Brown Butter Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
- Cook Time: 37 minutes
- Total Time: 37 minutes
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (moisture blotted with a paper towel)
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- For the coating: 1/4 cup granulated sugar mixed with 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- Step 1: Brown the Butter. Place the butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Melt the butter, then continue cooking while whisking constantly. The butter will foam, then turn clear golden, and finally develop brown specks at the bottom. Once it smells nutty and looks toasted, remove it from the heat immediately and pour it into a large mixing bowl to cool for 10 minutes.
- Step 2: Prepare the Pumpkin Puree. Measure out your pumpkin puree and spread it onto a plate. Use a paper towel to gently blot and press the puree, soaking up excess moisture. This ensures your cookies are chewy rather than cakey. You should end up with a thicker, concentrated pumpkin paste.
- Step 3: Cream the Sugars and Fats. Add the granulated sugar and brown sugar to the cooled brown butter. Whisk vigorously until well combined. Stir in the blotted pumpkin puree, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
- Step 4: Combine Dry Ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring with a spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the dough.
- Step 5: Chill the Dough. Cover the bowl with plastic wrap and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes. Chilling the dough makes it easier to handle and prevents the cookies from spreading too much in the oven.
- Step 6: Roll and Coat. Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop about 1.5 tablespoons of dough and roll into balls. Roll each ball in the sugar and spice mixture until fully coated. Place them on the baking sheet 2 inches apart.
- Step 7: Bake and Cool. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are set and the tops are slightly cracked. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.