These Browned Butter Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies are soft and chewy with slightly crisp edges and packed with chocolate chips. What could be better?
(Originally published October 20, 2020)
Pumpkin baking is in full swing at my house and shows no signs of stopping. I made these Browned Butter Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies twice last week — they’re that good — and I’m planning to bake them again this week.
I love the thick, cakey pumpkin cookies, but I also adore chewy cookies with crisp edges. After testing and tweaking, I landed on this recipe for the perfect chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookie. If you prefer a cakier pumpkin cookie, this isn’t the one for you — this version focuses on chewiness and deep flavor from browned butter.
These cookies are seriously irresistible. If you need proof, just ask Parker — he ate three in a row within minutes. For a kid who usually takes or leaves cookie dough and often skips cookies entirely when I bake, that reaction says everything.
How to make browned butter chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies
- Brown the butter: Place butter in a medium saucepan or skillet over medium heat. Swirl occasionally. Once melted, watch closely until the butter foams and turns a golden amber with brown flecks. Transfer to a large bowl, scraping in the browned bits, and let cool to room temperature.
- Mix sugars: Add both sugars to the cooled browned butter and stir until smooth with a wooden spoon or a hand mixer.
- Add wet ingredients: Stir in the egg yolk, vanilla, and canned pumpkin until combined and smooth.
- Combine dry ingredients: Add flour, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and baking soda. Mix until just combined.
- Fold in chocolate chips: Stir in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
- Chill the dough: Cover the bowl tightly and freeze for 30 minutes or refrigerate for 1 hour to firm the dough and prevent excessive spreading.
- Preheat and prepare pan: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a sheet pan with parchment paper or a Silpat liner.
- Scoop and bake: Scoop dough balls (about 1½ to 2 tablespoons each). Bake 9–10 minutes, until just set. Let cookies rest on the sheet pan 3–4 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Why did my cookies go flat?
A few common reasons: This recipe uses melted browned butter and pumpkin, which make the dough wetter and slightly warm. Chilling the dough is essential to firm it up and prevent excessive spreading. Also ensure you measure flour accurately — too little flour can cause cookies to flatten.
A few tips for making these cookies:
- Plan ahead and chill the dough. Don’t skip chilling — it keeps the cookies from spreading too much. Chilling overnight and letting the dough sit an hour at room temperature before baking intensifies flavor.
- Use canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Adjust chocolate chips to taste. I like lots of chips, but you can reduce the amount or use a mix of milk and semi-sweet chips.
- For a prettier finish, press a few extra chocolate chips on top of each dough ball before baking or right after they come out of the oven.
- If you prefer flatter cookies, gently press the dough balls before baking. If cookies come out puffier than desired, tap the hot baking sheet lightly on the counter to deflate them slightly.
Browned Butter Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Author: Jodi
Description
These Browned Butter Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies are soft, chewy, have slightly crispy edges, and are loaded with chocolate chips. Perfect for fall or anytime you want a cozy, flavorful cookie.
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, browned and cooled
- 1/2 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup light brown sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/3 cup canned pumpkin
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/4 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/4 cup chocolate chips (milk or semi-sweet)
Instructions
- Place the butter in a medium saucepan or skillet and melt over medium heat, swirling occasionally. Once melted, watch carefully until the butter foams and turns golden amber and brown bits form. Transfer to a large mixing bowl, scraping in the browned bits, and let cool to room temperature.
- Add both sugars to the cooled browned butter and stir until smooth with a wooden spoon or hand mixer.
- Mix in the egg yolk, vanilla, and canned pumpkin until combined and smooth.
- Add flour, salt, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and baking soda. Mix until just combined.
- Stir in the chocolate chips. Cover the bowl tightly and freeze for 30 minutes or refrigerate for 1 hour to firm the dough.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment or a Silpat. Scoop dough balls (1½ to 2 tablespoons each).
- Bake 9–10 minutes until just set. Allow cookies to sit on the sheet pan 3–4 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
