Soft Pecan Sugar Cookies with Maple Icing
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Pecan sugar cookies are buttery, soft (not crumbly!), and have a toasty, nutty flavor thanks to the chopped pecans. We’re coating them in maple icing because maple + pecans is a total dream combo. They’re the perfect, unique cut-out sugar cookie for autumn or your holiday cookie boxes!
Not me posting another cookie recipe 2 days before Christmas. Like, I know you’re probably done with your holiday baking and you would rather run a marathon with lead boots on than eat another cookie. (No, just me?) But hear me out!
As much as I love staring at sugar cookie decorating accounts on IG, I just don’t have that level of patience. Maybe it’s because I decorated a million cookies when I was in pastry school? Who knows.
But these are different because as it turns out, making tiny wreaths on sugar cookies is 1. ridiculously easy. No really, it requires zero special skills. And 2. when you pair this task with a bottle of wine and a true crime podcast, it’s so damn fun. So let’s make them and get in the Christmas spirit, yeah?
Don’t forget to try my other holiday cookie recipes! These stamped cardamom gingerbread cookies are my most popular recipe every December. But these chewy chocolate gingerbread cookies and molasses crinkle cookies are some of my faves!
Imagine these in a cookie box
My hot take of 2022 is that sugar cookies are bad about 90% of the time. Gorgeous? Absolutely. But tasty? Debatable. So, I set out on a mission to make sugar cookies that are buttery, a bit cake-y, and have you know, actual flavor. And I did it, let’s celebrate!
- These cookies are buttery, soft, chewy, and flavorful.
- You can use all your favorite cookie cutters because this dough holds its shape!
- The cookies have maple donut vibes thanks to the royal icing.
- As far as sugar cookies go, they are very easy to roll out. No messy, crumbly dough!
- They’re amazing for holidays & cookie exchange parties. Truly, think of these in a cookie box!
Ingredients + tools
We’re making both the cookies and a maple royal icing so you’ll need a few ingredients for both. In terms of baking tools, make sure you have a hand mixer or stand mixer, piping bags or icing squeeze bottles, and toothpicks. You’ll also need other basic baking tools like sheet pans, parchment paper, and bowls.
Sugar cookies
- Pecan halves – we’re going to toast them and chop them up very finely for a lovely, nutty flavor.
- Unsalted butter – nice and softened. Go with a good-quality butter, it adds so much flavor!
- Sugars – both brown sugar and white. I like dark brown but light brown works too.
- Vanilla extract – again, this will add a lot of depth to a basic cookie.
- Baking basics – all-purpose flour, baking powder, Kosher salt, and eggs will add stability to the dough.
Royal icing
- Powdered sugar – you’ll need to sift it beforehand for a smooth icing.
- Meringue powder – this sounds like a specialty ingredient but I can actually find it in the baking aisle of my grocery store. You can also get it online!
- Room-temperature water – weird ingredient but you need room-temp for royal icing.
- Maple extract – usually you can find this in the spice aisle. This will give us that intense maple flavor.
- Gel food coloring – if you want to add colors to your icing. Totally optional!
- Sprinkles – again, totally optional. But perfect if you want an easier decoration idea.
Make these cookies
We’ll be making these cookies in four parts but don’t worry, it’s all very easy. First, we’ll toast the pecans, then we’ll make the cookies, then the icing, and lastly we’ll do the best part – decorating! This is the perfect cut-out cookie for decorating with friends, family, and even kiddos.
Toast the pecans
- Start by evenly spreading the pecans in a sauté pan.
- Place the pan over medium-low heat. Cook just until the pecans are toasty and smell fragrant, about 1 minute.
- Next, cool the pecans for 5-10 minutes. Then, chop or pulse in a food processor until they are finely chopped.
Make the dough
- First, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt in a small bowl.
- Next, cream the butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until very light and fluffy, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the vanilla extract followed by the eggs, one at a time.
- Then, stir in the flour mixture just until a dough forms.
- Fold in the pecans until they’re well-mixed in the dough.
- Divide the dough into 2 discs and wrap. Refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight.
Chill the dough for at least 2 hours or it will be sticky and impossible to roll out. To get a soft texture, we’re not using as much flour as other recipes which makes the dough a bit stickier. If the dough gets too warm when you’re rolling it out, pop it back in the fridge for 10-15 minutes.
Roll the dough & bake
- Roll out the dough on a floured surface until it’s 1/2” thick. Cut out the dough with cookie cutters.
- Bake at 350°F for 9-10 minutes until the cookies are set in the centers and light golden-brown on the edges. Cool completely.
Mix up the icing
- Sift the powdered sugar into a large bowl or the bowl of a standing mixer.
- Next, add the meringue powder, water, and maple extract.
- Whip the mixture until it’s the consistency of thin honey, about 1-3 minutes.
To tell if the icing is ready, give it a drizzle. The outline of the drizzle should melt back into the icing in 10-15 seconds and it’ll be the consistency of a thinner honey. If the frosting is too thin, add more powdered sugar or whip it for another 1-2 minutes. If it’s too thick, add water to thin.
Decorate the cookies like wreaths
- To decorate these cookies like wreaths, start by dividing three bowls with about 1/2-1 cup of icing. Color one red and the other 2 with different tones of green. You can also just use 1 green if you like! Pour the colored icings into squeeze bottles or piping bags with tips. Place the rest of the white icing in a shallow bowl.
- Next, dip the top of a cookie in the white icing. Let the excess drip off and then flip it onto a counter. Gently tap the bottom of the cookie to evenly distribute the icing. You can also use a toothpick!
- Pipe a circle of green dots around the cookie, alternating between the two different green icings.
- Then, use a toothpick to gently drag a circular line through the centers of the dots. (See a tutorial in the video in the recipe card).
- Lastly, use the red icing to pipe ‘berries’ all around the wreath.
The icing needs at least 5-6 hours to set completely. You can also place them in an airtight container in a single layer if you want to let them set overnight. Do not cover the cookies with plastic wrap or it’ll warp the icing, trust me!
Regular icing
If you don’t want to pipe frosting and just want a quick and easy dipping icing, you can use a regular powdered sugar glaze on these cookies. Use my basic vanilla icing and replace the vanilla extract with maple extract instead. Or, switch things up and use brown butter icing instead – so delicious! Then, decorate with sprinkles or chopped nuts if you feel like it.
Cookie cutters
For these wreath cookies, I used 3” ruffle cookie cutter for the outside and a 1” cutter for the inside. But you can use a wreath cookie cutter or any shape you like!
More decoration ideas
If you don’t want to make wreath cookies, you can use any cookie cutter shapes, icing colors, and decorations! You could even do leaf shapes for an autumn-inspired pecan sugar cookie. Here are some other easy decorating ideas:
- Chopped nuts – a sprinkle of chopped pecans are perfect for a rustic look.
- Sprinkles – just a bit of holiday sprinkles are so cute on these cookies.
- Buttercream – pipe buttercream on top for a more 3D look.
Store & freeze the cookies
Once the icing is completely set, place them in an airtight container. They will stay soft for 4-5 days.
If you want to freeze the cookies, you can store the baked cookies or the dough:
- Baked cookies – after the icing is set, place the cookies in an airtight container or freezer bag. Use parchment paper between each layer of cookies. Then, freeze for up to 2 months.
- Cookie dough – wrap the dough in plastic wrap and pop the discs in a freezer bag or airtight container. Freeze for up to 3 months. Then, thaw overnight in the fridge before baking.
A few more sugar cookie tips
- Bring the ingredients to room temperature to make sure everything mixes together well. Butter and eggs should always be room temp.
- Measure the flour properly or you will end up with dry, cracked dough. To measure the flour, fluff it with a spoon or whisk. Spoon the fluffed flour into a measuring cup and level the top without packing the flour in.
- Bake the cookies on parchment paper. Otherwise, they will get too browned on the bottom.
- The cookies are done when the middle is set and the edges are a light golden-brown. Don’t over-bake or they’ll come out crunchy!
If you make this recipe, I would love it if you left a star rating and review! I read every single comment and love hearing what you think about my recipes. Thank you for supporting Sunday Table!
Pecan Sugar Cookies with Maple Icing
Ingredients
Pecan Sugar Cookies
- 3/4 c pecan halves
- 2 1/2 c all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp Kosher salt
- 1 c unsalted butter, softened
- 3/4 c dark brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 c sugar
- 1 Tbs vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
Maple Royal Icing
- 4 c powdered sugar, sifted
- 3 tbs meringue powder
- 1/2 c room temperature water, plus more as needed
- 1 tsp maple extract
- Gel food coloring and sprinkles, for decoration
Equipment
- Rolling Pin
- 2 rimmed sheet pans
- Cookie cutters
Instructions
Toasted Pecans
- Place the pecans in a sauté pan. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until the pecans are toasty and fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
- Pour the toasted pecans in a bowl and cool to room temperature. Chop or pulse in a food processor until they are finely chopped. Set aside.
Sugar Cookies
- In a small bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and Kosher salt. Set aside.
- Then, in a large bowl, cream the unsalted butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until it's light and fluffy, 3-4 minutes. Add the vanilla extract. Then, mix in the eggs one at a time until incorporated.
- Add the flour mixture and beat just until the dough forms. Fold in the pecans.
- Form the cookie dough into 2 discs and wrap in plastic wrap (it'll be a bit sticky). Refrigerate for at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
- Once the dough is chilled and you're ready to roll it out, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 2 sheet pans with parchment paper. Then, remove one disc from the fridge. Roll the dough on a floured surface until it's 1/4-1/2'' thick (1/4'' for crisp cookies, 1/2'' for soft cookies). Use cookie cutters to cut out shapes, as desired. For wreath cookies, use a 3'' cookie cutter and then a 1'' cookie cutter in the center. Repeat until the dough is used up. You can form and re-roll the dough up to 3 times.
- Place the cookies 1'' apart on the parchment-lined sheet pans. If the cookies have warmed up at all, pop them in the fridge for 10-15 minutes (this will keep them from puffing up too much). Bake for 9-10 minutes, flipping the pan halfway through, until the centers are set and the edges are light golden-brown.
- Let the cookies cool on the pans for about 5 minutes. Then, transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Repeat this process with the second disc of dough.
Royal Icing
- To make the royal icing, sift the powdered sugar into a large mixing bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer. Add the meringue powder, water, and maple extract.
- Whip the icing on high for 2-3 minutes, adding more water as necessary, until the icing is the consistency of thin honey. On dry days, you may need up to a cup of water (or more!). When you drizzle the icing, it should melt back into the rest of the icing in 10-15 seconds. That's how you know it's done! If it's too thick, add more water. If it's too thin, add more powdered sugar or whip it for 1-2 more minutes.
- Color the icing, as desired and place in bowls, squeeze bottles, or piping bags with tips depending on how you'd like to decorate the cookies.
Wreath Decorations
- To decorate these cookies like wreaths, pour about 1/2-1 cup of icing into 3 separate bowls. Color one bowl of icing with red food coloring and the other 2 bowls with 2 different tones of green. You can also just use 1 green tone if you like. Pour the colored icings into squeeze bottles or piping bags with tips. Then, pour the remaining white icing into a shallow bowl.
- Next, dip the top of one cookie into the white icing. Let the excess drip off and then flip it onto a counter. Gently tap the bottom of the cookie to evenly distribute the icing. You can also use a toothpick!
- While the white icing is still wet, pipe a circle of green dots around the cookie. Then, use a toothpick to gently drag a circular line through the centers of the dots. (See a tutorial in the video above).
- Lastly, use the red icing to pipe 'berries' all around the wreath. Let them set on a wire rack for at least 5-6 hours. Store the set cookies in an airtight container with a piece of parchment between each layer of cookies.
- If you do not want to decorate the cookies like wreaths, decorate as desired with different colors of icing, sprinkles, chopped nuts, etc. Let the cookies set on a wire rack for 5-6 hours. Store in an airtight container with parchment paper between each layer.
