Brown Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Brown butter can go from pale and foamy to deeply nutty in the time it takes to answer a text. For these brown butter pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, I watch the milk solids closely, then pour every last browned fleck into the mixing bowl. They bring a toasted, almost toffee-like flavor that makes the pumpkin and semisweet chocolate taste right at home together.

Pumpkin puree adds moisture, which is lovely in a muffin but can leave a cookie soft and cakey. Blotting it on paper towels takes away enough excess moisture for the dough to hold its shape, while the egg yolk and brown sugar keep the centers tender. After a good chill, the cookies bake with lightly browned edges and centers that still look a little soft.

Each batch makes 30 cookies, with chocolate in every bite and a warm pumpkin-spice note tucked behind the brown butter.

Why Pumpkin Cookies Turn Cakey Before They Turn Chewy

Pumpkin puree has more free moisture than cookie dough can comfortably handle. Add it straight from the can and the dough may bake up puffy and soft all the way through, closer to a little cake than a cookie. Blotting the puree reduces that extra moisture without taking away its pumpkin flavor, so the dough can spread and set more like a classic drop cookie.

The texture you’re aiming for is a contrast: lightly browned edges that hold their shape, with a center that looks slightly soft when the pan comes out of the oven. The cookies continue setting on the hot baking sheet, so waiting for the centers to look completely firm in the oven can take them too far. Chilling the dough helps, too, because firm dough is easier to portion and less likely to spread too quickly.

That balance is why I keep the egg white out and use just the yolk. It adds richness without bringing in the extra moisture of a whole egg. Together, the blotted pumpkin, yolk, and chilled dough give these cookies their tender middle without turning them cakey.

What the Pumpkin, Brown Butter, and Sugars Bring to the Dough

• Unsalted butter — Butter is the base for the browned, nutty flavor, and its milk solids are what turn golden in the pan. A standard grocery-store butter works well; there’s no need to seek out a specialty brand. A butter substitute won’t brown in quite the same way, so it won’t give you the same toasted flavor.
• Pumpkin puree — Choose plain pumpkin puree rather than a prepared pumpkin dessert product; the dough needs pumpkin, not extra sweetening or seasoning. Brand consistency varies, which is why blotting matters more than choosing a premium can. The puree should look thick and matte before it goes into the bowl.
• Light brown sugar, granulated sugar, and egg yolk — The brown sugar brings a soft, chewy quality, while granulated sugar balances it and helps the edges bake up. The yolk adds richness and helps bind the dough. Use the yolk on its own rather than replacing it with a whole egg, which changes the dough’s moisture balance.
• All-purpose flour — Spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level it off; scooping straight from the bag can pack in too much and leave the cookies dry. A cup-for-cup gluten-free baking blend is a workable swap for the same measure, though the cookies may have a slightly more delicate crumb.
• Pumpkin pie spice and semisweet chocolate chips — The spice gives the dough its familiar warm aroma, and semisweet chips keep the cookies from becoming overly sweet. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, ground cinnamon can stand in at the same amount for a simpler, less layered spice note. Chopped semisweet chocolate also works in place of the chips and gives you a mix of small flecks and larger pools.

From Nutty Butter to Cookies with Set Edges

Brown the butter without rushing it

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling often. It will foam, then the milk solids will begin to turn golden and the butter will smell nutty; this usually takes 4 to 6 minutes. Pour it into a large heatproof bowl and let it cool until warm, about 15 minutes. If it’s still hot when the sugars go in, the dough will be warmer than intended.

Blot the pumpkin and mix the dough

Spread the pumpkin puree across several layers of paper towels and press additional paper towels over it until it looks thick and matte, about 5 minutes. Whisk both sugars into the cooled butter, then whisk in the egg yolk, vanilla, and pumpkin until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Stir the dry mixture into the butter mixture just until no dry streaks remain, then fold in the chocolate chips; mixing beyond that point can make the cookies less tender.

Chill until the dough is firm

Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough until firm, for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours. The dough should hold its shape when scooped instead of slumping off the spoon. Heat the oven to 350°F and line two 18×13-inch rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon portions, arranging 15 portions on each sheet with about 2 inches between them.

Bake for soft centers and browned edges

Bake both sheets for 11 to 14 minutes, switching their rack positions and rotating them front to back halfway through. Look for edges that are set and lightly browned while the centers still appear slightly soft. Leave the cookies on the baking sheets for 5 minutes, where they’ll finish setting, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Pulling them when the centers are still soft keeps the finished cookies tender.

Simple Swaps for a Different Batch

Questions That Come Up While Baking These Cookies

Brown Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Brown butter pumpkin chocolate chip cookies combine nutty browned butter, pumpkin pie spice, and semisweet chocolate chips in soft-centered cookies with lightly browned edges. Chill the dough until firm before baking for cookies that hold their shape.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 25 minutes mins

Cook Time 18 minutes mins

Chilling 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 43 minutes mins

Servings: 30 servings

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Calories: 108

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 10 tbsp unsalted butter
• 0.5 cup pumpkin puree
• 0.75 cup light brown sugar packed
• 0.25 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg yolk large
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2.25 cup all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
• 0.5 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 0.5 tsp kosher salt
• 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips

Equipment

• 2 18x13-inch rimmed baking sheets

Method

 

1. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling often, until it smells nutty and the milk solids turn golden brown, 4 to 6 minutes.
2. Pour the butter, including the browned bits, into a large heatproof bowl and cool until warm, about 15 minutes.
3. Spread the pumpkin puree on several layers of paper towels and blot with additional paper towels until thick and matte, about 5 minutes.
4. Whisk the brown sugar and granulated sugar into the cooled butter until combined.
5. Whisk in the egg yolk, vanilla, and blotted pumpkin puree until smooth.
6. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
7. Stir the flour mixture into the butter mixture just until no dry streaks remain.
8. Fold in the chocolate chips.
9. Cover the dough and refrigerate until firm, at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
10. Heat the oven to 350°F.
11. Line two 18x13-inch rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
12. Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon portions.
13. Arrange 15 portions on each baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
14. Bake both sheets for 11 to 14 minutes, switching their rack positions and rotating them front to back halfway through, until the edges are set and lightly browned while the centers still look slightly soft.
15. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes.
16. Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Blot the pumpkin puree until it is thick and matte so the dough is not too wet. Store the cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; they can be frozen for up to 3 months. For a dairy-free option, use dairy-free butter and chocolate chips.