This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.
This Brown Butter Pumpkin Cookie Recipe combines warm spices, pumpkin, and rich brown butter flavor to create the perfect Fall cookie. This is the best soft and chewy pumpkin cookie!
This is my new favorite Fall cookie! When creating a new Fall cookie recipe, I felt like it needed to have a few things to make it the perfect pumpkin cookie…
- Brown Butter. This just deepens the butter flavor and brings caramel, toffee notes to the pumpkin cookie which pairs so well with pumpkin spice.
- Chewy > Cakey cookies. Cakey pumpkin cookies have always been popular but I love a soft and chewy pumpkin cookie. This comes from a few tips and tricks but the most important one is blotting the pumpkin to remove some of the moisture. This creates the best chewy pumpkin cookie!
- Using 3 different sweeteners. By using a mixture of brown sugar, sugar, and real maple syrup, you get that rich molasses flavor from the brown sugar and the maple syrup gives it that warm depth of flavor. Plus rolling it into cinnamon sugar puts it over the top!
You are going to love these chewy pumpkin cookies! I am going to share my step-to-step guide and all of my tips for making the best pumpkin cookie so all of your friends will be begging for the recipe!
I had previously shared a Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie made with browned butter plus chocolate chips and now this is your classic pumpkin cookie recipe with browned butter to bring toffee, cinnamon and sugar, and maple notes into these chewy pumpkin cookies.
This recipe is similar to my Pumpkin Snickerdoodles with some changes — adding maple syrup and reducing sugar slightly, adding cornstarch for softness, add pumpkin pie spice, etc.
Why you will love these Brown Butter Pumpkin Cookies:
Chewy, not cakey: Blotting the pumpkin keeps the texture soft and chewy instead of fluffy. This is an important step!
Incredible flavor: The brown butter + pumpkin + maple syrup makes such a rich and cozy cookie, that really sets it apart from the rest.
Perfect for fall: These cookies taste like pumpkin pie meets brown butter snickerdoodle heaven.
Ingredients:
- Butter: Browning the butter adds a deep, nutty flavor that enhances the pumpkin and spice.
- Brown Sugar + Sugar: A mix of the two gives the perfect chewy texture.
- Egg Yolk: We use egg yolks since egg whites can cause the cookies to be slightly cakey.
- Real Maple Syrup: Complements the pumpkin flavor beautifully.
- Vanilla Extract
- Pumpkin Purée: The star ingredient, blotting it removes excess moisture so the cookies stay chewy. Make sure to use 100% pure canned pumpkin.
- All-Purpose Flour
- Cornstarch: Helps create that tender, chewy texture.
- Baking Soda
- Pumpkin Pie Spice + Salt: Adds warmth and balances the sweetness.
- Cinnamon-Sugar Coating: Adds a crisp exterior and sweet spice to every bite.
Recipe Testing Process:
I recipe tested this brown butter pumpkin cookie over and over again to get it just right. I tested it rolling it into cinnamon-sugar before baking. I also tested it by sprinkling the cookies with cinnamon-sugar right as I removed them from the oven.
I also tested out whether to leave them in a firm ball or to slightly smash them down with my hand to make flatter cookies. You can tell the difference in my two different cookie photos — one of them is thicker and that is when I didn’t press down the cookie dough before baking. If you want thicker cookies, I suggest leaving the cookie dough in a tight ball. If you desire thinner cookies, lightly press on the dough balls.
I also added chocolate chips to give another variation!
How to make the Best Brown Butter Pumpkin Cookies:
- BROWN THE BUTTER. In a light-colored saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, continue cooking, stirring frequently, until it foams and the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty, about 5 to 8 minutes. The butter will begin to foam. Small brown bits will begin to form and that will be a signal that the butter is officially browned. Butter can burn quickly so watch carefully. It is better to pull off of the heat a little early instead of browning too long and risk burning it. Pour into a large heatproof bowl, scraping in all the brown bits. Let the butter cool until room temperature.
- BLOT THE PUMPKIN. Place the pumpkin puree on a plate lined with two to three layers of paper towels. Gently press with additional paper towels to remove excess moisture. Measure out one-third cup of the blotted pumpkin for the recipe. This step is key to achieving chewy cookies instead of cakey ones.
- MIX THE WET INGREDIENTS. Whisk the cooled brown butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together until smooth and glossy. Whisk in the egg yolk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until fully combined. Stir in the blotted pumpkin puree until smooth.
- ADD DRY INGREDIENTS. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture with a spatula until no flour streaks remain. Do not overmix. The dough will be soft but should hold its shape. Chill for one hour.
- MAKE THE SUGAR COATING. In a small bowl, mix together the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon until well combined.
- SCOOP AND ROLL DOUGH. Scoop the dough into balls, about two tablespoons each. Roll each dough ball generously in the sugar-cinnamon coating. Place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing about two inches apart.
- BAKE. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Bake the cookies for 9 to 11 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers look slightly underbaked — they will continue to set as they cool. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for five minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Don’t skip blotting the pumpkin!
Removing excess moisture is the secret to chewy, bakery-style pumpkin cookies instead of soft, cake-like ones.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ’s):
1. Why do I need to blot the pumpkin purée?
Pumpkin holds a lot of water, which can make cookies cakey. Blotting helps remove that water and achieve that chewy, dense texture.
2. Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin purée?
No — pumpkin pie filling has added sugar and spices, which would throw off the flavor and texture.
3. Do I need to chill the dough?
Yes! Chilling helps prevent spreading and enhances the chewy texture. I recommend at least 1 hour but to preferably let them chill overnight.
4. Can I add chocolate chips or white chocolate chips?
Absolutely! If you want to make Brown Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, I suggest adding 1 1/2 cups of chocolate chips.
More Pumpkin Recipes:
Storage and Freezing:
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
For longer storage, freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months — thaw at room temperature before serving.
Pin this now to find it later
Pin It
Chewy Brown Butter Pumpkin Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup Butter (browned)
- 1 cup Brown Sugar
- 2/3 cup Sugar
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 2 Tablespoons Real Maple Syrup
- 1 large Egg Yolk
- 1/2 cup Pure Pumpkin Puree (blotted)
- 2 1/3 cups Flour
- 1/2 teaspoon Cornstarch
- 3/4 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Pumpkin Pie Spice
Cinnamon-Sugar Coating:
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 1 1/2 Tablespoons Cinnamon
Instructions
- In a light-colored saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, continue cooking, stirring frequently, until it foams and the milk solids turn golden brown and smell nutty (about 5–8 minutes). Be careful not to burn the butter.
- Pour into a large heatproof bowl, scraping in all the brown bits. Add brown sugar and sugar and stir until smooth. Let cool until room temperature, about 20 minutes.
- Stir in vanilla extract and maple syrup. Once it is room temperature, stir in egg yolk.
- Place pumpkin puree on a plate lined with 2–3 layers of paper towels. Gently press with additional paper towels to remove excess moisture. You should end up with about 1/3 cup of pumpkin puree. Stir into the mixture until smooth.
- Fold in flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture with a spatula until no flour streaks remain. Do not overmix. If adding chocolate chips, add them now.
- 'Wrap the cookie dough in plastic wrap and chill the cookie dough for 1 hour.
- When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. In a small bowl, mix sugar, and cinnamon. Scoop the chilled dough into balls (about 2 tablespoons each). Roll each dough ball generously in the sugar-cinnamon coating. Place on a parchment-lined baking sheet, spacing 2 inches apart.
- Bake cookies for 9–11 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers look slightly underbaked — they’ll continue to set as they cool. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
