Chocolate-Dipped Cinnamon Maple Peanut Butter Sugar Cookies

Name: Cinnamon Maple Peanut Butter Sugar Cookies
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 10 min
Ingredients: 1 ¼ cups 180g all purpose flour; 1 tsp baking soda; ½ tsp salt; ½ tsp ground cinnamon; 6 tbsp 84g unsalted butter (softened); ½ cup 110g packed light brown sugar; ¼ cup 50g granulated sugar (plus more for rolling); ½ cup 120ml creamy no-stir peanut butter ((like Jif or Skippy, and not a natural peanut butter)); 1 large egg (at room temperature); 2 tbsp 30ml pure maple syrup; 1 tsp 5ml pure vanilla extract; 6 oz 170g dark chocolate (finely chopped for dipping); Christmas sprinkles

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These Maple Peanut Butter Sugar Cookies have a nice soft and chewy texture with rich peanut butter flavor enhanced by maple syrup and infused with cinnamon. They are rolled in sugar, dipped in pure dark chocolate and decorated with sprinkles. They are probably my favorite peanut butter cookie yet because the maple syrup just gives them that extra complexity. These cookies would be a fantastic addition to your holiday cookie tray.

cinnamon maple peanut butter sugar cookies

WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE

Chewy peanut butter cookies - this recipe yields soft cookies that are slightly chewy with the sugar coating on the outside
Maple-infused - the maple syrup paired with cinnamon is the coziest combination!
Cinnamon spice - a hint of spice makes these cookies extra festive and peanut butter with cinnamon is one my special secret flavor pairings! Try it in other recipes and you will love it.
Dipped in chocolate - dark chocolate balances the sweet peanut butter cookies and it sets into a shell so when you take a bite you crack through the chocolate to the soft chewy cookie.

cinnamon maple peanut butter sugar cookie dipped in dark chocolate

INGREDIENTS

Here are some notes about the ingredients. For a full list of ingredients, check out the recipe card at the bottom of the page.

Butter - in this recipe, you can use salted or unsalted butter, but if you choose salted then I recommend reducing the added salt by half.
Granulated sugar - this recipe uses a combination of simple white granulated sugar and brown sugar. White sugar helps create the crunchy edges and you will also need sugar for rolling the cookie dough.
Brown sugar - I highly recommend dark brown sugar for this recipe as it has twice as much molasses as light brown sugar and will make a big difference to the flavor. It will also make the dough more acidic which means it will react more thoroughly with the baking soda so that you won't be left with a soapy taste (a defect I find common in many chocolate chip cookie recipes)
Egg - one whole egg will set the cookie dough. It's the perfect amount of moisture to make these cookies chewy and not cakey.
Peanut butter - you will need smooth creamy peanut butter for this recipe. I recommend the regular no-stir kind. If you use natural peanut butter, the cookies will be more crumbly.

Pure vanilla extract - vanilla is essential to enhancing the taste of the peanut butter and maple. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
Maple syrup - use pure maple syrup, and if you can, look for a dark amber maple syrup that a more robust taste.
Salt - don't leave out the salt! It really elevates the rich peanut butter flavor and balances the sweetness.
All purpose flour - regular unbleached all-purpose flour makes the best chewy cookies.
Dark chocolate - my go-to is 70% bittersweet dark chocolate for dipping (and baking in general!). The bitter cocoa notes really contrast beautifully to the sweet cookie dough and it also has more cocoa butter which makes it more fluid and ideal for dipping and drizzling.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

STEP 1). Beat together butter and sugar. You can use an electric stand mixer, a hand mixer or do this by hand with a spatula. You want to beat the butter together with the sugars and peanut butter until slightly pale and a bit fluffy, but not overly creamed. It will still look like a thick paste or damp sand and this will leave us with chewy cookies. Over-mixing at this point would make more crumbly cookies.
STEP 2). Beat in egg. Add the egg and vanilla and beat until well incorporated and smooth.
STEP 2). Beat in maple syrup. Add the maple syrup and beat until well incorporated and smooth.
STEP 3). Combine dry ingredients. Blend flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt in a separate bowl and whisk it to blend evenly. Then, add it to the butter mixture and mix it in until evenly combined.
STEP 4). Refrigerate the cookie dough. Cover the bowl and chill for 1 hour.
STEP 5). Scoop and roll. Scoop up about 2 level tablespoons of cookie dough and roll evenly in sugar.
STEP 6). Bake until golden on the edges and still soft in the middle. Do not over-bake as they will continue cooking on the hot baking tray.
STEP 7). Dip in chocolate. Dip cooled cookies halfway into melted dark chocolate and place onto a parchment-lined cookie tray to set before storing.

EXPERT TIPS FOR PEANUT BUTTER SUGAR COOKIES

Do not over-cream. These cookies have the best texture when the butter and sugar are just creamed until smooth, but not pale and fluffy.
Don't skip the salt. The right amount of salt is so important to enhance the peanut butter flavor.
Use regular large size eggs. Large eggs weigh 57g. Using an extra large egg will add up to 2 teaspoons more liquid to the cookie dough which can throw off the moisture balance and make the cookies spread too much.
Refrigerate the cookie dough to allow the flour to fully hydrate from the moisture of the egg so that the cookies will be thicker and chewier.
Try with honey! You can try this recipe with honey as a substitution for maple syrup which will make sweeter cookies, but they will be super chewy and delicious!

RECIPE FAQ

Do I need to chill the cookie dough?

Chilling this cookie dough is so important for the best results. Of course you can bake them right away, but they will not be as chewy and flavorful as they could be if you chill the dough. Ideally you would chill the dough for a minimum of 2 hours. Chilled cookie dough also yields cookies with a longer shelf life so they will stay chewy for longer.

Why are my peanut butter sugar cookies flat?

If your cookies spread too flat, then it could be that you made the dough balls too big or that there is too much baking soda, or too little flour. They will also spread more if the oven isn't fully preheated and they bake too slowly.

How to freeze peanut butter sugar cookies?

To freeze these cookies and have a stash during the holidays, simply place the cookies without the chocolate dip in a resealable freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months.

Why are my peanut butter cookies dry?

The most common reasons for dry peanut butter blossom cookies are: 1) adding too much flour and, 2) over-baking. Try weighing your flour so that you use the right amount. Note that peanut butter contains carbohydrates and protein so it actually performs some structural function of flour and you don't need a lot of flour when baking with peanut butter.

Why are peanut butter sugar cookies crumbling?

Crumbly peanut butter cookies are often a result of too much flour in the dough which can dry them out. The opposite can also happen where there is too much moisture in the dough from the maple syrup which prevents the dough from holding together. If there is too much moisture then the sugar in the dough is diluted and makes a more crumbly cookie.

STORAGE AND FREEZING

How do I store peanut butter sugar cookies?

These cookies are best stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 5 days.

Can I freeze peanut butter sugar cookies?

Yes, you can freeze the baked cookies before you dip them in chocolate. Just place the cooled cookies in a resealable freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. They just need 5-10 minutes to thaw. You can also freeze the cookie dough balls and then bake them from frozen, adding an extra minute or two.

If you love cookies, check out these recipes!

Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies The BEST Chewy Pumpkin Cookies Chewy Brown Butter Snickerdoodles Cookies Brown Butter M&M Cookies Recipe Lemon Blueberry Cookies with White Chocolate Chunks Coffee Pecan Chocolate Chip Cookies Double Peanut Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies Hazelnut Double Chocolate Chunk Cookies THE BEST Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies – Bakery Style!

Looking for more cookie recipes? Try these:

Baking with peanut butter

If you like baking with peanut butter, try these recipes:

Video

Cinnamon Maple Peanut Butter Sugar Cookies

Christina Marsigliese

Soft and chewy peanut butter sugar cookies with maple syrup and a hint of cinnamon, dipped in pure dark chocolate. These cookies are a treat all year 'round, and especially great during the holidays and to share in a cookie exchange!

5 from 6 votes

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 10

Servings 15 cookies

Ingredients

1 ¼ cups 180g all purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
6 tablespoon 84g unsalted butter softened
½ cup 110g packed light brown sugar
¼ cup 50g granulated sugar plus more for rolling
½ cup 120ml creamy no-stir peanut butter (like Jif or Skippy, and not a natural peanut butter)
1 large egg at room temperature
2 tablespoon 30ml pure maple syrup
1 teaspoon 5ml pure vanilla extract
6 oz 170g dark chocolate finely chopped for dipping
Christmas sprinkles

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper.
Combine flour, baking soda, salt and cinnamon in a medium bowl whisk to blend evenly. Set aside.
Combine soft butter with brown sugar, granulated sugar and peanut butter on medium-high speed for 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add in the egg and vanilla, and mix until well incorporated scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed. Mix in maple syrup.
Slowly add in the dry ingredients and fold them in just until combined. The dough will be soft but shouldn't be overly sticky. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 1 hour.
Scoop up about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough and roll into smooth balls. Roll each ball in granulated sugar and place them onto the lined baking sheets, spreading them about 2 inches apart.
Bake for 9-11 minutes (I like to go slightly underbaked for a nice chewy cookie. until the edges are golden brown and centers are just golden. They will continue to set as they cool on the baking sheet. They will be a bit puffy when they first come out of the oven and will flatten out a bit as they cool.
Let cookies cool for 2 minutes on the baking sheets and then transfer individually to a wire rack to cool completely.
Melt the chocolate in a microwave safe bowl in 20 second increments until smooth and glossy, or melt gently over a double-boiler. See my step-by-step instructions for how to temper chocolate at home here. Dip half of each cooled cookie into the chocolate and decorate with festive sprinkles. Allow chocolate to set up and harden, and enjoy!