Description
These Brown Butter and Maple Chewy Pumpkin Cookies offer a rich, autumn-inspired flavor with a perfect balance of warm spices, sweet maple syrup, and creamy pumpkin puree. The brown butter adds a deep, nutty undertone while the cinnamon-sugar coating provides an extra layer of sweetness and texture, resulting in soft, chewy cookies that are perfect for fall or any cozy occasion.
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup (220g) unsalted butter
- 1 1/2 cups (280g) dark brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg yolk
- 3 tbsp pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup (80g) pumpkin puree
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups (280g) 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 cinnamon
Coating
- 2 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Brown the Butter: Melt 1 cup of butter over medium heat, stirring continuously until it turns a rich amber color with nutty brown bits forming. Remove from heat to prevent burning.
- Measure and Chill Butter: Pour the browned butter into a measuring glass, scraping the pot to include browned bits. You should have slightly less than 1 cup. Place in the refrigerator to chill for about 20 minutes, but do not let it solidify.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Baking Sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Combine Sugar and Butter: In a large mixing bowl, whisk the dark brown sugar into the cooled brown butter until the mixture resembles clumpy wet sand.
- Add Wet Ingredients: Whisk in the egg yolk, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Fold all dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a rubber spatula. If the dough feels too thin and does not hold shape when scooped, chill it for 15-20 minutes to thicken.
- Prepare Coating Mixture: In a small dish, mix together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon for the cookie coating.
- Scoop and Coat Dough: Using a large cookie scoop (2oz) or a 1/4 cup measuring cup, scoop dough portions and toss each piece in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat completely. The dough will be soft but not sticky.
- Arrange Cookies on Baking Sheet: Place coated dough balls onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 3 inches apart to allow for spreading. Bake no more than 4-5 cookies at once; keep remaining dough at room temperature.
- Bake Cookies: Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until edges are darkened and the centers appear puffed and slightly underbaked for chewy texture.
- Cool Cookies: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack to cool completely. Repeat baking remaining dough portions.
- Enjoy: Once cooled, enjoy these soft, chewy pumpkin-spiced cookies with brown butter and maple sweetness.
Notes
- Be careful not to overcook the brown butter; it should be a deep amber without burning for best flavor.
- If your dough is too warm and soft to handle, chilling it will help it firm up and make scooping easier.
- Spacing cookies 3 inches apart prevents them from spreading into each other during baking.
- The cookies are best enjoyed within 2-3 days stored in an airtight container to maintain their chewy texture.
- You can substitute pumpkin pie spice with your own blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves if desired.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
