Go Back

Brown Butter Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Brown butter pumpkin oatmeal cookies with nutty browned butter, warm pumpkin spice dough, and rolled oats for a soft, chewy center with crisp edges. Brown the butter first, chill the dough, then bake until the edges turn golden and the centers look just set.
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 13 minutes
Chill 30 minutes
Total Time 58 minutes
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 190
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Wet ingredients
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter
  • 1 cup brown sugar
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 egg
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 0.5 cup pumpkin puree, blotted dry Blot dry for better structure.
Dry ingredients
  • 1.5 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1.5 tsp pumpkin spice
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 1.5 cup rolled oats

Equipment

  • 1 cast iron skillet
  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Brown the butter
  1. Melt the butter in a skillet over medium heat until it turns golden brown and smells nutty, about 3-4 minutes, and keep it moving so it browns evenly.
  2. Remove the skillet from the heat and transfer the browned butter to a heatproof bowl to cool for about 5 minutes, until warm rather than hot.
Mix the dough
  1. Stir the melted butter and sugars together until dissolved, then mix in the egg, vanilla, and blotted pumpkin puree until smooth.
  2. Stir in the flour, pumpkin spice, baking soda, and salt until just combined, then fold in the oats until no dry streaks remain.
Chill and bake
  1. Chill the dough for 30 minutes, until firm enough to scoop cleanly.
  2. Preheat the oven to 350F and line baking sheets with parchment paper, so the sheets are ready when the dough is chilled.
  3. Scoop the dough onto the sheets with spacing between cookies, then bake for 11-13 minutes until the edges are golden and the centers look just set.

Notes

Pro tip: blot the pumpkin puree dry before mixing so the cookies set up with fewer spread issues. Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days; refrigerate up to 7 days. Freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months. For a dairy-free swap, use a 1:1 plant-butter substitute that browns well, like a vegan butter formulated for baking (flavor will be slightly different).