Maple Brown Sugar Soft Baked Cookies

• 1/2 cup soft vegan butter
• 1/2 cup light brown sugar
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups gluten free 1:1 baking flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• Chopped pecans to top
  

• 1/2 cup vegan butter
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 1 tsp cinnamon

Serve topped with cinnamon maple buttercream and chopped pecans! 

1. Start by preheating the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then, line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a medium sized mixing bowl, add your soft vegan butter and light brown sugar. Using a hand mixer, cream the butter and brown sugar until fully combined. Then, add the maple syrup, apple sauce and vanilla extract and beat for an additional minute.
3. To a separate mixing bowl, add your dry ingredients including, gluten free flour, baking powder, cinnamon and sea salt. Whisk until combined.
4. Then, add wet ingredients to your dry and mix until fully combined. Dough should be softy and slightly sticky.
5. Using a cookie scoop, scoop out cookie dough onto the baking sheet. Do not shape or form the cookie dough balls, this will leave them soft and fluffy.
6. Cook for 14-16 minutes, or until bottom of the cookies are golden brown.
7. Once cooked, remove from the oven and leave them on the baking sheet for at least 10-15 minutes. Once cooled, move to a cooling rack to fully cool while you prepare your buttercream.
8. To prepare your buttercream add your vegan butter and maple syrup to a microwave safe bowl. Heat butter and maple syrup in the microwave for 45 seconds to 1 minute.
9. Then, add sifted powdered sugar and cinnamon to the bowl and whisk until fully combined.
10. Place buttercream in the fridge to cool.
11. Once cookies and buttercream are fully cooled, dip the cookies in the buttercream glaze and place back on the cooling rack to allow the glaze to set.
12. Then, top with chopped pecans and serve!