Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (moisture blotted out)
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- For the coating: 1/4 cup granulated sugar and 1 tablespoon ground cinnamon
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 and then develop little brown bits at the bottom. Once it smells nutty and looks amber in color, remove it from the heat immediately and pour it into a large mixing bowl to cool for 10 minutes. - Step 2: Blot the Pumpkin
Place your pumpkin puree on a few layers of paper towels. Press down with another paper towel to soak up the excess moisture. This ensures your cookies are chewy rather than cake-like. You should be left with about 1/3 cup of concentrated pumpkin paste. - Step 3: Combine Wet Ingredients
Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the cooled brown butter. Whisk until smooth. Stir in the blotted pumpkin, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until fully combined. - Step 4: Mix Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, cream of tartar, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix. - Step 5: Chill the Dough
Cover the dough and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. This makes the dough 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 a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a small bowl, mix the coating sugar and cinnamon. Scoop about 1.5 tablespoons of dough, roll it into a ball, and roll the ball generously in the cinnamon-sugar mixture. - Step 7: Bake the Cookies
Place the balls on the prepared baking sheet about 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. The edges should be set, but the centers should still look slightly soft. Allow them to cool on the pan for 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack.
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Diet: Vegetarian