Pumpkin cookies will always be a classic, but these brown butter pumpkin cookies are next level! They’re soft, chewy, and have the perfect amount of rich spice. They’ll quickly become a family favorite in your home!
I’m so excited to share the recipe for these brown butter pumpkin cookies today with you! They might possibly be my all time favorite fall cookie. They check all the boxes. They’re soft, chewy and have the perfect amount of pumpkin and spice.
They’re along the same lines are my giant ginger cookies, but have a few basic differences. What makes this recipe so delicious is that it calls for rich brown butter. Brown butter adds so much depth to the flavor and boy does it smell amazing!
Brown butter is butter that has been browned, by melting the butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. It causes the water from the milk solids to separate. The solids sink to the bottom of the pan and they darken, roast, and then brown. This takes the flavor of the butter from pale and mild to dark and nutty.
These cookies have a great texture and have a sweet sugar coating. The dough is rolled into balls and then tossed in a sugar and cinnamon mix before baking. It creates the best texture and really adds a pretty sparkle.
I use a 1/4 cup cookie scoop when making this recipe. It makes about 15-18 cookies medium sized cookies, but this recipe can easily be doubled.
Brown Butter Pumpkin Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup Unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups Dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 Lg. egg yolk
- 3 Tbsp Real maple syrup
- 1 tsp. Vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup Pumplin puree
- 2 1/4 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 tsp. Baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. Baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. Salt
- 1 1/2 tsp. Pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp. Ground cinnamon
Sugar Coating
- 2 Tbsp. Brown sugar
- 2 Tbsp. Granulated sugar
- 1 tsp. Ground cinnamon
Instructions
Make the Brown Butter
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Melt 1 cup of butter over medium heat in a sauce pan. Stir until it reaches a rich amber color and the milk solids have turned dark brown and sunk to the bottom of the pan.
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Remove front heat and pour into a measuring cup. Be sure to get all the dark bits at the bottom of the pan. The hold a lot of the rich flavor you need in this recipe. You should have just under a cup of brown butter. Chill in the fridge for about 20-25 minutes. Do not let it solidify.
Make the Cookie Dough
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Preheat the oven to 350F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
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In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices. Set aside.
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the brown sugar and cooled brown butter until completely combined.
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Whisk in the egg yolk, maple syrup, vanilla, and pumpkin until smooth.
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Add in all of the dry ingredients and use a rubber spatula to fold into the batter.
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In a small bowl, make the sugar coating. Mix together the sugars and cinnamon until combined.
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Use a large cookie scoop or 1/4 measuring cup and scoop out the dough into balls. Drop into the cinnamon sugar mixture and coat. The dough should be soft but not sticky.
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Place onto the baking sheet, spaced about 3 inches apart. You should be able to bake 5-6 cookies at a time. Leave the rest of the dough out at room temperature.
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Bake for 12-15 minutes or until the edges are darkened and the center looks puffed and slightly underdone.
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Allow them to rest on the baking sheet for a couple minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack. Allow the cookies to cool, then enjoy! Optional- sprinkle a tiny amount of sugar on top for a bit of sparkle.
Recipe Notes
Store cookies in an air-tight container at room temperature for up to a week.
The key to baking these chewy cookie is remove them from the oven even though the center still looks a bit underdone. They’re ready when the edges are flat and golden brown and the center will be puffed up.
They will continue to bake on the pan outside of the oven. The centers will firm up and settle as they cool. In the end you’re left with chewy edges and a soft center.
These are one of my favorite cookies to give to friends and family. They stack really well without damaging the cookie below. Once completely cooled, place cookies in a clear treat bag and seal bag with ribbon tied into a bow. Make it even more special with a cute pumpkin tag!
I’ve made two different tag styles for you. Simply, download the PDF and print from home. Eight tags will print onto one sheet and comes with guides for easy cutting. For more free gift tag printable, grab my sweet duckling tags here.
Creating Your Pumpkin Gift Tags
- Download the free tags HERE and HERE.
- Open the PDF and print at home or order through an online printing company.
- Use the printed guidelines to cut out each tag with scissors or a paper cutter.
- Using a single hole punch to make a hole to ribbon.
What’s your favorite fall cookie? Cookie exchanges are popular during the Christmas season, but I’m thinking a fall cookie exchange is in order. There’s so many delicious options to choose from. Am I right?
I think you’ll find yourself coming back to this recipe year after year. It’s become an annual recipe in our home and I’m totally okay with it. Have a great fall and happy baking friends!
Looks delicious. I think I will make these for Thanksgiving. Thank you as always for posting such awesome recipes.
You’re so welcome Crystal! They’re such a yummy cookie. Happy Thanksgiving & enjoy!
Hi, I made these cookies and they were delicious, everyone loved them! But the next day the were sticky and wet? I had them in an airtight container? And even the ones I shared in sandwich bags were too. I don’t know what went wrong?
Where do you buy your treat bags?
P.S. Your home/blog, and especially your gracious, lovely spirit coming through your blog, are such a beautiful presence on the web. Thank you for being such salt and light to a needy world, looking for the goodness, love, and comfort found only at “Home.” 🥰