Last updated on January 21st, 2024 at 10:16 pm

These brown butter pumpkin maple cookies are chewy on the outside and soft on the inside with the perfect amount of fall flavor and spice.

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Fall means cozy sweaters, beautiful leaves and fall baking. Make sure you add these brown butter pumpkin maple cookies to your baking list!

It may be a mouthful, both literally and figuratively, but these brown butter pumpkin maple cookies are the epitome of fall flavors. They have the perfect balance between rich, nutty notes of brown butter, the earthy sweetness of pumpkin, the comforting embrace of maple syrup, and a medley of warm, fragrant spices.

Imagine a cookie that’s chewy around the edges, yet irresistibly soft and delicate in the middle, and made even better with a cinnamon sugar coating. They pair perfectly with a cup of hot cider or with a scoop of vanilla ice cream for a tantalizing fall treat.

If you like baking with brown butter or my maple brown butter cookies then I definitely think you need to give these brown butter pumpkin maple cookies a try!

Ingredients

Brown butter: brown butter is made by heating butter in a pan until the milk solids turn a golden brown. It adds a rich, almost savory nuttiness that compliments the pumpkin and maple syrup.
Pumpkin: just enough pumpkin to give these cookies a subtle pumpkin flavor.
Maple syrup: provides sweetness and you can taste just a hint of maple.
Brown sugar: we are just using brown sugar in this cookie recipe (as opposed to both white and brown sugar) in order to deepen the maple flavor.
Egg yolk: adds richness and chewiness.
Vanilla: use real vanilla extract, you will be able to tell the difference if you use the fake stuff.
Flour: we are using all-purpose flour in this recipe. It is imperative that you use the spoon and level method to measure your flour (details below).
Baking soda: the primary leavening agent in these cookies.
Spices: cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt give these cookies amazing flavor. The cookies are also rolled in a cinnamon sugar mixture before baking.

Equipment

Mixing bowl
Baking sheets
Measuring cups and spoons
Whisk
Rubber spatula
Cookie scoop

Brown the Butter

Start by melting a stick of butter in a pan over medium heat. Once the butter has completely melted and begins to lightly bubble, begin to swirl the pan.

Continue to swirl the pan while the butter cooks. The butter will foam and then, as the foam subsides, the milk solids in the butter will begin to turn a golden brown color.

Once the milk solids are golden brown and smells distinctly buttery and nutty, immediately remove the butter from the heat and pour the butter into a heat prove bowl.

Allow the butter to cool to room temperature before preparing the dough.

Prepare the Cookie Dough

Using paper towels, remove any excess liquid from the pumpkin puree. You don’t want any pools of liquid in your puree or it will change the consistency of your cookies.

In a mixing bowl, combine cooled brown butter, dried pumpkin puree, brown sugar, egg yolk, maple syrup and vanilla. Whisk until all the wet ingredients are homogenous.

Next, in a second mixing bowl, add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Mix together the dry ingredients so the spices and baking soda are evenly distributed throughout the flour.

Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a spatula just until combined. Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least two hours or up to overnight.

Bake the Cookies

When you are ready to bake the cookies, preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. On a small plate, combine 1 1/2 tablespoons of sugar and 1 teaspoon of cinnamon.

Scoop cookie dough using a greased two tablespoon cookie scoop. Roll the dough into a ball and roll in the cinnamon sugar mixture.

Place dough balls onto the parchment lined baking sheets. Bake the cookies at 350°F for 5 minutes.

Allow brown butter pumpkin maple cookies to cool for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Tips

Browning butter: you want the butter to be bubbling but not splattering. Do not leave the stove and stir the butter constantly to ensure it is heated up evenly. Overall, you want to achieve a light brown color with golden brown milk solids.
Not all canned pumpkin is created equal; some brands are more watery than others. You may need to pat your pumpkin dry with a few paper towels or just one, just ensure there are no pools of liquid in your pumpkin.
Use the scoop and level method when measuring the flour. Scoop the flour with a spoon and sprinkle it into the measuring cup. Level off the top of the measuring spoon with a straight edge.
Make sure your baking soda is fresh, otherwise the cookies may spread out too much and not rise.
Make sure your ingredients are at room temperature. Cold maple syrup especially can make the wet ingredients separate.
Grease your cookie scoop before using.
Do not skip the chill time. Chilling the dough before baking the cookies ensures your cookies have the right texture.

FAQ

How do I store brown butter pumpkin maple cookies?

For optimal freshness, I recommend storing these cookies in an air tight container in the freezer.

How long are brown butter pumpkin maple cookies good for?

You can freeze these cookies for up to 3 months.

Can I store these cookies at room temperature?

You can store cookies in an air tight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you know you won’t be eating them within 3 days, I recommend freezing these cookies right away for optimal freshness.

Substitutions

All-purpose flour: To make these cookies gluten free, use a 1:1 gluten free baking flour blend.
Pumpkin pie spice: if you do not have pumpkin pie spice, I recommend subbing with an equal amount of nutmeg. They will be good without either, but will lack some depth of flavor.

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If you make this Brown Butter Pumpkin Maple Cookies, be sure to leave a comment below and rate this recipe! If you snap a pic, be sure to tag me on Instagram @thechowdown! I love seeing your creations!

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