Step 1

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.

Step 2

In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.

Step 3

In another bowl, using a hand or stand mixer, cream the brown sugar and butter until smooth. Add in the maple syrup, egg, and vanilla extract. Mix everything until combined.

Step 4

Add the dry mixture into the wet mixture and mix just until combined. Using a medium cookie scoop, or a tablespoon measuring spoon, scoop a heaping ball of dough and place 2 inches apart on baking sheet.

Step 5

Bake for 12-15 minutes, until tops no longer look wet. Cool on the sheet for a couple of minutes and then finish cooling on a rack.

Step 6

Once cooled, prepare the frosting. In a large bowl, using a hand or stand mixer, cream the butter and shortening until smooth. Add in 1/3 of the powdered sugar and beat until it comes together, continue adding the sugar and mixing until completely combined and creamy.

Step 7

Add in the maple extract and milk, continuing to mix until combined. If frosting is too thick, mix in a small amount of milk until desired consistency has been reached. If the frosting is too thin, mix in small amounts of powdered sugar until desired consistency has been reached.

Step 8

The frosting can be piped on with a swirl, starting in the center and moving outward, or it can be spread on with a knife. If piping, scoop the frosting into a piping bag attached with a 1M tip. Make a swirl on the cookie, starting in the middle and going outward. This will give the "rose" look.

Step 9

Quickly add sprinkles for decoration and allow to set.

Step 10

Notes: If you like a darker molasses flavor to your cookie, switch out the light brown sugar with dark brown sugar. When using the maple syrup, use the real stuff. You can use pancake syrup, but the flavor will be so much deeper and richer if you use real maple syrup. I used maple extract in the frosting to help with the frosting consistency. In the frosting, you can sub out the milk for heavy cream. The cookie is a chewy consistency, not crunchy or cake like at all. It's a soft chewy bite with a pillowy soft cloud of a semi sweet frosting.