Ingredients
- 180ml Quebec maple syrup (amber)
- 115g unsalted butter, softened
- 1 egg
- 250g all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ground cloves
- 150g raisins
- 75g chopped walnuts
Method
- Cream butter with maple syrup, then beat in the egg.
- Whisk flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and cloves together; stir into wet ingredients.
- Fold in raisins and walnuts.
- Drop rounded tablespoons onto parchment-lined sheets.
- Bake at 180°C (350°F) for 10-12 minutes until soft but set.
Conversion and rationale
Original sweetener (classic version): 200g brown sugar
Conversion used: Replaced 200g brown sugar with 180ml amber maple syrup. Reduced liquid slightly by omitting 2 tbsp of milk from the original recipe.
Why Quebec maple syrup: This historical Eastern Canadian cookie traditionally used molasses; maple syrup offers a cleaner, woody sweetness that complements winter spices perfectly.
General rule: 1 cup (250 ml) sugar ≈ 3/4 cup (180 ml) maple syrup; reduce liquids by 45–60 ml per cup of syrup and lower oven by 15 °C. Substitution calculator →