These buttery shortbread sandwich cookies with fluffy maple buttercream are a homemade take on the beloved Canadian maple cream cookie. Crisp, maple-scented shortbread paired with a smooth maple filling makes a perfect fall dessert or snack.
I love maple in so many ways—maple lattes, dressings, and frostings are staples in my kitchen. These cookies were inspired by the maple leaf cookies I enjoyed on my honeymoon in Canada. I adapted a classic 3-2-1 shortbread and my favorite buttercream, swapping vanilla for maple to create these sandwich cookies that taste like fall in every bite.
Ingredients & Substitutions
No specialty ingredients are required—just pantry staples and a couple of maple-specific items you can find at most grocery stores. The shortbread is based on a simple 3-2-1 ratio but uses maple extract for that signature flavor.
- All-purpose flour
- Sugar – granulated or brown both work
- Butter – unsalted is preferred; omit added salt if using salted butter
- Maple extract – key to the maple flavor
- Salt
For the maple buttercream:
- Unsalted butter
- Maple syrup – darker syrups (Grade B / amber) have stronger flavor
- Maple extract
- Powdered sugar – or grind granulated sugar finely and mix with a bit of cornstarch per cup
See the recipe card below for precise measurements.
How to Make – Tools & Tips
The method is straightforward. A few tools will make the process easier: a silicone baking mat or parchment paper, a rolling pin, piping bag or spatula, and a cookie cutter. Round cutters are convenient for filling, but a leaf cutter works if you prefer a seasonal shape.
To prepare the shortbread, cream room-temperature butter with sugar, maple extract, and salt, then stir in the flour until a dough forms.
- Lightly flour your work surface or use a baking mat; roll dough to 1/8–1/4 inch thickness.
- Re-roll gently if needed—overworking will make the dough tough.
- Chill cut cookies on a flat, freezer-safe surface for 10 minutes to help them keep their shape.
- Move chilled cookies onto a room-temperature baking sheet before baking.
- Bake until the centers no longer look wet for softer cookies, or until edges turn golden for crisp cookies.
- Allow cookies to cool completely before filling.
While the cookies cool, make the maple buttercream. Start with room-temperature butter and syrup, beat until smooth, then add powdered sugar on low speed until incorporated and increase speed to make it light and fluffy. Fill a piping bag or use a small spatula to add a generous layer of filling to half the cookies, then top with the remaining cookies to form sandwiches.
Store the finished cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week.
Related Recipes
If you enjoy these maple cream sandwiches, try other shortbread variations for more cookie inspiration.
- Spiced Shortbread
- Chocolate Shortbread
- White Chocolate Raspberry Shortbread
- Chocolate Dipped Espresso Shortbread
If you liked this recipe, please rate it in the recipe card below and leave a comment—feedback is always appreciated!
Maple Cream Cookies
Mikayla M.
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
Maple Shortbread
- 169 grams all purpose flour 6 ounces or 1 1/4 cup spooned and leveled
- 113 grams unsalted butter, softened 4 ounces or 1 stick
- 56 grams granulated sugar 2 ounces or 1/4 cup
- 1/4 teaspoon maple extract
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
Maple Cream Filling
- 113 grams unsalted butter, softened 1 stick
- 1/4 teaspoon maple extract
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 200 grams powdered sugar 1 1/2 cups
Instructions
Cookie Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F.
- Beat the butter, maple extract, salt, and sugar together until creamy, about 1–2 minutes.
- Gently mix in the flour until incorporated and the mixture is crumb-like. Turn out onto a clean surface and bring it together into a dough.
- Roll dough to 1/8–1/4 inch thickness and cut into shapes. Place on parchment or a silicone baking mat.
- Freeze the cut cookies on a flat surface for 10 minutes.
- Transfer frozen cookies to a room-temperature baking sheet and bake for 6–8 minutes (see notes).
- Cool completely on a rack before filling.
Maple Buttercream
- Cream the butter, maple extract, and maple syrup until smooth.
- Add powdered sugar on low speed until it begins to combine.
- Increase speed and beat until the frosting is smooth and fluffy.
- Flip half the cookies upside down, fill them with buttercream using a piping bag or spatula, then top with the remaining cookies.
- Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 7 days.
Notes
*Pull the cookies when the center appears dry but before they brown for softer cookies. Bake until the edges are golden for crisper cookies.
Yield depends on cutter size. Using a 1-inch cutter produced about 40 cookies for this batch.
If the frosting is too thick, add 1 teaspoon of milk at a time to thin. If too thin, add 2 tablespoons of powdered sugar at a time until desired consistency is reached.
Nutrition
Let us know how it was!