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Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Warm pumpkin spice, semisweet chocolate, and nutty brown butter come together with a subtle caramelized flavor.
Texture: Rich, chewy, and soft, with no cakey texture.
Ease: Browning the butter adds an extra step, but these cookies are simple to make. No mixer needed!
Why you’ll love this recipe: Big PSL vibes in cookie form. I make these every fall!
Fall baking just got a whole lot more delicious with these Brown Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. And the best part? They’re SO easy to make!
There’s nothing better than a chocolate chip cookie that’s crisp at the edges and super chewy and soft throughout. But adding pumpkin can sometimes ruin this texture, creating a cakey cookie that’s so much less satisfying.
I tinkered with this recipe until I had the perfect pumpkin spice flavor AND that ideal chewy cookie texture. One of the key ingredients to these crave-worthy cookies? Browned butter!
Browned butter can add so much depth of flavor to cookies, like in Brown Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies. It elevates simple recipes, such as Brown Butter Brownies. It adds complexity to rich desserts, like Browned Butter Maple Pecan Pie. And it’s the perfect complement to the warm spices in these pumpkin cookies.
These cookies do require a brief chill period before baking, but I promise, it’ll be SO worth it once you bite into a thick, chewy, and slightly gooey cookie that tastes like fall heaven.
These brown butter pumpkin chocolate chip cookies were rich and delicious! I loved the nutty flavor from the browned butter. It was my first time attempting browning butter, and it was actually quite easy. I can’t wait to try the other browned butter recipes now!
Cookies going to the local food bank for a Saturday cookie treat – they were a big hit!
Recipe Ingredients
- Chocolate chips – I love semisweet chocolate chips here, but feel free to use any chips you prefer – just keep in mind that this will impact the overall sweetness of your cookies and may overshadow the pumpkin spice flavor.
- Butter – Always use unsalted butter in baking.
- Sugar – A combination of granulated and light brown sugar for the perfect butterscotch flavors and crisp edges. Do not reduce the sugar in these cookies to avoid dry, hard, crumbly cookies that don’t spread. Learn about the role sugar plays in baking here.
- All-purpose flour – Be sure to measure your flour correctly to avoid dry, hard, or cakey cookies. I highly recommend using a digital kitchen scale, but if you don’t have one, use the spoon and level method.
- Salt – I prefer to use fine sea salt in baking. Learn more about salt in baking here.
- Baking soda – For the perfect amount of spread. Learn more about Baking Soda vs. Baking Powder here.
- Spices – We’re using ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves for that perfect pumpkin spice flavor. Make sure your spices are fresh! If they no longer have a nice, strong smell, they won’t give your baked goods any flavor and your cookies will be bland.
- Egg yolk – Egg yolks contain protein and fat, which adds chewiness and richness, whereas egg whites can create a lighter, more cakey texture. To avoid cakiness, we’re skipping the egg white here.
- Vanilla extract – As a flavor enhancer, preventing a flatter pumpkin taste.
- Pumpkin puree – Make sure to use canned pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling in these cookies. More on pumpkin puree below.
Browning Butter
Check out my tips and tricks for browning butter in my How to Brown Butter article here. I promise it’s simpler than you might think, and it adds so much depth of flavor to these cookies.
The Pumpkin
I recommend using a high-quality canned pumpkin, like Libby’s Pumpkin Puree, in these cookies. Do not use homemade pumpkin puree, as it can add too much moisture and make the cookies cakey. Check out my Fresh vs. Canned Pumpkin article for side-by-side comparisons between using fresh pumpkin puree, regular canned pumpkin, and organic canned pumpkin.
Sprinkle of Science (open me!)
Because these cookies are made with brown butter, the butter needs to re-solidify before baking, so chill for 30 minutes before baking. If you skip the chilling period, the cookies will spread.
You can also prepare the dough ahead and “marinate” the cookie dough by storing it in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 48 hours before baking. This will make thicker, slightly chewier, and more flavorful cookies!
Storage & Make ahead
Room Temperature: Store baked, cooled pumpkin cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days. Store with a tortilla to keep cookies soft for longer.
Freezer:
- Cookie Dough: Freeze the portioned, slightly flattened cookie dough balls on a parchment paper-lined rimmed baking sheet until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag or airtight container. Store for up to one month. Bake directly from frozen, lowering the temperature to 325°F and adding a minute or two to the bake time. Learn more about freezing cookie dough here.
- Baked Cookies: Allow cookies to cool completely, then store inside an airtight container for up to a month. Thaw at room temperature and allow to return to room temperature before serving.
Frequently Asked Questions
Dark brown sugar should work just fine in place of the light brown sugar. You can also make your own brown sugar – learn how to make brown sugar here.
Yes! Simply double all ingredients to yield approximately 50 medium-sized cookies.
Sure! Use a large 3-tablespoon cookie scoop and bake at 350°F for about 12-15 minutes.
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Ingredients
- 10 tablespoons (142 grams) unsalted butter
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) light brown sugar
- 1 ½ cups (204 grams) all-purpose flour (see recipe notes)
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon cloves
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup (75 grams) pumpkin puree (see recipe notes)
- 3/4 cup (128 grams) semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium stainless steel sauté pan set over medium heat, melt the butter. Swirling the pan occasionally, continue to cook the butter. It should become foamy with audible cracking and popping noises. Once the crackling becomes quieter, continue to swirl the pan or stir until the butter develops a nutty aroma and brown bits start to form at the bottom. Once the bits are amber in color, remove from heat and pour into a mixing bowl. Be sure to keep the brown bits at the bottom of the pan as well, they hold so much flavor!
- To the hot butter, add the granulated sugar and brown sugar and stir to combine. Set aside to cool to room temperature.
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, salt, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
- To the cooled butter mixture, add the egg yolk and vanilla, stirring to combine. Stir in pumpkin puree until smooth. Add the flour mixture in 3 batches, mixing well after each addition, until a soft dough forms. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Cover and chill the dough in the fridge for 30 minutes or until firm enough to scoop. You can also refrigerate the dough for up to 48 hours, which will intensify the flavors. If refrigerating for an extended period, let dough sit at room temperature until soft enough to scoop, about 1 hour.
- Using a medium spring-loaded cookie scoop or a spoon, roll the dough into 1 ½-tablespoon-sized balls and place on the prepared baking sheets. Flatten slightly with the palm of your hand. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until set and edges are lightly browned.
- Let cool completely. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Pumpkin flavor will intensify after a day.
Notes
This recipe was originally published in 2018 and updated in 2024 with recipe improvements and additional tips. Photos by Joanie Simon.
my daughter made these on her own. I was a little skeptical because I find cookies so hard to make but these are absolutely delicious, amazing texture and just a fun cookie!
Delicious and great texture! Could have a little more pumpkin flavor
These were pretty good even though I’m not crazy about the combo of pumpkin and chocolate. Next time I might try leaving the chocolate chips out or switching to white chocolate chips.
I enjoyed how it was a chewy cookie with warm spices . The brown butter, chocolate chips & pumpkin puree were a match made in autumn heaven .
Since I had some extra time, I went ahead and chilled the dough for two hours instead of 30 minutes. I will definitely be making these again, I want try marinate the cookie dough at least for overnight or 24 hrs.. I also would like to add some toasted nuts or dried cherries to the cookie dough next time, I make these.
I’m so glad I tried this recipe .
Yummy! Perfect for celebrating the season!
The brown butter takes this cookie next level! And I love how easy the recipe is to make, no mixer required and the flavor and texture are spot on!
Such a great fall cookie!
Browning the butter made these cookies so tasteful! The pumpkin flavor was just right. They were chewy on the outside and tender in the middle.
I like that the pumpkin flavor is very mild and it is very yummy
Very tasty! My first time making these.
I was initially wondering if the pumpkin would overpower the chocolate, or vice versa…..but it did not! Great balance of flavors. Wonderful, warm spices.
I really love the textures…..the crispy edges and chewy cookie. Perfect.
I’ve got some frozen to use for part of our Thanksgiving desserts too.
These were so delicious! Perfect for autumn. 🎃🍂🧡
I love these cookies! The brown butter makes all the difference and adds the best flavor!