in the dry ingredients, aside from the pecans and mix until everything is well incorporated. Fold in the pecans.
- Let the dough set in the fridge for just 15 minutes. If you prefer the cookies spread more than pictured and are thinner, don’t chill.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and scoop the dough using a 2 tablespoon scoop. Leave enough space between each cookie for spreading.
- Bake for 11-14 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. They will continue to firm up as they cool.
- Let cool on the baking sheet for 15 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. To make the glaze, whisk together all ingredients in a small dish, adding the milk only as needed to thin.
- Drizzle the glaze on top once the cookies have cooled and enjoy!
Notes
Comments
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