1. Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream the softened butter and granulated sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy.
3. One by one, beat in the eggs, ensuring each one is fully mixed in before adding the next.
4. Gradually add the buttermilk while mixing on low speed until combined.
5. Stir in the salt, vanilla extract, maple extract, baking soda, and baking powder, mixing until everything is well incorporated.
6. Slowly add half of the all-purpose flour and mix thoroughly, then gradually incorporate the remaining flour until you have a consistent dough.
7. Use a tablespoon to drop spoonfuls of dough (approximately two tablespoons each) onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving about two inches of space between each cookie.
8. Bake in your preheated oven for 6 to 8 minutes. The cookies should be set but still pale – avoid overbaking!
9. Once done, allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

For the icing:
10. In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter and brown sugar together, whisking constantly until the mixture comes to a boil. Allow to boil for about two minutes.
11. Next, stir in the milk, maple syrup, and a pinch of salt, bringing it back to a boil for one minute, whisking all the while.
12. Remove from heat and let the mixture cool for 15 minutes.
13. Gradually whisk in the powdered sugar until the icing achieves a glue-like consistency. If it gets too thick, simply add milk one tablespoon at a time until it reaches the desired spreadable consistency.
14. Quickly spread the icing over the cooled cookies, adding additional milk as needed to maintain spreadability.
15. Finally, let the icing set before storing your delicious cookies in a covered container.