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!

Flat lay of golden maple chewy pumpkin cookies made with brown butter showing crinkled tops and cinnamon sugar coating.

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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

Overhead image of brown butter pumpkin cookie ingredients, including pumpkin purée, brown sugar, flour, spices, egg, and vanilla on a white marble counter.

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.

Freshly browned butter in a small saucepan.
Dry ingredients including flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and pumpkin spice added to a bowl, ready to be whisked 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.

Whisking together brown sugar, pumpkin purée, egg, maple syrup, brown butter and vanilla in a glass bowl to begin making the cookie dough base.
Browned butter pumpkin cookie dough after mixing, shown in a glass bowl with a white spatula.

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.

Pumpkin cookie dough ball coated in cinnamon sugar, ready to be baked for chewy pumpkin cookies.
Six baked brown butter pumpkin cookies cooling on a parchment-lined baking sheet, evenly spaced with golden cracks on top.

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.
Soft and chewy pumpkin cookies with cracked tops and cinnamon sugar coating, stacked on parchment.

More fall cookies recipes to try include pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, pumpkin whoopie pies and maple cookies.

More Pumpkin Cookie Recipes

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Flat lay of golden maple chewy pumpkin cookies made with brown butter showing crinkled tops and cinnamon sugar coating.

Brown Butter Pumpkin Cookies

5 from 4 votes
Recipe by: Jamielyn Nye
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Chill Time: 45 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour 27 minutes
Servings: 20
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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Ingredients 

Cookies

  • 1 cup (220 g) unsalted butter
  • 1 ½ cups (290 g) brown sugar , packed
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • ¼ cup maple syrup
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • ½ cup (130 g) pumpkin puree
  • 2 ½ cups (330 g) all-purpose flour , scooped and leveled
  • 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 1/2 cups flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, 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

More tips on how to make brown butter.

Nutrition

Calories: 223kcal, Carbohydrates: 33g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 6g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 0.4g, Cholesterol: 34mg, Sodium: 121mg, Potassium: 77mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 21g, Vitamin A: 1251IU, Vitamin C: 0.3mg, Calcium: 34mg, Iron: 1mg

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

How to store browned butter pumpkin cookies?

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.

Can I freeze them?

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.