Description

Soft and chewy pumpkin cookies made with nutty brown butter, pure maple syrup, pumpkin purée, brown sugar, and warm autumn spices. Each cookie has lightly crisp edges, a tender centre, and a simple cinnamon sugar topping.

Ingredients

For the Brown Butter Cookie Dough:

½ cup unsalted butter (113 g)

½ cup granulated sugar (100 g)

½ cup brown sugar, packed (100 g)

¼ cup pure maple syrup (80 g)

½ cup pumpkin purée (120 g)

1 large egg yolk (18 g)

1 tsp vanilla extract (5 ml)

1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour (220 g)

1 tsp baking soda (5 g)

1 tsp ground cinnamon (3 g)

½ tsp ground ginger (1 g)

¼ tsp ground nutmeg (0.5 g)

¼ tsp ground cloves (0.5 g)

½ tsp salt (3 g)

For the Maple Sugar Topping:

2 tbsp granulated sugar (25 g)

½ tsp ground cinnamon (1 g)

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Instructions

1. Melt the butter in a light-coloured saucepan over medium heat. Continue cooking, stirring frequently, until the butter foams and golden brown bits form along the bottom of the pan and the butter develops a rich, nutty aroma. Remove from the heat and let it cool for about 10 minutes.

2. Whisk the cooled brown butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and maple syrup together in a large bowl until smooth and glossy. Add the pumpkin purée, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, then whisk until evenly combined.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture, stirring just until a soft cookie dough forms. Avoid overmixing once the flour has been incorporated.

4. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes to help the cookies hold their shape and develop a soft, chewy texture.

5. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. In a small bowl, mix the granulated sugar and cinnamon for the topping.

6. Scoop the chilled dough into portions of about 1½ tablespoons (30 g) each and place them on the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between each cookie. Lightly roll or sprinkle the tops with the cinnamon sugar mixture.

7. Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are set while the centres still look slightly soft. Avoid overbaking because the cookies will continue to firm up as they cool.

8. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. The centres will remain soft and chewy as the cookies cool.

Notes

Use a light-coloured saucepan when browning the butter so you can easily see the golden brown solids developing. Remove the butter from the heat once it smells nutty and the solids are golden. Let it cool before mixing so it does not overly warm the dough. Homemade pumpkin purée can be used as long as it has a thick consistency similar to canned pumpkin purée. Do not use pumpkin pie filling. Stir the dry ingredients into the pumpkin mixture just until the flour disappears to keep the cookies tender. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes to help the cookies hold their shape and develop their chewy texture. Do not overbake. The centres should still look slightly soft when the cookies come out of the oven because they continue to firm up on the baking sheet. Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheets for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. The dough can be prepared ahead and kept chilled until ready to scoop and bake. If it becomes very firm, allow it to sit briefly before scooping. Store completely cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature to help maintain their soft, chewy texture. The cinnamon sugar topping is optional, but it adds a simple layer of cinnamon sweetness that complements the brown butter, maple, and pumpkin flavours. Serve slightly warm or completely cooled with coffee, tea, hot chocolate, or a glass of milk.

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 10–12 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American