Glazed Maple Leaf Cookies

When fall comes around, and the leaves start to turn yellow, red, and orange, most of us at the Delish Test Kitchen are excited about anything pumpkin spice. This fall though, I'm here for anything maple syrup, especially these maple leaf cookies. Let’s make “maple syrup fall” happen! In this maple-inspired recipe, I spiced up our cut-out sugar cookie with cinnamon, maple syrup, and walnuts to make an aromatic and nutty-flavored cookie dough that will make you feel like you're taking a brisk fall hike among maple trees.

Maple syrup comes from the sap of maple trees through a process called sugaring. Usually in late winter or early spring, farmers in the Northeast United States and Canada prepare for the maple season, tapping into maple trees, yielding beautiful amber-colored maple syrup. There are even festivals dedicated to the maple syrup harvest. I agree, maple syrup is worthy of celebration.

When shopping for maple syrup look for labels that indicate “grade A” and “pure” which ensure that there are no additives or colorants. The best place to buy maple syrup is at a farmers market or check out Delish's guide on the best maple syrup brands. While I’m partial to a healthy glug of maple syrup on my pancakes, I also love it as a sweetener in coffee, granola, or even in a salad dressing.

While I think I've certainly made my case that maple syrup tastes great on its own, in baked goods, it shines with the help of maple extract in the cookie dough and the icing.

This cookie dough is a great make-ahead recipe. Follow the instructions through step 3 and freeze the dough or cut-out cookies for up to 3 months.

Did you make this recipe? Let us know what you think in the comments!