These beautiful maple cookies are filled with a sweet cream filling and are seriously irresistible.
Who else loves those Maple leaf cookies from Trader Joe’s? If you’ve never been to TJ’s then you may not know what I’m talking about. These cookies are a classic and have always been a favorite of my mom’s. Now, they’re not exactly health food, obviously, but balance is a good practice and this time of year just needs occasional treats. Besides, a sweet cookie to go with a warm mug of afternoon tea or coffee is just a must. 
To be completely honest, I was never a huge fan of the crunchier type store bought cookies as a kid. I can probably attribute that to my mom making such great homemade treats. However, if I was going to OD on a packaged cookie, these maple leaves are pretty hard to turn down. To me one of the ultimate flavors of Autumn is maple and when these are baking in the oven the whole house smells sooooo good. French toast has always been a holiday tradition in our house so this smell brings with it plenty of nostalgia as well.
Since I’ve always loved recreating things the homemade way, these were ones I had to try. I knew I wanted to make these as soon as I got the shape for them. I recently picked up some leaf shaped cookie cutters from a local craft store for the purpose. If you still want to make these but don’t have this particular shape, don’t worry. You can use any shaped cookie cutter or simply cut them into squares. These are actually much smaller than the ones from the store so you might prefer making them a bit larger.
Click here for the filling recipe.
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Filled Maple Cookies
- Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
- Yield: About 36 two-inch sandwich cookies 1x
Ingredients
Cookies:
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup coconut sugar
- 1? cups blanched almond flour
- 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 tablespoons arrowroot powder or cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup full-fat coconut milk
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure maple extract
Filling:
- ½ cup (115 g) vegan butter or regular unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1½ cups (180 g) powdered sugar, sifted
- 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon pure maple extract
- 1–2 teaspoons non-dairy milk or regular milk, if needed
Instructions
Cookies:
- Whisk together the flour, almond flour, flaxseed meal, baking powder, arrowroot, and salt in a medium bowl. In a larger bowl, mix the coconut milk, maple syrup, and coconut sugar with an electric mixer until light and fluffy. Beat in the maple extract until combined.
- Beat in the flour mixture in several additions until just blended. Divide the dough into two balls and flatten each into a disc. Wrap each in plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes to 1 hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Roll one disc on a lightly floured surface until about ? inch thick. Cut out cookies with leaf-shaped (or any shaped) cutters dipped lightly in flour. Place on the sheets about 1 inch apart.
- Bake until the edges just start to brown, 8–10 minutes. Watch closely — they can start to brown quickly. Cool on the sheets for a few minutes, then transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
Filling:
- Beat the butter on medium speed until light and creamy, about 2 minutes. Add the powdered sugar in two additions, beating well after each. Add the maple syrup and maple extract and beat until smooth. If the filling is too thick, add non-dairy milk one teaspoon at a time until it reaches a spreadable consistency.
- Spread a generous spoonful (about 2 teaspoons) of filling on the flat side of one cookie. Top with a second cookie and press gently. Repeat until all cookies are matched up. You can afford to be fairly generous with the filling and may have some left over.
- Store in an airtight container for up to one week. Makes approximately 36 two-inch sandwich cookies.
Notes
Watch the cookies closely during the last few minutes of baking — they go from perfectly golden to over-baked quickly. Any leaf or seasonal cookie cutter shape works; you can also cut them into simple squares.
- Prep Time: 1 hour
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Cookies, Dessert
Frequently Asked Questions
What type of cookie cutter should I use for the Filled Maple Cookies?
You can use leaf-shaped cookie cutters for a traditional look, but any cookie cutter shape will work just fine.
What gives these cookies their distinct maple flavor?
The distinct maple flavor comes from using real maple syrup in the cookie dough.
How can I adjust the sweetness of the cream filling?
You can adjust the sweetness of the cream filling by adding more or less powdered sugar to taste.
