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Chewy pumpkin oatmeal cookies infused with warm spices and nutty brown butter, studded with caramel chips.
It’s my favorite season — Pumpkin Week! I joined a group of food bloggers to share an array of pumpkin recipes, from drinks and savory dishes to sweets and even dog treats. Today I’m sharing one of my favorite cookie variations: chewy oatmeal cookies with a pumpkin twist and brown butter for a deeper, nutty flavor.
These cookies take a couple of extra steps compared with a basic cookie recipe, but the results are worth it. The two key techniques that make these cookies come out perfectly are removing excess moisture from the pumpkin puree and browning the butter. Both steps are simple but important for texture and flavor.
To remove excess water from canned or homemade pumpkin puree: line a bowl with two layers of paper towel, add the measured pumpkin, fold the towels over the top and press gently. Let it rest while you brown the butter. This keeps the dough from becoming too wet so the cookies don’t spread excessively.
Browning the butter adds a toasty, nutty note that complements the pumpkin and spices beautifully. Melt the butter in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat, stirring occasionally. After a few minutes the butter will foam and then the milk solids will begin to brown and release a warm, nutty aroma. Remove the pan from the heat as soon as the solids are golden-brown and let the butter cool slightly before using.
I added caramel baking bits to these cookies, which give sweet pockets of chewy caramel in every bite. If you prefer, use cinnamon chips, chocolate chips, or white chocolate chips instead, or omit mix-ins and finish the cookies with a simple glaze made from powdered sugar and a little milk.
For storage, layer the cookies between sheets of parchment or wax paper to prevent sticking. These cookies tend to disappear quickly, so I recommend making a double batch if you want extras to save or share.
Brown Butter Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
24 cookies
30 minutes
15 minutes
45 minutes
Ingredients
- 1 cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups old-fashioned whole rolled oats
- 1 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon ground allspice
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup pumpkin puree, squeezed of excess water
- 1 cup caramel baking bits (or chips of your choice)
Instructions
- Slice the butter into pieces and heat in a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Stir occasionally. The butter will melt and then foam; continue cooking until the milk solids turn golden-brown and the butter smells nutty. Remove from heat and let cool for about 5 minutes.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice until evenly combined.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats and set aside.
- Pour the slightly cooled brown butter into a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the granulated sugar and brown sugar until smooth. Add the egg yolk and vanilla, mixing until combined. Stir in the blotted pumpkin puree until incorporated.
- Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined. Stir in the caramel bits (or chosen chips). The dough will be thick and slightly sticky.
- Using a medium cookie scoop (about 2 heaping tablespoons), portion the dough into balls and place them about 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Gently flatten each ball slightly—the cookies won’t spread much on their own.
- Bake for 14–15 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned and the centers are set. Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely or to ice.
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Slightly adapted from Sally’s Baking Addiction.
Today’s #PumpkinWeek recipes
Pumpkin Drink Recipes:
- Pumpkin Pie Moscow Mule from Love and Confections
Savory Pumpkin Recipes:
- Goat Cheese and Sage Pizza with Pumpkin Crust from The Spiffy Cookie
- Pickled Pumpkin with Sage and Autumn Spices from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
- Pumpkin Beer Bread from Forking Up
- Pumpkin Beer Cheese Soup with Herbed Croutons from The Crumby Kitchen
- Pumpkin Chili from A Kitchen Hoor’s Adventures
- Pumpkin Corn Chowder with Shrimp from Kudos Kitchen by Renee
- Pumpkin Enchiladas with Pumpkin Sauce from Hardly A Goddess
- Pumpkin Focaccia Bread from Cookaholic Wife
- Pumpkin Ravioli with Parmesan Sage Cream Sauce from Rants From My Crazy Kitchen
- Pumpkin Rosemary Hummus with Sizzled Garlic from Amy’s Cooking Adventures
- Pumpkin Stew with Chicken and Black Beans from Palatable Pastime
- Spicy Pumpkin Soup from The Chef Next Door
Sweet Pumpkin Recipes:
- Brown Butter Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies from The Redhead Baker (recipe above)
- Cheesecake Stuffed Pumpkin Bundt Cake from Cooking with Carlee
- Easy Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake from Daily Dish Recipes
- Jumbo Pumpkin Spice Muffins with Pecan Streusel from Family Around The Table
- Kaddo Bowrani (Afghan Pumpkin with Yoghurt Sauce) from Caroline’s Cooking
- Pumpkin Blondies from It Bakes Me Happy
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars from The Bitter Side of Sweet
- Pumpkin Cranberry Oatmeal Bars from The Nifty Foodie
- Pumpkin Madeleines from Mildly Meandering
- Pumpkin Pie Energy Bites from Making Miracles
- Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal from Seduction in the Kitchen
- Pumpkin Pie Tassies from Cindy’s Recipes and Writings
- Pumpkin Scones from The Freshman Cook
- Pumpkin Spice Donuts from A Day in the Life on the Farm
- Pumpkin Spice Donuts from Hezzi-D’s Books and Cooks
- Pumpkin Zucchini Bread from Feeding Big
- Pumpkin Zucchini Streusel Bread from An Affair from the Heart
- Ridiculously Good Dark Chocolate Pumpkin Cake from Bacon Fatte