Instructions

Make the cookies: Using a stand or hand mixer, cream the softened butter until smooth. Then cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.
Add in the maple syrup and mix until combined (if it looks like the mixture has split, keep mixing on medium-high speed). Then mix in the egg until creamy (2-3 minutes).
Add in the flour, baking soda, and salt, and mix until a dough forms. Mix in 1/3 cup of the finely chopped pecans.
Chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, preheat oven to 350F and line two baking sheets with silicon baking mats or parchment paper.
Once the mixture has chilled, roll half of the dough dough into balls (~2 tbsp per ball, 7 balls per sheet) and place on prepared baking sheet a couple inches apart. They dough will be sticky, so if you want you can use 2 spoons to place/shape the cookies on the sheet. Do not press down on the cookies – keep them in a ball shape! Keep the rest of the dough in the fridge while you bake the first batch.
Bake for 13-15 minutes (~15 for larger cookies, ~13 for smaller). Cool for a few minutes and transfer to cooling rack to cool further. Repeat steps 5-6 for the second batch of cookies.
Make the maple glaze: In a small bowl, combine the powdered sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla until a smooth glaze forms.
Dip the tops of the cookies in the glaze and place on a cooling rack and top with the other 1/3 cup chopped pecans. Let the glaze set before eating and storing in an airtight container!
Store in a sealed airtight container at room temperature for 4-5 days. Keep in mind that the maple glaze will start to harden more overtime and have white spots after a day or so. Don’t worry, this is just the sugar hardening. They will still taste delicious! If you are serving these and want the glaze to maintain its smooth golden colour, I recommend glazing them on the day you intend to eat/serve them.

Notes

Make it Gluten Free: Use gluten free all-purpose flour, ideally one with xanthan gum for structure!

Make it Vegan: Use unsalted vegan stick butter, or if you don’t have this you can try using 1/3 cup coconut oil (make sure it is melted and cooled). To replace the egg, I’d recommend 3 tbsp aquafaba (the liquid from a chickpea can) and possibly a bit more baking soda (try 1 1/2 tsp total). I have not tried these swaps, and the texture of the cookies will not be the same.

Make it Nut Free: Omit the chopped pecans. If you want a bit of crunch, try adding chopped sunflower seeds, sprinkles, or crumbled graham crackers.