Perfectly spiced and deliciously sweet with the nutty aroma of brown butter, these chewy brown butter pumpkin cookies deliver all the fall coziness in every bite!
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Chewy Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Butter
Chewy pumpkin cookies taste and smell like fall. Made with real pumpkin, maple syrup, and pumpkin pie spice, they’re even better with the addition of heavenly browned butter!
Whether you’re baking for your holiday dessert table or an afternoon treat, much like pumpkin cookies with caramel icing and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, these brown butter pumpkin cookies are easy to make and a guaranteed seasonal favorite!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- The scent of the fall season fills your house while they bake.
- Rich, nutty, brown butter and sweet maple syrup takes these cookies up a notch.
Ingredients Notes
Find the full printable recipe with specific measurements below.
- Unsalted butter: Learning how to make brown butter is simple, but it’s important to watch it closely so that it doesn’t burn.
- Brown sugar and maple syrup: For sweetness and depth of flavor. Pack the brown sugar so you’re using enough. Using brown over white also provides added moisture.
- Pumpkin purée: If using canned pumpkin, make sure you’re not picking up pumpkin pie filling, but instead pure pumpkin. Otherwise, fresh pumpkin purée works too.
- Pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon: I always keep a batch of my homemade pumpkin pie spice on hand this time of year.
- Other ingredients needed: Vanilla extract, a large egg yolk, all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt.
- For the topping: You’ll need white sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon. You could also just use a 2-ingredient cinnamon sugar.
How to Make Brown Butter Pumpkin Cookies
Melt and stir the butter over medium heat until brown and nutty. Transfer it to a dish and let it cool in the fridge for 15 minutes. No more than 30 minutes, or it’ll start to solidify.
Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon together.
In a separate bowl, whisk the cooled brown butter, brown sugar, egg yolk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and pumpkin until smooth.
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and then chill the dough for 30 minutes.
Scoop the dough, roll it in the cinnamon sugar mixture, and arrange the cookie dough balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for 12 minutes and allow them to cool on a wire rack before serving.
Recipe Tips
- Watch your brown butter! It can burn easily, so once it starts to smell nutty and appear golden, it’s ready. No need to strain the milk solids, that’s where the flavor is!
- Don’t skip chill time. This is what helps prevent the cookies from spreading too thin and maintains thick, chewy brown sugar cookies.
- Use a cookie scoop. Ensures your cookies are all the same size, for even baking and keeping siblings happy!
- Pumpkin too watery? Strain excess moisture from the pumpkin by placing it in a cheesecloth over a bowl and letting it drain.
More fall cookies recipes to try include pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin whoopie pies and maple cookies.
More Pumpkin Cookie Recipes
Brown Butter Pumpkin Cookies
Video
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup (220 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 ½ cups (290 grams) brown sugar , packed
- 1 large egg yolk
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- ½ cup (130 grams) pumpkin puree
- 2 ¼ cups (300 grams) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Topping
- 3 Tablespoons granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Brown butter: In a pan, over medium heat, melt 1 cup butter. Continuously stir the melted butter for a few minutes until it becomes a brown color and has a nutty smell. Remove from heat immediately.
- Cool butter: Pour browned butter in a dish and place in the fridge for 15 minutes to cool (don't sit in there longer than 30 minutes or it will begin to harden).
- Whisk dry ingredients: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together 2 1/4 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 1/2 teaspoon, and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
- Whisk wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk 1 1/2 cups brown sugar and cooled browned butter. Add the egg yolk, 1/4 cup maple syrup, 2 teaspoons vanilla and 1/2 cup pumpkin. Whisk until smooth.
- Add dry ingredients: Gently fold the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Refrigerate dough 30 minutes.
- Preheat and prepare: Preheat the oven to 350°F and add parchment paper to a baking sheet.
- Mix topping: In a small dish, mix 3 Tablespoons white sugar, 2 Tablespoons brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon.
- Roll dough in topping: Use a large cookie scoop to form dough balls. Drop each ball into the topping and roll to coat.
- Bake cookies: Place 6 cookies on the baking sheet and bake for 12 minutes.
- Rest and cool: Allow the cookies to rest on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
Last step: Please leave a comment and rating after you make the recipe.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition provided is an estimate. It will vary based on specific ingredients used.
Substitutions and Variations
- Top with a cream cheese glaze or maple glaze.
- Add in some chocolate chips or white chocolate chips.
- Chopped walnuts, raisins, or dried cranberries also make great mix-ins!
- For a crispier cookie, let them bake a couple of extra minutes.
Recipe FAQs
These can be kept at room temperature for up to 1 week. It’s important to keep them covered in an airtight container to prevent them from drying out.
For longer storage, keep them refrigerated.
Yes! Once completely cooled, transfer them to a freezer bag. These will keep frozen for up to 3 months. It’s a good idea to layer them with parchment paper to keep the cookies from sticking together.
