Maple snickerdoodles are soft, chewy cookies with real maple flavor mixed into the dough and a classic cinnamon sugar coating on the outside. They taste like a cozy snickerdoodle with a sweet maple finish that makes them perfect for fall and holiday baking.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Maple Snickerdoodles
🕒 Ready In: ~35 minutes
👪 Serves: 24 cookies
🥣 Main Ingredients: Flour, butter, maple syrup, maple extract, cinnamon, cream of tartar, sugar
👌 Difficulty: Easy - mix, roll, bake
⭐ Why You'll Love It: These maple snickerdoodles are soft and chewy with a warm cinnamon sugar coating and a sweet maple finish in every bite.
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These maple snickerdoodles bake up thick with lightly crisp edges, a tender center, and a warm cinnamon coating that pairs perfectly with maple syrup and maple extract. The maple flavor comes through without overpowering the classic snickerdoodle taste.
If you love spiced cookies, you might also like our nutmeg cookies, gingerbread thumbprint cookies, or eggnog blondies.
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Why You'll Love Maple Snickerdoodles
Real maple flavor: Maple syrup and maple extract give these cookies a sweet maple finish.
Soft and chewy texture: They bake up tender in the center with lightly crisp edges.
Classic cinnamon sugar coating: The snickerdoodle coating adds warm spice in every bite.
Easy cookie recipe: Simple ingredients and quick prep with no complicated steps.
Key ingredients
- Cream of tartar: Gives maple snickerdoodles their classic snickerdoodle tang and soft texture.
- Maple syrup: Adds real maple flavor and a subtle caramel-like sweetness.
- Maple extract: Boosts the maple flavor so it comes through after baking.
- Cinnamon: Adds warm spice in the dough and in the cinnamon sugar coating.
- Butter: Creates a rich cookie base and helps the cookies bake up soft.
- Brown sugar: Adds moisture and helps keep the cookies chewy.
Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this page for exact quantities.
Easy Substitutions & Variations
- Use only maple syrup: If you do not have maple extract, add 1 to 2 tablespoons more maple syrup for extra maple flavor, but the cookies will be slightly softer.
- Add chopped pecans: Fold in ½ cup chopped pecans for a maple pecan snickerdoodle twist.
- Extra cinnamon: Increase the cinnamon sugar coating slightly for a stronger snickerdoodle flavor.
- Add a maple glaze: Drizzle cooled cookies with a simple maple powdered sugar glaze for an extra sweet finish.
- Make them smaller: Use a smaller scoop and reduce bake time by 1 to 2 minutes.
How to Make Maple Snickerdoodles
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.
- Step 2: Beat in the egg, maple syrup, and maple extract until smooth. Mix in the flour, cream of tartar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
- Step 3: Stir together ¼ cup granulated sugar and 1½ teaspoons cinnamon in a small bowl. Scoop the dough into balls and roll each one in the cinnamon sugar.
- Step 4: Place the dough balls on the baking sheet and bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges look set and the centers still look slightly soft, then cool before serving.
Recipe Notes & Tips
- Do not over mix: Mix just until the dough comes together so the cookies stay soft and tender.
- Use room temperature butter: Softened butter creams better with the sugars and gives the best texture.
- Watch the bake time: Pull the cookies when the edges look set and the centers still look slightly soft. They will finish setting as they cool.
- Measure maple extract carefully: Maple extract can be strong, so a little goes a long way.
- Cool on the pan first: Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes so they firm up without drying out.
Make-Ahead & Freezing Options
- Make ahead: Maple snickerdoodle dough can be made and refrigerated for up to 2 days before baking.
- Freeze the dough: Scoop dough balls, freeze until firm, then store in a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Roll in cinnamon sugar before baking.
- Bake from frozen: Bake frozen dough balls straight from the freezer, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time.
- Freeze baked cookies: Freeze cooled maple snickerdoodles in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
- Thawing: Thaw at room temperature for the best soft and chewy texture.
Maple Snickerdoodles faqs
Maple snickerdoodles can turn out flat if the butter is too warm, the dough is over mixed, or the baking sheet is hot. For thicker cookies, use softened butter, avoid over mixing, and chill the dough for 20 to 30 minutes if your kitchen is warm.
To keep maple snickerdoodles soft and chewy, do not over bake them and pull them when the edges are set but the centers still look slightly soft. Store cooled cookies in an airtight container so they do not dry out.
Yes, you can make maple snickerdoodles without cream of tartar, but the cookies will lose some of the classic snickerdoodle tang and texture. A common swap is 2 teaspoons baking powder in place of cream of tartar and baking soda, but the flavor will be slightly different.
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Maple Snickerdoodles
Equipment
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and ½ cup granulated sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg, maple syrup, and maple extract until smooth.
- Sprinkle the flour, cream of tartar, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt over the wet ingredients and mix just until a soft dough forms. Do not overmix.
- Stir together ¼ cup granulated sugar and 1½ teaspoons cinnamon in a small bowl. Scoop the dough into balls and roll each one in the cinnamon sugar.
- Place the dough balls on the baking sheet and bake for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges look set and the centers still look slightly soft, then cool before serving.
Nutrition
Notes
- Do not over mix: Mix just until the dough comes together so the cookies stay soft and tender.
- Use room temperature butter: Softened butter creams better with the sugars and gives the best texture.
- Watch the bake time: Pull the cookies when the edges look set and the centers still look slightly soft. They will finish setting as they cool.
- Measure maple extract carefully: Maple extract can be strong, so a little goes a long way.
- Cool on the pan first: Let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes so they firm up without drying out.
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