Description
Delight in these soft and buttery Pumpkin Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies, which combine the rich flavors of browned butter, pumpkin butter, and warm spices. Rolled in cinnamon sugar and packed with semi-sweet and dark chocolate chunks, these cookies are a perfect fall treat with a wonderfully tender texture that stays soft and flavorful.
Ingredients
Butter and Sugars
- 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
Wet Ingredients
- 1/3 cup pumpkin butter, homemade or store-bought
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Chocolate and Toppings
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 4 ounces semi sweet or dark chocolate chunks
- 1/3 cup cinnamon sugar
Instructions
- Brown the butter: Add 1 stick of butter to a small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the butter begins to brown and develops a nutty aroma, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from heat immediately to prevent burning and transfer to a heatproof bowl. Place the bowl in the freezer for 10-15 minutes to chill, but do not leave longer to keep the butter from solidifying completely.
- Preheat oven and prepare baking sheet: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking and ensure even baking.
- Mix the dough: In a large mixing bowl, beat together the remaining 1 stick of room temperature butter, the cooled browned butter, dark brown sugar, and granulated sugar until well combined and creamy. Add the pumpkin butter, egg, and vanilla extract, beating until smooth and fully incorporated. Gradually add the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, and kosher salt, mixing gently. Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips and chocolate chunks evenly throughout the dough.
- Shape and coat cookies: Scoop and roll the dough into approximately 1 tablespoon-sized balls. Generously roll each ball in the cinnamon sugar, then place them spaced 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet to allow room for spreading.
- Bake and flatten: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and gently tap the baking sheet twice on the counter to flatten each cookie slightly. Return the pan to the oven and bake for an additional 1-2 minutes until the edges start to set, but the centers remain slightly doughy.
- Final flatten and cooling: Remove the baking sheet once more and tap it 1-2 times again to flatten the cookies a bit more. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet; they will continue cooking slightly and firm up as they rest. Enjoy warm for the best texture and flavor or cool completely and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Notes
- Using browned butter adds a deep, nutty flavor and richness to these cookies.
- Chilling the browned butter slightly before mixing prevents the egg from cooking and ensures proper dough consistency.
- Rolling the dough balls in cinnamon sugar adds a delightful sweet-spicy crust and extra texture.
- The tapping during baking helps create a thinner, chewy cookie with a tender center.
- Eat cookies warm for optimal softness or store cooled cookies in an airtight container to maintain freshness.
- You can substitute pumpkin pie spice for ground cinnamon if preferred for more complex flavor.
- These cookies keep well at room temperature for up to 4 days or can be frozen for longer storage.