Description
These Chewy Pumpkin Spice Cookies pack in all the cozy autumn flavor you could want. Brown butter, molasses, cinnamon, and warm spices create a soft, rich cookie with a tender center and a lightly crisp cinnamon-sugar coating. They are simple to make, deeply flavorful, and perfect for fall baking.
Ingredients
Scale
For the Pumpkin Spice Cookies
- 226 g unsalted butter (1 cup)
- 200 g light brown sugar
- 150 g granulated sugar
- 1 large egg (50 g without shell), room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 35 g molasses (2 Tbsp)
- 56 g canned pumpkin puree
- 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp salt
- 3/4 tsp allspice
- 1/4 tsp cloves
- 1/4 tsp ginger
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 295 g all-purpose flour
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 50 g granulated sugar
- 2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Brown the butter.
Place the butter in a small saucepan and melt it over medium heat. Stir or whisk it from time to time as it melts. As the butter continues to cook, watch the bottom of the pan closely. Once the milk solids begin to turn golden and smell toasty and nutty, whisk more often so they do not burn. Remove the pan from the heat as soon as the butter looks browned and aromatic. - Let the butter cool.
Transfer the browned butter to a heat-safe bowl. Set it aside at room temperature for about 30 minutes, or until it cools enough to handle comfortably. You want it to remain soft and pourable, not hot. - Combine the butter and sugars.
Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the cooled browned butter. Stir everything together in a large bowl until the mixture looks smooth and evenly blended. - Mix in the wet ingredients.
Stir in the egg, vanilla extract, and molasses. Mix until the batter looks uniform. Add the pumpkin puree next and stir again until it blends fully into the dough. - Add the dry ingredients.
Sprinkle in the cinnamon, salt, allspice, cloves, ginger, baking soda, and flour. Stir gently, just until the dough forms and no dry streaks remain. Avoid overmixing so the cookies stay tender. - Portion the dough.
Use a heaping 1 1/2-tablespoon cookie scoop, or a level 2-tablespoon scoop if needed. For the most even results, weigh each dough ball. Each one should come to about 28 to 29 grams. This helps all of the cookies bake at the same rate. - Smooth and chill.
Roll each piece of dough between your palms to create a smooth ball. Place the dough balls on a lined baking sheet. Cover the sheet and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or leave it overnight for even better flavor and texture. - Heat the oven.
When you are ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F / 175°C. Prepare half sheet pans with parchment paper. - Make the cinnamon sugar coating.
Stir the granulated sugar and cinnamon together in a small bowl until the mixture looks evenly combined. - Coat the dough balls.
Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator. Roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture so the outside gets a light, even coating. - Bake the cookies.
Arrange the coated dough balls on the parchment-lined sheet pans, leaving enough space for a little spread. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the tops look just slightly dry while the cracks still appear a little moist. - Cool and serve.
Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet briefly, then transfer them to a cooling rack. Enjoy them warm for the softest texture, or let them cool completely before storing. Keep leftovers in an airtight container for up to one week.