Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Butter Icing Recipe
Get ready to swoon over Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Butter Icing! These pillowy-soft, warmly spiced cookies are everything autumn dreams are made of, crowned with a silky, nutty brown butter icing that melts into every bite. Imagine a cookie that combines the essence of pumpkin pie with the comfort of a tender, melt-in-your-mouth treat, perfect for cozying up with a mug of cider. This recipe takes the classic fall flavors you love and elevates them with a finishing touch that’s downright irresistible. Whether you’re baking for a gathering or just want to treat yourself on a crisp afternoon, Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Butter Icing are exactly what you need in your cookie jar.
Ingredients You’ll Need
The magic of Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Butter Icing is how everyday ingredients come together to make something truly special. Each item here plays a part: from the rich pumpkin to that alluring swirl of icing, you’ll find that these pantry staples are greater than the sum of their parts.
- Unsalted butter (softened): Essential for both cookies and icing, it creates a creamy base and turns deeply aromatic when browned.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetness and structure—this keeps your cookies light and tender.
- Packed brown sugar: Adds moisture and a warm, caramel-like depth with every bite.
- Canned pumpkin puree: The star ingredient! Make sure to use pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling, for perfect texture and flavor.
- Large egg: Binds the dough, giving the cookies their soft and cakey texture.
- Vanilla extract: Brings out sweetness and rounds out all the warm spices.
- All-purpose flour: The canvas for your cookies’ soft but structured crumb.
- Baking soda & baking powder: These leaveners ensure the cookies puff up to the ideal cake-like consistency.
- Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves: These classic spices thread autumnal warmth throughout each cookie.
- Salt: Just a pinch intensifies all the cozy flavors.
- Powdered sugar: Forms the base of your richly sweet icing.
- Milk: Adjusts the icing to the perfect spreadable consistency, so it glides right on.
- Pinch of salt (for icing): Helps balance out the sweetness and brings out the complexity of the brown butter.
How to Make Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Butter Icing
Step 1: Prepare Your Baking Sheets & Preheat Oven
Start your baking adventure by preheating the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your baking sheets with parchment paper to ensure effortless removal—and the softest bottoms—for your cookies. A little prep here means less sticking later!
Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugars
In a large bowl, use either a stand mixer or hand mixer to cream the softened butter with both the granulated and brown sugars. Beat until the mixture is light, fluffy, and slightly pale—this step makes your cookies extra tender.
Step 3: Add Pumpkin, Egg, and Vanilla
Next, mix in the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract. The batter might look a bit curdled, but don’t worry! This is just the moisture from the pumpkin melding with the fats and sugars—trust the process.
Step 4: Combine the Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and salt. This step ensures the leaveners and spices are evenly distributed, giving every cookie perfect rise and flavor.
Step 5: Bring It All Together
Gradually incorporate the dry ingredients into the wet mixture, mixing just until combined. Be gentle—overmixing can lead to tough cookies instead of delicate, cake-like morsels.
Step 6: Scoop and Bake
Drop the dough by rounded tablespoonfuls onto your prepared baking sheets, spacing them about 2 inches apart to allow for a gentle spread. Bake for 12–14 minutes, or until the edges look set and the tops appear dry but still soft. Let them cool on the pan for 2 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
Step 7: Create the Brown Butter Icing
To make that unforgettable topping, melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Keep swirling and stirring until it foams and the milk solids begin to turn golden and smell toasty and nutty—this takes about 5-6 minutes. Let it cool slightly. Then, whisk the browned butter with powdered sugar, milk, vanilla, and a pinch of salt until things look lusciously smooth and just spreadable. Add a touch more milk if needed for consistency.
Step 8: Frost and Set
Finally, generously frost the completely cooled cookies with the brown butter icing. Give the icing a few minutes to set slightly (if you can wait!) before digging in. The result? Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Butter Icing that look as divine as they taste.
How to Serve Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Butter Icing
Garnishes
A sprinkle of chopped toasted pecans or walnuts on top of the icing adds welcome crunch and earthy flavor—plus, it looks picture-perfect. For a fun flourish, dust lightly with extra cinnamon or even a little maple sugar right before serving.
Side Dishes
These cookies are wonderful on their own but truly delightful paired with a mug of spiced chai, creamy latte, or classic hot chocolate. If you’re serving a crowd, arrange a cozy dessert board with fresh apple slices and caramel dip beside your Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Butter Icing.
Creative Ways to Present
Stack cookies high on a rustic cake stand, or plate individually with a swirl of extra icing and a cinnamon stick beside for autumn flair. For parties, tuck them into parchment bags and tie with twine for a charming homemade gift. Transform even the simplest gathering into a celebration by making Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Butter Icing the star of your dessert table.
Make Ahead and Storage
Storing Leftovers
Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Butter Icing stay soft and dreamy for up to four days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature. Layer parchment paper between each row of cookies to prevent the icing from sticking.
Freezing
If you want to enjoy these later, freeze unfrosted cookies in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer-safe container for up to two months. Thaw, then frost fresh before serving. You can also freeze the icing separately in an airtight container.
Reheating
If your cookies seem chilly or just need to soften, pop them in the microwave for 5–10 seconds (without icing, if possible). This revives the texture and brings out the spiced aroma. If already iced, serve at room temperature for the best experience.
FAQs
Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned?
Absolutely! Just make sure your homemade pumpkin puree is thick and well-drained—watery puree may make the cookies too cakey or dense. Always measure after draining for accuracy.
Do I have to use brown butter in the icing?
While regular butter works, brown butter gives the icing an irresistible nutty, caramel-note that makes Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Butter Icing truly unforgettable. It’s worth the extra few minutes!
Can I make these gluten-free?
Yes, just substitute a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend for the all-purpose flour. The cookies may be a touch softer, but you’ll still get that cozy pumpkin spice flavor.
Should cookies be frosted while warm or cool?
Let the cookies cool completely before frosting. If frosted while warm, the icing will melt, slide right off, and you’ll miss out on that beautiful, thick swoosh on top.
What other spices work well in this recipe?
Pumpkin spice blends or a pinch of ground ginger can easily be added to the dry ingredients for an extra aromatic twist. Start with a small amount and adjust to taste.
Final Thoughts
If you’ve been searching for a comforting, soul-satisfying autumn cookie, look no further than Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Butter Icing. Each soft, spiced bite crowned with rich icing is a celebration of fall’s coziest flavors. Give this recipe a try—you just might discover your new favorite seasonal treat!
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Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Butter Icing Recipe
- Total Time: 34 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Delight your taste buds with these soft and flavorful Pumpkin Cookies topped with a luscious Brown Butter Icing. Perfect for fall or any time you crave a delicious treat!
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- ½ cup unsalted butter (softened)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed brown sugar
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For the brown butter icing:
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 2–3 tablespoons milk
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and prepare baking sheets: Preheat to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets.
- Mix wet ingredients: Cream butter and sugars, then add pumpkin, egg, and vanilla.
- Combine dry ingredients: Whisk flour, leavening agents, spices, and salt in a separate bowl.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Gradually add dry mix to wet mix.
- Bake: Drop dough on sheets and bake for 12–14 minutes.
- Make icing: Brown butter, then mix with sugar, milk, vanilla, and salt.
- Frost cookies: Ice cooled cookies and allow icing to set.
Notes
- Cookies stay soft and cake-like.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Add chopped pecans for extra crunch.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 14 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 190
- Sugar: 18g
- Sodium: 95mg
- Fat: 8g
- Saturated Fat: 5g
- Unsaturated Fat: 3g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 28g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 30mg
