Place softened butter and brown sugar in a bowl. Beat them together until the mix is light. This should take about two full minutes.

Add the maple syrup and the egg yolk. Pour in the maple extract for extra scent. Mix again until the batter looks very smooth.

Whisk the flour and baking soda in another bowl. Slowly add dry parts to the wet parts. Stir until you see no more white streaks.

Scoop the dough into small round balls. Place them two inches apart on the sheet. This prevents the cookies from touching each other.

Bake the cookies for ten to twelve minutes. The edges should look a light golden brown. Do not overbake them or they get hard.

Let them sit on the pan for five minutes. Then move them to a wire rack carefully. Let them cool down before you eat them.