Ingredients (~24 cookies)
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
For the Cookie Dough
- 1 1/2 cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1 cup pumpkin puree (Libby’s is recommended)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup dark brown sugar, packed
- 4 large egg yolks, room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Brown the Butter and Dry the Pumpkin
In a light-colored saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Continue cooking and swirling the pan until the butter foams, turns a deep amber color, and smells nutty. Pour all of the browned butter and the solids at the bottom into a glass measuring cup.
Let it cool in the fridge, stirring every 20 minutes, until it’s cool but still liquid (~70-75°F). This will take about 45-60 minutes.
While the butter cools, spread the pumpkin puree onto a plate lined with a few paper towels. Press another layer of paper towels on top to absorb the excess liquid. Scrape the pumpkin into a pile, re-spread it, and repeat with fresh paper towels until the pumpkin feels dense and like soft play-doh.
This step is critical; skipping it will result in cakey cookies. You should have about 1/2 to 2/3 cup of dried pumpkin puree when you’re done.
Make and Bake the Cookies
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, combine the 1/2 cup of granulated sugar and the cinnamon for the coating.
Once the butter is cool, whisk it together with the 1 cup of granulated sugar and the dark brown sugar for one minute. The mixture will look like wet sand.
Whisk in the egg yolks and vanilla, then whisk in the dried pumpkin puree.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients with a spatula until just combined.
The dough will be soft. Chill it in the fridge for ~5-10 minutes to make it easier to scoop.
Use a large cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons) to portion the dough. Roll each ball in the cinnamon-sugar mixture and place them on the prepared baking sheets, spaced 2-3 inches apart.
Bake one tray at a time for ~10-12 minutes. The edges should be golden brown, but the centers should still be puffy and slightly underbaked. Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet before moving them.
Chewy Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies
Ingredients
For the Cinnamon Sugar Coating
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
For the Cookie Dough
- 1 1/2 cups unsalted butter 3 sticks
- 1 cup pumpkin puree Libby's is recommended
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup dark brown sugar packed
- 4 large egg yolks room temperature
- 1 tbsp vanilla extract
- 3 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp cream of tartar
- 1 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
- Brown butter in saucepan over medium heat until amber and nutty. Pour into measuring cup, refrigerate 45-60 minutes until cool but liquid, stirring every 20 minutes.
- Spread pumpkin puree between paper towels, pressing to remove moisture. Repeat until texture is dense like play-doh (about 1/2-2/3 cup final amount).
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment.
- Mix 1/2 cup sugar with cinnamon in small bowl for coating.
- Whisk cooled brown butter with sugars for 1 minute until sandy.
- Whisk in egg yolks, vanilla, and dried pumpkin puree.
- Combine dry ingredients separately, then fold into wet ingredients until just mixed.
- Chill dough 5-10 minutes.
- Scoop 3-tablespoon portions, roll in cinnamon sugar, place on sheets 2-3 inches apart.
- Bake one tray at a time for 10-12 minutes until edges are golden but centers remain puffy.
- Cool completely on baking sheet.
