Description
Warm, spiced pumpkin cookies with a nutty brown butter base, perfect for fall!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (packed) light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 cup chocolate chips (milk, dark, or semi-sweet)
- 1 cup chopped pecans or walnuts
Instructions
- Brown the Butter: Place the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. As the butter melts, it will begin to foam. Continue to cook, swirling the pan occasionally, until the foaming subsides and you see brown specks forming at the bottom of the pan (about 5-8 minutes). The butter should have a nutty aroma and the milk solids at the bottom of the pan should be a deep golden brown. Immediately remove the pan from the heat and pour the browned butter into a heatproof bowl. Let the butter cool slightly, about 15-20 minutes, before using it in the cookie dough. You want it to be solidifying but still soft. If it gets too hard, you can microwave it for a few seconds to soften it up.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt.
- Cream the Sugars and Brown Butter: In a large bowl (or the bowl of a stand mixer), combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and slightly cooled brown butter. Beat with an electric mixer on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the Eggs and Vanilla: Beat in the egg and egg yolk one at a time, mixing well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
- Incorporate the Pumpkin Puree: Add the pumpkin puree and mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix at this stage.
- Gradually Add Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed until just combined. Again, be careful not to overmix. Mix until you no longer see streaks of flour.
- Stir in Add-ins (Optional): If using, stir in the chocolate chips and/or chopped nuts.
- Chill the Dough: Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes, or up to 2 hours.
- Preheat the Oven: Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Scoop the Dough: Use a cookie scoop or spoon to drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
- Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown and the centers are set. The cookies will still look slightly soft in the center, but they will continue to firm up as they cool.
- Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Browning the butter is key to the flavor of these cookies. Don’t skip this step!
- Don’t overbake the cookies. Bake until the edges are golden brown and the centers are set but still slightly soft.
- Use room temperature eggs for best results.
- Measure flour accurately. Spoon the flour into a measuring cup and level it off with a knife, or use a kitchen scale to weigh the flour.
- Chilling the dough is crucial for preventing the cookies from spreading too much during baking.
- Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes