Description
Delight in the warm, comforting flavors of chewy maple pumpkin cookies that combine rich brown butter, aromatic pumpkin spices, and the sweet depth of maple syrup. These soft, spiced treats are perfect for fall or any time you crave a cozy, autumn-inspired cookie.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups (270g) all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin or chai spice blend
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup (226g) European style unsalted butter, browned and cooled but still liquid
- 1 cup (200g) light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (79ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- ½ cup (125g) canned pumpkin, blotted
- 2 teaspoons (10ml) vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon (2.5ml) maple extract, optional
Spiced Sugar Topping
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon pumpkin or chai spice blend
Instructions
- Make Brown Butter: Melt butter in a clear heavy-bottom saucepan over medium heat. Once it starts to foam, whisk continuously until brown bits form and it gives off a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and pour into a clean bowl. Let cool for 30 minutes to room temperature, ensuring it remains liquid but not hot.
- Prepare Pumpkin: Spread 2-3 paper towels over a wide, shallow bowl. Scoop a generous ½ cup of canned pumpkin onto the towels and blot to remove excess water. Squeeze gently to remove as much moisture as possible.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together flour, pumpkin or chai spice blend, baking soda, and salt until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Stir the cooled browned butter, light brown sugar, and pure maple syrup together until smooth. Add the egg yolk and whisk until incorporated. Then fold in the blotted pumpkin, vanilla extract, and optional maple extract until evenly combined.
- Incorporate Dry into Wet: Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture just until combined, taking care not to overmix.
- Chill Dough: Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap. Refrigerate for at least 8 hours or overnight to allow flavors to meld and dough to firm up.
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line one or two large baking sheets with parchment paper. Remove dough from the fridge and let sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to promote even spreading.
- Prepare Spiced Sugar Coating: Combine granulated sugar with ½ teaspoon of the pumpkin or chai spice blend. Taste and adjust the spice level to your preference.
- Scoop and Coat Dough: Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, portion dough and roll each ball in the spiced sugar mixture until fully coated.
- Arrange and Bake: Place coated dough balls on prepared baking sheets spacing them 2-3 inches apart. Bake for 12-14 minutes until edges are set.
- Adjust Puffiness (Optional): At 9-10 minutes, check cookies. If they are puffier than desired, carefully remove the baking sheet from the oven and firmly bang it on the oven rack a few times to encourage spreading. Return to oven to finish baking for 3-4 minutes.
- Cool: Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet atop a cooling rack for 3-5 minutes. Then transfer cookies to the cooling rack to cool completely before serving.
Notes
- Using European style butter helps achieve a richer, nuttier brown butter flavor due to its higher fat content.
- Blotting and squeezing the canned pumpkin removes excess water, preventing soggy dough and helping achieve chewy texture.
- Chilling the dough overnight enhances flavor development and improves texture.
- Maple extract is optional but adds an extra depth of maple flavor.
- Banging the pan during baking helps control cookie spread and puffiness for desired chewiness.
- For best results, use fresh spices to maximize aroma and flavor impact.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes (plus 8 hours chilling)
- Cook Time: 12-14 minutes
- Category: Dessert, Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 180 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 100 mg
- Fat: 9 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0.1 g
- Carbohydrates: 23 g
- Fiber: 1.5 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
Keywords: chewy pumpkin cookies, maple pumpkin cookies, brown butter cookies, spiced pumpkin cookies, fall cookies, autumn desserts
