Description
These Brown Butter Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies combine the warm, nutty flavor of brown butter with the cozy spices and moisture of pumpkin puree, resulting in soft, chewy cookies with a delicate cinnamon sugar coating. Perfect for fall or any time you crave a seasonal twist on a beloved classic.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- Browning the Butter: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter, swirling occasionally. Cook until the butter foams and turns golden brown, releasing a nutty aroma, about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
- Mixing Sugars and Butter: In a large mixing bowl, combine the browned butter with granulated sugar and brown sugar. Mix thoroughly until well combined.
- Adding Pumpkin and Egg: Stir in the pumpkin puree, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth.
- Combining Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves to evenly distribute the spices.
- Incorporating Dry into Wet: Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients, mixing just until combined to avoid overworking the dough.
- Chilling the Dough: Cover the dough and refrigerate it for at least 30 minutes to firm up, making it easier to shape.
- Preparing to Bake: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Making Cinnamon Sugar Coating: In a small bowl, combine cinnamon and granulated sugar for rolling the cookie dough balls.
- Shaping Cookies: Scoop about 1.5 tablespoons of dough, roll into balls, and coat each ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture until fully covered.
- Arranging on Baking Sheet: Place the coated dough balls on the prepared baking sheet spaced about 2 inches apart to allow for spreading.
- Baking: Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are lightly golden. Centers might appear slightly underdone but will firm up while cooling.
- Cooling: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Ensure the browned butter has cooled to room temperature before mixing with sugars to prevent melting the sugar.
- Chilling the dough helps maintain the shape and prevents excess spreading during baking.
- The centers may look soft when removed from the oven but will set as they cool—avoid overbaking.
- For a more intense pumpkin flavor, you can increase the pumpkin puree to 3/4 cup but reduce flour slightly if needed.
- Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for longer storage.
