brown butter and pumpkin cookie

I tried these cookies a few ways – some with a pinch of crystallized ginger, some with a swirl of baking cocoa. Depending on whether your fancy swings towards sweet or savory, give either a try.

Brown Butter and Pumpkin Cookies
makes 3 dozen 2″ round cookies

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, browned
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1 cup granulated sugar
2 1/2 cups flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp salt

1 cup pumpkin puree
1 egg
1 tbsp bourbon (or vanilla)

* optional flavoring *
2 tbsp cocoa powder
2 tbsp diced crystallized ginger

Brown the butter: chop into tablespoons and melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Whisk constantly, as soon as you see brown flecks appear, remove from heat and let sit for 5 minutes. The butter should be a rich brown, with a nutty aroma, but not burned.

brown butter

Add brown sugar and sugar to the bowl of a stand mixer, and pour brown butter into mixture. Cream together. Add egg, beat, then add pumpkin and bourbon and whip until fully combined, a few minutes.

pour brown butter into sugar

In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt. Once thoroughly combined, add to the egg/sugar mixture in the bowl of your stand mixer. Blend together. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.

left: pumpkin batter with cocoa right: pumpkin batter with ginger

While your cookie batter is setting in the refrigerator, preheat oven to 375F. Cover your baking sheet with parchment paper, or a silicone baking mat if you have one. Drop the batter by heaping tablespoons onto the baking sheet. Press down on each cookie evenly with your fingers or palm to flatten.

ready for the oven

Bake for 12-15 minutes. The top of the cookie will be just set. Let cool on a baking rack for a few minutes, if you can.

brown butter pumpkin cookie with cocoa