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Cozy Brown Butter Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies

brown butter pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies - featured image
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These cookies combine nutty brown butter with pumpkin puree for a deeply flavorful, soft, and chewy snickerdoodle. Rolled in cinnamon sugar, they crackle on top and stay tender in the middle, making them the perfect cozy treat for chilly evenings.

Ingredients

Scale
  • ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
  • ¼ cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1¾ cups (210g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
  • ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves
  • ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
  • ¼ cup (50g) packed light brown sugar
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar (for coating)
  • 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon (for coating)

Instructions

  1. Brown the butter with pumpkin: Place butter in a light-colored skillet over medium heat. Melt completely, then cook, swirling occasionally, until it foams, turns golden, and develops brown specks (about 5-7 minutes). Stir in pumpkin puree (it will sputter). Stir constantly for 30 seconds, then remove from heat. Let cool for 10 minutes until warm but not hot.
  2. Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Set aside.
  3. Combine wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cooled brown butter-pumpkin mixture until smooth. Add egg and vanilla extract; whisk vigorously until pale and slightly thickened (about 1 minute).
  4. Fold in dry ingredients: Pour dry ingredients into wet mixture. Fold gently with a spatula until just combined (no streaks of flour). Dough will be soft and slightly sticky.
  5. Make cinnamon sugar coating: In a small bowl, stir together ¼ cup sugar and 1 tablespoon cinnamon.
  6. Shape cookies: Using a cookie scoop or spoon, portion dough into 1.5-tablespoon balls. Roll each ball smooth between palms, then roll generously in cinnamon sugar mixture. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart (about 18 cookies).
  7. Bake: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Bake one sheet at a time for 10-12 minutes. Cookies should look puffy, slightly cracked on top, and set around edges with soft centers.
  8. Cool: Let cookies rest on baking sheet for 5 minutes (they are fragile). Transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy one warm!

Notes

Do not skip browning the butter—it creates the signature nutty flavor. Use a light-colored pan to monitor browning. Let egg come to room temperature to avoid seizing the butter mixture. Do not overbake; cookies continue cooking on the hot sheet. For best texture, let brown butter-pumpkin mixture cool to about 85°F (30°C) before mixing. Chilling dough for 30 minutes (optional) enhances flavor and reduces spreading.

Nutrition

Keywords: brown butter, pumpkin, snickerdoodle, cookies, fall, autumn, cinnamon sugar, easy, no chill

Find it online: https://dinadishes.com/cozy-brown-butter-pumpkin-snickerdoodle-cookies/