Description
Chewy maple pumpkin cookies combine nutty brown butter, pure maple syrup, pumpkin puree, and warm fall spices. A sweet spiced sugar coating gives each cookie lightly crisp edges and a soft, chewy center.
Ingredients
Scale
- 2 1/4 cups (270 grams) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice or chai spice blend
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup (226 grams) European-style unsalted butter
- 1 cup (200 grams) packed light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup (79 milliliters) pure maple syrup
- 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (125 grams) canned pumpkin puree, measured before blotting
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon maple extract, optional
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or chai spice blend
Instructions
- Brown the butter in a clear, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter begins to foam, whisk continuously until amber brown bits form and the butter smells nutty.
- Immediately pour the browned butter into a clean mixing bowl and let it cool for about 30 minutes. It should remain liquid but should no longer feel hot.
- Place two or three paper towels in a wide, shallow bowl. Spoon the pumpkin puree onto the towels, cover it with more paper towels, and press firmly to remove excess moisture.
- Whisk the flour, 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice or chai spice, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl until evenly combined.
- Stir the cooled brown butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup in a large bowl until smooth and well combined.
- Stir in the egg yolk until fully incorporated.
- Add the blotted pumpkin, vanilla extract, and optional maple extract. Stir until evenly combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir only until no dry streaks remain.
- Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate it for 8 hours or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line one or two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Let the chilled dough stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes.
- Combine the granulated sugar and remaining 1/2 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice or chai spice in a shallow bowl.
- Scoop the dough with a 2-inch cookie scoop. Shape each portion into a ball and roll it thoroughly in the spiced sugar.
- Arrange the coated dough balls 2 to 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes. Check the cookies after 9 to 10 minutes. If they look too puffy, carefully lift the baking sheet a few inches and tap it firmly against the oven rack several times.
- Continue baking until the edges look set while the centers remain slightly soft.
- Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 3 to 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Use plain canned pumpkin puree rather than sweetened pumpkin pie filling.
- Blot the pumpkin thoroughly because excess moisture can create cakey or gummy cookies.
- Cool the brown butter before mixing it with the sugar so the dough does not become greasy.
- Chill the dough for the full 8 hours for the best flavor, handling, and texture.
- Remove the cookies while the centers still look slightly soft because they continue setting on the hot baking sheet.
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- Freeze baked cookies in an airtight container for up to 2 months.
- Nutrition information is an estimate per cookie.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 207
- Sugar: 17
- Sodium: 105
- Fat: 10
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Unsaturated Fat: 3
- Trans Fat: 0.4
- Carbohydrates: 29
- Fiber: 1
- Protein: 2
- Cholesterol: 32