Did you ever go on a trip and eat something so amazing that you became obsessed? That's me with those utterly delicious maple leaf-shaped cookies stuffed with maple cream and sold in Canada. Known for their delicate shape and sweet maple flavor, these whimsical cookies can be found just about everywhere once you cross the Peace Bridge from New York. And believe me, one box is not enough if you've got a sweet tooth.
What makes these sandwich cookies special is that they feature real maple syrup — not just in the creamy middle but also in the crispy cookie that holds it all together. Plus, the shape just screams "AUTUMN." Sure, you can find knock-offs in larger grocery stores and chains like Trader Joe's this time of year, when everyone goes gaga for seasonal fall flavors like pumpkin spice and maple.
But they're just not the same, in my opinion. So I made it my mission this year to recreate them at home. This recipe is the third I tried, and I'm happy to declare it's a winner.
That said, its preparation is a little fussy in that you have to roll out and freeze the cookie dough between sheets of parchment before cutting it into the maple shapes. I tried to skip that step and let's just say it wasn't successful. But if you're patient, and remember to dip your cookie cutter into flour before pressing and cutting, the results are really lovely.
I used a 2-inch plastic leaf plunger cutter I found on Amazon to emboss the cookies with a dainty leaf design, but you could use any sha.