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Brown Butter And Maple Chewy Pumpkin Cookies

Brown butter and maple create chewy pumpkin cookies with a nutty, caramel-like flavor and soft centers. Brown the butter first, then mix in pumpkin and maple for a thick dough that bakes into tender, set-edged cookies.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 13 minutes
Chilling 30 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 3 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 2.25 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1.5 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 0.5 tsp salt
Wet ingredients
  • 0.5 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar
  • 0.25 cup maple syrup
  • 1 large egg yolk
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan
  • 1 light-colored saucepan

Method
 

Brown the butter
  1. Melt the unsalted butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, swirling occasionally, until golden brown and nutty smelling, about 5–6 minutes.
  2. Remove from heat and let the browned butter cool slightly until it’s warm, not hot.
Mix the wet and dry ingredients
  1. Whisk the browned butter, canned pumpkin puree, brown sugar, maple syrup, large egg yolk, and vanilla extract together in a large bowl until smooth.
  2. Whisk the all-purpose flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt together in a separate bowl until evenly combined.
  3. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined, stopping as soon as no dry streaks remain.
Chill, scoop, and bake
  1. Chill the cookie dough for 30 minutes to firm up for easier scooping.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350°F and scoop the dough into balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet.
  3. Bake for 11–13 minutes, until the edges are set but the centers are still soft, with a slight center jiggle when nudged.
  4. Cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack to finish setting.

Notes

Pro tip: use a light-colored saucepan so you can accurately spot when the butter turns deep golden. Store baked cookies airtight at room temperature for 3–4 days, or refrigerate up to 1 week; freeze baked cookies up to 2 months. For a gluten-free option, swap in a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend that includes xanthan gum (bake time may vary slightly).