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Brown Butter Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies

Brown butter pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies with crackled cinnamon sugar tops
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Soft, chewy pumpkin cookies made with nutty brown butter and rolled in cinnamon sugar, with carefully controlled moisture for a non-cakey center.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3/4 cup (170 g) unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup (120 g) pumpkin purée, before blotting
  • 3/4 cup (150 g) packed light brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cream of tartar
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
  • 1/3 cup (67 g) granulated sugar, for rolling
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon, for rolling

Instructions

  1. Brown the butter: Melt the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring often, as it foams and the milk solids turn golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Immediately pour the butter and all browned bits into a large heatproof bowl. Cool for 20 minutes, until warm but not hot.
  2. Blot the pumpkin: Spread the pumpkin over a double layer of paper towel. Press with more paper towel and repeat with dry sections until thick and reduced to about 1/3 cup (80 g). Measure the blotted pumpkin; discard or save any excess.
  3. Mix the wet ingredients: Whisk the brown sugar and 1/3 cup granulated sugar into the cooled brown butter. Whisk in the blotted pumpkin, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth and combined.
  4. Finish and chill the dough: In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Fold the dry mixture into the wet ingredients just until no dry flour remains. Cover and refrigerate for 45 minutes.
  5. Prepare the oven and coating: Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two light-colored baking sheets with parchment. Mix the 1/3 cup granulated sugar and 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon in a shallow bowl.
  6. Shape the cookies: Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon portions, about 40 g each, and roll into balls. Coat each ball generously in cinnamon sugar. Arrange 6 cookies per prepared pan, leaving about 3 inches between them.
  7. Bake: Bake one pan at a time for 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly cracked but the centers still look soft. If needed, gently tap the pan on the counter once to settle very domed cookies.
  8. Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Cool completely before storing.

Notes

Total time is about 1 hour 47 minutes: 30 minutes active preparation, 20 minutes cooling the brown butter, 45 minutes chilling, and about 12 minutes baking per pan. Bake one pan at a time for even results. Store airtight at room temperature for up to 4 days or freeze up to 2 months. Contains milk, egg, and wheat. Images are AI-generated illustrations; recipe not kitchen-tested.

Find it online: https://sweetindulgencerecipes.com/brown-butter-pumpkin-snickerdoodles/