Maple Leaf Sandwich Cookies
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These Maple Leaf Sandwich Cookies have crisp buttery cookies outside and are filled with sweet maple cream. Use a maple leaf cookie cutter and these sandwich cookies are an absolute winner to celebrate the autumn.
It’s fall and we typically think of pumpkin spice and apple cider, but one of my favorites is the often-overlooked maple. Maple syrup is just so much of what’s right with the world! Placing maple syrup in a cookie can only make it more so.
If you are a fan of maple, you have to try these Maple Leaf Sandwich Cookies. Buttery cookies are made with maple syrup, then the dough is cut into maple leaf shapes and baked until crisp and crunchy. They are then sandwiched between a sweet maple cream filling. They are so easy to make and make a great treat and gift for the fall. Serve with Maple Cream Latte for triple maple deliciousness.
Components
- Maple shortbread cookies. I adapted the cookie dough from the Maple Pecan Shortbread Cookies recipe, using less maple syrup so they don’t spread much in the oven and retain their lovely forms. I rolled the dough thinly, froze it for 10-15 minutes, and used a maple leaf-shaped cookie cutter to cut the cookies. If you don’t have a cookie cutter, you can roll the cookie dough into a log and slice it thinly.
- Maple cream filling. Thick sweet maple buttercream filling, sandwiched between two maple leaf-shaped cookies. You can adjust the cream consistency by adding more or less confectioners’ sugar.
Ingredients You Need
Maple Shortbread Cookies
- Butter. Ensure the butter is at room temperature so it will blend well with the other ingredients. I use unsalted butter in this recipe, but you can also substitute it with salted butter and omit the salt.
- Maple syrup. To add sweetness and great maple flavor. Use pure maple syrup and avoid “breakfast syrup” which does not have the same robust maple flavor that pure syrup contains.
- Vanilla extract. To enhance the flavor.
- Flour. Cake flour creates the perfect crispness for these cookies. If you like softer cookies, you can use all-purpose flour instead of cake flour.
- Salt. For taste.
Maple Cream Filling
- Butter. Add a creamy buttery flavor and smooth texture to the filling.
- Confectioners’ sugar. Sweeten the cream filling and add thickness to the cream.
- Maple syrup. Gives the filling the maple flavor.
- Maple extract. Gives the filling more maple flavor.
How to Roll and Cut Out Cookies
First, roll the cookie dough thinly between two sheets of parchment paper or silicone mats. Freeze the rolled dough for 10-15 minutes until slightly firm. This will make the dough easier to cut with cookie cutters. Don’t freeze too long or the dough will be too firm and hard to cut.
Cut with a cookie cutter and transfer the cut-out cookies onto baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone mat. If the dough starts sticking to the cookie cutters, it means the dough needs to be frozen again for 10-15 minutes.
More Maple Recipes
Ingredients
Maple Shortbread Cookies
- 1/2 cup (113 gr) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1/4 cup (80 gr) maple syrup
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 2/3 cups (210 gr) cake flour
- 1/4 tsp salt
Maple Cream Filling
- 2 tbsp (30 gr) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 9 tbsp (75 gr) confectioners' sugar, or more
- 1 tbsp (15) maple syrup
- 1/4 tsp maple extract
Instructions
Maple Shortbread Cookies
- In a large bowl, add butter and mix with a spatula or mixer until smooth.
- Add maple syrup and vanilla extract. Mix to combine.
- Sift in flour and salt. Mix until well incorporated.
- Place the dough between two parchment papers or silicone mats. Roll the dough thinly into 1/8 to 1/4-inch or about 3-5mm thickness with a rolling pin.
- Transfer the rolled dough together with the parchment papers or silicone mats to a baking pan. Freeze for 10-15 minutes until the dough is slightly firm.
- Preheat oven to 300F/150°C and line two baking pans with parchment paper.
- Remove the dough from the freezer and remove the parchment paper or silicone mat on top. Cut the dough using a maple leaf cookie cutter.
- Place the cut-out dough onto the prepared baking pans, spacing 1 inch apart.
- Repeat until all the dough is used. You can gather and re-roll the dough scraps.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes or until the bottom edges of the cookies are golden brown in color. Rotate the baking sheets halfway through for even baking.
- Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Maple Cream Filling
- In a medium bowl, add butter and sift in the confectioners' sugar. Cream using a mixer until pale white and fluffy.
- Add maple syrup and maple extract. Beat until just combined.
- If the cream is too thin, you can add more confectioners' sugar.
Assemble
- Transfer the maple cream filling into a piping bag.
- Pipe the cream filling on half of the cookies. Top with the remaining cookies.