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Lighter Brown Butter Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookie Recipe

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These lighter brown butter pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies are soft, spiced, and utterly comforting, with a nutty brown butter flavor and a crackly cinnamon-sugar top. They’re a healthier twist on a classic fall cookie that you can feel good about eating.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1/2 cup (1 stick / 113g) unsalted butter
  • 1/2 cup (120g) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
  • 1/2 cup (100g) light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 cup (50g) granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons (30ml) maple syrup
  • 1 large egg, at room temperature
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups (180g) all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • For the coating:
  • 3 tablespoons (45g) granulated sugar
  • 1 tablespoon (8g) ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Brown the butter: Place the 1/2 cup of unsalted butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Let it melt completely, then continue cooking, swirling the pan occasionally. The butter will start to foam, then the foam will subside, and you’ll see little brown specks forming on the bottom. Once it smells nutty and is a deep golden brown (about 5-7 minutes), immediately pour it into a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking process. Let it cool for about 10 minutes.
  2. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
  3. Mix the wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the cooled brown butter, pumpkin puree, packed brown sugar, granulated sugar, maple syrup, egg, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
  4. Combine the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and the 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon until no lumps remain.
  5. Make the dough: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, fold together until just combined. Do not overmix. The dough will be soft and slightly sticky.
  6. Prepare the coating: In a small, shallow bowl, mix together the 3 tablespoons of granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon of cinnamon.
  7. Scoop and coat: Using a cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons), scoop a ball of dough. Drop it into the cinnamon-sugar mixture and roll it around until completely coated. Place on the prepared baking sheet. Repeat with the remaining dough, spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart. You should get about 18 cookies.
  8. Bake: Bake for 10-12 minutes. The edges should be set and lightly golden, but the centers will still look soft and a little puffy. Do not overbake.
  9. Cool: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then carefully transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

Don’t rush the brown butter; use a light-colored pan to see the color change. Measure flour correctly using the spoon-and-level method or a kitchen scale (180g). Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes after baking. Bake from room temperature dough; no chilling required. For even baking, rotate pans halfway through.

Nutrition

Keywords: brown butter, pumpkin, snickerdoodle, cookies, fall baking, healthier, easy

Find it online: https://willarecipes.com/lighter-brown-butter-pumpkin-snickerdoodle-cookie-recipe/