Every time I open a can of pumpkin, I always end up with some leftovers. To avoid waste, I love turning that extra pumpkin puree into something delightful. This fall, try these Brown Butter Pumpkin Cookies—they’re chewy, buttery, and bursting with seasonal flavor. Just a heads-up: this recipe requires some planning as the dough needs to chill for 4-8 hours. But trust me, the wait is worth it!

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What You’ll Need:

• All-purpose flour
• Pumpkin pie spice
• Baking soda (or baking powder—use triple the amount if substituting)
• Salt
• Unsalted butter
• Maple syrup
• Brown sugar
• Egg yolk
• Pumpkin puree
• Vanilla extract
• Sugar

Tips for Perfect Cookies:

Read the Recipe First: Familiarize yourself with the recipe before you start cooking.

Brown the Butter:

• This adds a delicious, nutty flavor to the cookies.
• Use unsalted butter for better control over the salt content.

Chill the Dough:

• Chilling hydrates the dough, making cookies chewier and more flavorful.
• Chill for 4-8 hours or overnight. Remove from the fridge 30 minutes before baking for easier handling.

Use a Cookie Scoop:

• A cookie scoop ensures uniform shape and size for perfectly baked cookies.

Recipe Overview:

Prep Time: 50 minutes
Chill Time: 4-8 hours
Cook Time: 12 minutes
Yield: About 20 cookies

Ingredients:

• 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 1 cup unsalted butter (for browning)
• 1 cup brown sugar
• ⅓ cup maple syrup
• 1 egg yolk
• ½ cup pumpkin puree
• 2 tsp vanilla extract

For the Spiced Sugar Topping:

• ½ cup sugar
• ½ tsp pumpkin pie spice

Instructions:

1. Brown the Butter:
   • About an hour before baking, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk continuously as it foams and turns brown. Remove from heat, transfer to a clean bowl, and cool for 30 minutes.
2. Prepare Dry Ingredients:
   • Whisk together flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
3. Mix Wet Ingredients:
   • Stir the cooled brown butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup together until well combined.
4. Add Egg Yolk:
   • Mix in the egg yolk.
5. Incorporate Pumpkin and Vanilla:
   • Stir in the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract.
6. Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients:
   • Gently mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
7. Chill the Dough:
   • Cover the dough with plastic wrap and chill in the fridge for 4-8 hours, or overnight.
8. Prepare for Baking:
   • Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 1-2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Let the dough sit at room temperature for 30 minutes.
9. Make Spiced Sugar:
   • Mix the sugar and pumpkin pie spice in a small bowl.
10. Shape the Cookies:
    • Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, form dough balls and roll them in the spiced sugar mixture.
11. Bake:
    • Place the dough balls 2-3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Bake for 12-14 minutes.
12. Cool:
    • Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 2-5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Enjoy these deliciously chewy maple pumpkin cookies, perfect for savoring all the cozy flavors of fall!