Description
These chewy maple pumpkin cookies feature a perfect balance of warm spices, rich browned butter, and the natural sweetness of maple syrup and pumpkin. The dough is chilled overnight for excellent texture, then rolled in spiced sugar for a delicate crunch before baking to golden perfection. These fall-inspired treats deliver a soft, chewy bite bursting with autumnal flavors, ideal for cozy gatherings or seasonal celebrations.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/4 c (270g) all purpose flour
- 2 tsp pumpkin or chai spice blend
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
Wet Ingredients
- 1 c (226g) European style unsalted butter, browned and cool but still liquid
- 1 c (200g) light brown sugar
- 1/3 c (79ml) pure maple syrup
- 1 large egg yolk, room temperature
- 1/2 c (125g) canned pumpkin, blotted
- 2 tsp (10ml) vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp (2.5ml) maple extract, optional
Spiced Sugar Coating
- 1/2 c (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/2 tsp pumpkin or chai spice blend
Instructions
- Make Brown Butter: About an hour before making the cookies, melt the butter in a clear heavy-bottom saucepan. Once it starts foaming, whisk continuously until brown bits form and it smells nutty. Remove from heat, pour into a clean bowl and let cool 30 minutes to room temperature.
- Prepare Pumpkin: Lay 2-3 paper towels over a wide, shallow bowl and add about ½ cup of canned pumpkin. Let the paper towels absorb excess moisture, then squeeze out additional water from the pumpkin before use to keep dough consistency optimal.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, chosen spice blend (pumpkin or chai), baking soda, and salt until evenly combined. Set aside.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Stir the cooled browned butter, brown sugar, and maple syrup until well combined. Add the egg yolk, mixing thoroughly, then fold in the blotted pumpkin, vanilla extract, and optional maple extract until fully incorporated.
- Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, stirring just until combined. Avoid overmixing to maintain the chewy texture.
- Chill Dough: Cover the dough with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight to firm up and develop flavor.
- Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets: When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line 1-2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper. Remove dough from fridge and let it sit at room temperature for 30 minutes to help the cookies spread evenly during baking.
- Prepare Spiced Sugar: Mix granulated sugar with the spice blend used in the dough until well combined. Adjust spices to taste for your preferred balance.
- Scoop and Coat Dough: Use a 2-inch cookie scoop to portion dough. Roll each ball generously in the spiced sugar mixture, ensuring full coverage.
- Arrange Cookies: Place the sugar-coated dough balls 2-3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets to allow for spreading.
- Bake Cookies: Bake at 350°F (177°C) for 12-14 minutes. At about 9-10 minutes, check the cookies; if they appear puffier than desired, open the oven and firmly bang the cookie sheet on the rack a few times to encourage spreading. Continue baking for another 3-4 minutes until golden.
- Cool Cookies: Remove from oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet placed on a cooling rack for 3-5 minutes. Then transfer the cookies to the cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Recipe was updated on 11/29/21 after retesting to improve cookie texture, making them flatter and chewier.
- Blotting the canned pumpkin removes excess water, which is key to achieving the perfect cookie consistency.
- Allowing dough to sit at room temperature before baking helps the cookies spread evenly and avoids overly puffy results.
- Banging the pan partway through baking encourages a flatter, chewier cookie if needed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 15g
- Sodium: 120mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
