Sweet Potato Cookies with Pecans & Maple Glaze

These Sweet Potato Cookies with Pecans and Maple Glaze are knock-your-socks-off kind of good, and with the hidden nutrition of sweet potatoes, they are light, crispy, and not too sweet. The maple glaze puts them over the top, and the nutty crunch of pecans is perfect in them.

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Sweet Potato Cookies with Pecans and Maple Glaze are on my list of favorite cookies. You don’t even taste the sweet potato in these cookies, which adds to the appeal and makes them kid-friendly! And that glaze! Flavored with a bit of maple syrup, it’s light, not too sweet, and adds the perfect finish to these glorious cookies.

You need cooked sweet potato for these cookies. So, whenever I’m making sweet potatoes for dinner, I’ll make sure to have some extra to make these cookies. You could also freeze leftover sweet potatoes in anticipation of making these easy sweet potato cookies, and then prep is a breeze.

This is such an easy and forgiving sweet potato cookie recipe, too. There’s no chilling time, so you can go from the mixer to the oven and right to your mouth – after letting them cool a bit.

Skip the nuts if you’re not a fan of pecans, but they add such a lovely texture to the Sweet Potato Cookies with Pecans and Maple Glaze.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour – Measure correctly by spooning into the cup and leveling off. Packing flour makes the cookies dense and tough.
• Baking soda – Check the expiration date or the cookies won’t rise properly.
• Pumpkin pie spice – Or apple pie spice. Both have cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Either works.
• Kosher salt – Use half the amount if you’re using table salt.
• Butter – Salted butter, softened. Must be softened to room temperature or it won’t cream properly with the sugar. Unsalted butter works if you add a pinch of extra salt.
• Brown sugar – Lightly packed. Light or dark brown sugar both work.
• Sugar – White granulated sugar.
• Cooked sweet potato – Soft sweet potato. Mash it smooth before adding to the dough. Leftover baked or roasted sweet potato works great.
• Egg – Just 1 large egg. Extra-large works without adjustment.
• Vanilla extract – Pure or artificial vanilla is fine.
• Pecans – Toasted and chopped. Toast them in a dry pan for 3-4 minutes until golden. Don’t skip toasting—raw pecans taste bitter and lack crunch.

For The Glaze:

• Powdered sugar – Also called confectioners’ sugar or icing sugar. Sift it if it has lumps.
• Maple syrup – Use the real stuff! Pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup. Pancake syrup is corn syrup with maple flavoring and won’t taste the same.
• Milk – Just a few spoonfuls. Whole milk works best. Add a little at a time until the glaze is the right consistency.
• Pecans – Toasted and chopped. Same as above—toast them first.
• Maple sugar – Adds extra maple flavor and crunch. Don’t substitute with regular granulated sugar—it won’t taste the same.

How To Make The Best Sweet Potato Cookies with Pecans and Maple Glaze

Scroll down for the full recipe card with exact measurements and printable instructions.

Start by preheating the oven to 375°F and lining 2 baking sheets with parchment paper for easier cleanup and even baking.

In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt until evenly combined.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until the mixture becomes light and fluffy.

Add the sweet potato puree and mix until fully incorporated. Add the egg and vanilla extract and continue mixing until smooth.

Add the flour mixture to the stand mixer and mix on low speed just until combined. Fold in the chopped pecans and mix gently until evenly distributed throughout the dough.

Use a 1-inch cookie scoop to portion the dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart.

Bake for 10 to 11 minutes, or until the cookies are set and lightly golden brown on the bottoms.

Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely.

To Make The Glaze

Add the powdered sugar, maple syrup, and milk to a small bowl and whisk until smooth. Add additional milk 1 teaspoon at a time until the glaze becomes thick but still pourable.

Spoon about 1 teaspoon of glaze over each cooled cookie, then top with a sprinkle of chopped pecans and a pinch of maple sugar. Allow the glaze to set before serving. Enjoy!

Chef Jenn’s Tips

• Don’t like pecans? Leave them out, or use toasted chopped walnuts or almonds.
• Never overmix cookie dough – mix only enough to incorporate the ingredients and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
• Let the cookies cool to room temperature before icing them.
• The pecans and maple sugar will stick to the wet icing.

Make It A Meal

This is a side that earns its keep at any BBQ plate, especially when the rest of the meal leans smoky and rich. I serve it with my Smoked Pulled Pork more than anything else. The sweet, slightly spicy potato cuts the richness of the pork, and you’ve already got the smoker going.

For a holiday spread, I serve these alongside my Traeger Smoked Turkey instead of the standard candied yams. Want a full Texas-style BBQ plate? Put them next to my Smoked Tri-Tip with my Smoked Brussels Sprouts with Bacon on the side. Everything goes on the smoker the same day, so you’re not juggling the oven and the smoker at once.

Storage

These Sweet Potato Cookies with Pecans and Maple Glaze will keep in an airtight container on the counter for 4-5 days. You can also freeze them. Simply package them in an airtight container or freezer-safe plastic bag and freeze them for 1-2 months. Then, just thaw and enjoy!