If you’re craving the perfect fall treat, you absolutely need to try this Chewy Maple Pumpkin Cookies Recipe. These cookies strike such a delightful balance — chewy, soft, and bursting with warm pumpkin and cozy spices, all enhanced by the rich depth of maple syrup. I love how these cookies feel special enough for Thanksgiving or a holiday party, yet super easy and approachable for a weeknight baking session.
When I first tried this Chewy Maple Pumpkin Cookies Recipe, I was blown away by how the browned butter and maple really brought out the pumpkin’s natural sweetness without being too heavy or cakey. They’re perfect with a cup of tea in the afternoon or as a sweet finish after dinner, and I’m confident you’ll find them just as irresistible as my family does whenever I make them.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Perfect Chewiness: The cookies are soft with just the right chewiness that keeps you coming back for more.
- Rich Maple Flavor: Using pure maple syrup and optional maple extract adds a lovely depth and warmth.
- Brown Butter Magic: Browning the butter brings a subtle nutty character that elevates these cookies entirely.
- Easy Prep with Chilling: Chilling the dough overnight improves flavor and texture without adding complexity.
Ingredients You’ll Need
These ingredients come together to create a warm, spiced cookie with a perfect bake. A few key tips: use a good European-style butter for browning, and make sure to blot your canned pumpkin to avoid soggy dough.
- All-purpose flour: The classic base for structure; make sure to measure properly for best texture.
- Pumpkin or chai spice blend: Choose a quality blend or make your own for that cozy fall flavor.
- Baking soda: Helps the cookies spread and rise just right.
- Salt: Balances sweetness and enhances all the flavors.
- European style unsalted butter: Browning this adds richness and a nutty aroma; don’t skip this step.
- Light brown sugar: Adds moisture and a mild molasses undertone.
- Pure maple syrup: Gives a distinct sweetness and depth — don’t substitute with pancake syrup for best results.
- Egg yolk: Adds richness and helps bind the dough.
- Canned pumpkin: Be sure to blot excess water to keep your cookies chewy, not cakey.
- Vanilla extract: A little magic that enhances every flavor note.
- Maple extract (optional): Boosts the maple aroma for those who want more maple punch.
- Granulated sugar: For the spiced sugar coating that adds a delightful crunch.
Variations
I love how versatile this Chewy Maple Pumpkin Cookies Recipe is — it’s a great base for personalization! Depending on what you have on hand or your dietary needs, there are a few tweaks I’ve tried that add new twists or simplify the process.
- Gluten-Free Variation: I’ve swapped the all-purpose flour for a cup-for-cup gluten-free blend with great results — the cookies keep their chewiness beautifully.
- Spice Mix Swap: Using chai spice instead of pumpkin spice bumps up the warmth and adds a slightly floral note that I really enjoy.
- Maple-Free Version: If you don’t love maple, swapping maple syrup for honey works okay but changes the flavor profile significantly — still tasty but not quite the same magic.
- Nut Add-Ins: Adding chopped pecans or walnuts for texture is my go-to for a festive touch, just toss them in with the dry ingredients.
How to Make Chewy Maple Pumpkin Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Brown the Butter with Patience
Start about an hour before you plan to bake by browning your butter. Melt it gently in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, whisking continuously as the foaming subsides and golden brown specks appear. This usually takes around 15 minutes. Pour it into a clean bowl to cool — the butter should be cool but still liquid when you add it to the dough. This step adds an amazing nutty aroma that really sets these cookies apart, so don’t rush it!
Step 2: Prep the Pumpkin
Next, blot your canned pumpkin with paper towels to remove excess moisture — this is a tip I discovered after my first batch was too soft and cakey. Lay 2-3 paper towels in a shallow bowl, scoop the pumpkin onto them, and gently press out the extra water. This little step keeps your cookies chewy, not soggy.
Step 3: Mix Dry Ingredients
Whisk together the flour, your chosen pumpkin or chai spice blend, baking soda, and salt in a bowl until fully combined. Setting the dry mix aside helps speed things up when you combine them later.
Step 4: Combine Wet Ingredients
In a separate bowl, stir the cooled browned butter with the brown sugar and maple syrup until smooth and glossy. Then add the egg yolk and whisk until fully incorporated. Finally, stir in the blotted pumpkin, vanilla extract, and maple extract if using. Your wet mixture will be fragrant and beautiful — this is where the flavor magic really starts coming together!
Step 5: Bring It Together and Chill
Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined — don’t overmix here or your cookies might turn out dense. Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight. Trust me, I learned the hard way that this chilling step deepens the flavor and perfects the texture dramatically.
Step 6: Prep and Bake
When you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Let the dough sit at room temperature for 30 minutes so it softens slightly — this helps the cookies spread to that perfect flat and chewy shape. Combine your granulated sugar with your spice mix for the coating, adjust the spice balance to your taste, and roll 2” cookie scoop-sized balls of dough in this spiced sugar.
Place the dough balls 2-3 inches apart on parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 12-14 minutes, but keep an eye at around 9-10 minutes — if your cookies are puffy, gently bang the cookie sheet on the oven rack a few times to encourage spreading. Let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
Pro Tips for Making Chewy Maple Pumpkin Cookies Recipe
- Brown Butter Timing: Let the brown butter cool until just warm but still liquid — too hot and it scrambles the egg yolk; too cold and it hardens before mixing.
- Pumpkin Prep: Always blot canned pumpkin to avoid watery dough, which was a game changer in my baking success.
- Spiced Sugar Coating: Don’t skip rolling the dough in the spiced sugar — it adds a delightful crunchy contrast that makes these cookies special.
- Cookie Puffs: If cookies puff too much, gently knocking the pan shakes them down without deflating the chewy texture.
How to Serve Chewy Maple Pumpkin Cookies Recipe
Garnishes
I usually keep it simple by serving these cookies plain to highlight their warm spices, but a dusting of powdered sugar or a light drizzle of maple glaze can add a touch of elegance for gatherings. Toasted pecans or a sprinkle of flaky sea salt is also a nice surprise on top if you want to jazz them up.
Side Dishes
Pair these cookies with a hot cup of chai tea, coffee, or even a glass of cold milk for the perfect comforting combo. For brunch, they go surprisingly well alongside creamy yogurt with fresh fruit or even a slice of spiced pumpkin bread.
Creative Ways to Present
For special occasions, I like stacking these cookies with layers of cream cheese frosting or serving them as mini ice cream sandwiches with pumpkin or vanilla ice cream. Wrapping them in cellophane tied with twine makes a sweet, homemade gift that never fails to impress friends and family.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Once cooled, I store leftover cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They stay soft and chewy for about 3-4 days, which is perfect if you bake a batch and want to enjoy them fresh all week.
Freezing
I freeze well-formed cookie dough balls on a sheet tray, then transfer them to a freezer bag so I can bake fresh cookies anytime I want. Alternatively, baked cookies freeze well wrapped tightly in freezer-safe containers — just thaw before serving.
Reheating
To bring back that just-baked warmth, I pop cookies in the microwave for 10-15 seconds or warm them in a toaster oven for a minute. This revives their chewiness without drying them out.
FAQs
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Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned?
Yes, you can use fresh pumpkin, but be sure to roast and puree it until very smooth and then blot it with paper towels to remove excess moisture. The moisture content is crucial for keeping the cookies chewy rather than cakey.
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Why is the dough chilled for so long?
Chilling the dough allows the flavors to meld and the flour to hydrate properly, resulting in cookies that are chewier and more flavorful. It also helps control spread during baking, giving you that ideal cookie shape and texture.
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What’s the trick to making these cookies chewy and not cakey?
The key tricks are browning the butter for richness, blotting the pumpkin to reduce water, using only the egg yolk (no whites), and chilling the dough overnight. These steps balance moisture and texture perfectly for chewy cookies.
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Can I make these cookies without maple extract?
Absolutely! The maple extract is optional; the pure maple syrup already brings great flavor. If you want a milder maple note, simply leave it out.
Final Thoughts
This Chewy Maple Pumpkin Cookies Recipe has become my go-to comfort treat every fall and beyond. I love how the combination of browned butter and sweet maple elevates simple pumpkin cookies into something truly special. You’ll enjoy the chewy texture, warm spices, and the cozy feeling these cookies bring — trust me, once you try this recipe, it might just become your favorite too. So go ahead, gather your ingredients and make these for yourself or your loved ones — it’s one of those recipes that never disappoints.
Print
Chewy Maple Pumpkin Cookies Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 8 hours 32 minutes
- Yield: 20 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These chewy maple pumpkin cookies combine the warm flavors of pumpkin, maple syrup, and a pumpkin spice blend into a soft, chewy treat perfect for fall. Brown butter adds depth and richness while a spiced sugar coating gives each cookie a delightful sweet and aromatic finish. Chilling the dough overnight ensures the perfect texture and flavor development.
Ingredients
Cookie Dough
- 2 1/4 cups (270g) all purpose flour
- 2 tsp pumpkin or chai spice blend
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup (226g) European style unsalted butter, browned and cooled but still liquid
- 1 cup (200g) light brown sugar
- 1/3 cup (79ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1/2 cup (125g) canned pumpkin, blotted to remove excess water
- 2 tsp (10ml) vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp (2.5ml) maple extract (optional)
Spiced Sugar Coating
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin or chai spice blend
Instructions
- Make Brown Butter: Melt butter in a clear heavy bottom saucepan over medium heat. Once the butter foams, whisk continuously until brown bits form and it develops a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and pour into a clean bowl. Allow to cool at room temperature for about 30 minutes until still liquid but not hot.
- Prepare Pumpkin: Lay 2-3 paper towels in a wide, shallow bowl. Scoop a generous ½ cup of canned pumpkin onto the towels. Let excess water absorb, then gently squeeze out as much moisture as possible. This ensures the dough won’t be too wet.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, chosen pumpkin or chai spice blend, baking soda, and salt until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, stir the cooled brown butter, brown sugar, and pure maple syrup together until smooth and fully incorporated.
- Add Egg Yolk: Stir in the room temperature egg yolk until combined with the wet mixture.
- Add Pumpkin and Extracts: Mix in the blotted pumpkin puree, vanilla extract, and optional maple extract until evenly combined.
- Combine Wet and Dry: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep cookies tender.
- Chill Dough: Cover the dough tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours and up to overnight. This chills the dough and enhances flavor and texture.
- Preheat Oven and Prepare Pans: When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line one or two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Bring Dough to Room Temp: Remove the dough from the fridge and let it sit at room temperature for about 30 minutes to help the cookies spread properly during baking.
- Prepare Spiced Sugar: In a small bowl, mix the granulated sugar with the pumpkin or chai spice blend until well combined. Adjust spices to taste.
- Scoop and Coat Dough: Using a 2-inch cookie scoop, portion dough into balls. Roll each dough ball in the spiced sugar mixture to coat thoroughly.
- Arrange on Baking Sheets: Place the sugar-coated dough balls 2-3 inches apart on the prepared parchment-lined cookie sheets.
- Bake Cookies: Bake in preheated oven for 12-14 minutes. Around 9-10 minutes in, check the cookies; if they appear too puffy, open the oven and firmly bang the cookie sheet on the oven rack a few times to encourage spreading. Continue baking for the remaining 3-4 minutes.
- Cool Cookies: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet set atop a cooling rack for 3-5 minutes, then transfer them directly to the cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
- This recipe was updated on 11/29/21 following a retest to ensure a flatter and chewier pumpkin cookie texture.
- Blotting the pumpkin to remove excess moisture is crucial to avoid overly wet dough and spread during baking.
- Chilling the dough overnight significantly improves texture and flavor.
- Brown butter adds a rich, nutty depth to the cookies that complements the pumpkin and spices perfectly.
- Gently banging the cookie sheet on the oven rack mid-bake helps flatten the cookies if they puff up too much.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 160 kcal
- Sugar: 14 g
- Sodium: 90 mg
- Fat: 8 g
- Saturated Fat: 4.5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 22 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 2 g
- Cholesterol: 30 mg
