Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Cookies
These brown butter pumpkin spice cookies are chewy, crinkly, and deeply flavorful. They're really more like a fudgy snickerdoodle-meets-pumpkin-pie than your run-of-the-mill pumpkin cookie—and that's the way we like it. Reducing the pumpkin first keeps the texture dense and chewy instead of fluffy, so you get the pumpkin flavor without sacrificing that classic cookie bite. If you’re working through recipes from our Fall Recipes Collection and you love fall-flavored sweets, these cookies are a must! For another great dessert, try our Classic Silky Pumpkin Pie.
Browning the butter adds a toasty, nutty backbone that pairs perfectly with pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon, while a pumpkin-spice sugar coating gives each cookie sparkling edges and extra flavor. They’re even better on day two, which makes them perfect for make-ahead fall baking and holiday cookie trays.
Brown Butter Pumpkin Spice Cookies (Chewy & Crinkly)
Ingredients
- For the cookie dough
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (1 stick), browned
- 1/3 cup pumpkin purée, reduced to 3 tablespoons
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- For the pumpkin-spice sugar coating
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- Pinch ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Reduce the pumpkin: Add the 1/3 cup pumpkin purée to a small skillet over medium heat. Cook 5–7 minutes until thick and reduced to about 3 tablespoons. Cool completely.
- Brown the butter: Melt butter in a light-colored pan. Cook 5–8 minutes until golden brown and nutty. Pour into a bowl with all browned bits. Cool 10 minutes.
- Mix wet ingredients: Whisk browned butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until glossy. Add egg yolk, vanilla, then cooled pumpkin.
- Add dry ingredients: Whisk flour, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Fold into wet mixture. Chill 30–45 minutes.
- Make the coating: Mix sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon.
- Scoop and roll: Scoop 1 1/2–2 tbsp portions. Roll in spiced sugar. Place 2 inches apart.
- Bake: Bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes until edges are set and centers slightly underbaked. Cool 10 minutes.
- Enjoy: Cookies become even chewier on day two.
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