Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Butter Frosting

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This fall enjoy soft pumpkin spice cookies topped with a rich, brown butter frosting.

A plate of frosted pumpkin cookies with a mug of coffee behind it.

In September I was super busy every weekend so I didn’t have much time to bake.ย  One weekend I was in Pittsburgh for my brother’s wedding, another weekend I was in Pittsburgh for my best friend’s wedding, and another weekend we went to DC for an event.

So when the first weekend of October rolled around I decided it was going to be a total baking weekend.ย  I planned a lot of fun pumpkin, pear, and Halloween items.ย  I figured I could take some of them to work on Monday and my neighbor was hosting a party so I figured I could take the rest of the goodies there.

I love pumpkin in the fall and have so many great pumpkin recipes. One of my brunch favorites are Copycat Starbucks Pumpkin Spice Scones. Another great breakfast recipe is Pumpkin Spice Coffee Cake.ย  For a midday snack Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins are great with a cup of coffee. Pumpkin Magic Bars are an easy to make dessert.

I knew I wanted to make some type of pumpkin cookie because I don’t have many recipes for them but I wasn’t exactly sure what type.ย  I saw a recipe for pumpkin cookies that had brown butter frosting on top of them.ย  I’m such a sucker for brown butter frosting.

A hand holding a frosted pumpkin cookie.

How do you Brown Butter?

To make brown butter itโ€™s best to use a light colored skillet.ย  That way you can see when the butter is changing color. Begin by cutting the butter into 1 inch pieces and adding them to the pan. Heat the butter over medium heat, stirring until the butter is melted. The butter will begin to foam and you can gently stir it. It will begin to change color. Watch closely because it can go from light colored to burnt in seconds. You will notice brown specks forming and a nutty smell. The butter will begin to turn golden. As soon as it is a golden brown color remove it from the heat and pour it into a heat safe container to stop it from cooking.

The cookie is just a basic pumpkin spice cookie.ย ย  It’s soft and full of flavor.ย  I added pumpkin pie spice to it as well as a touch of cinnamon.ย  You can add additional spices if you’d like.

How do you make Pumpkin Pie Spice?

In a bowl combine 3 tablespoons of cinnamon, 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg, 1 1/2 teaspoons of ground cloves or allspice. Mix together and store in an air tight jar.

I actually made the frosting first so I could taste it before making the cookies.ย ย  Let me tell you, the frosting is seriously sinful!ย ย  I probably could have eaten it by the spoonful.ย ย  It gets really thick and is sweet but a little salty and nutty from the brown butter.ย ย  So delicious.

Ingredients for making Pumpkin Cookies.

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Ingredients:

  • all purpose flour
  • baking soda
  • baking powder
  • pumpkin pie spice
  • salt
  • salted butter (or unsalted if preferred)
  • sugar
  • brown sugar
  • pumpkin puree
  • egg
  • vanilla
  • powdered sugar

To make the cookies preheat the oven to 350 degrees.ย ย  In a bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.

A bowl with pumpkin cookie dough in it.

In a large bowl cream together the butter, sugar, and brown sugar.ย  Add in the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla and mix well.

Pour the flour mixture into the butter mixture.ย  Mix until combined. Using a two tablespoon cookie scoop drop the batter onto a cookie sheet at least 2 inches apart.

A baking sheet with cookie dough balls.

Bake for 15-18 minutes.ย  Remove from oven and cool for 2 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

To make the frosting place 1 stick of butter in a small saucepan. Cook until the butter has browned (see above directions). ย  Remove from heat.
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Add in the brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla. Mix well.ย  Slowly add the powdered sugar a half cup at a time, stirring well after each addition, until it is the desired consistency.ย  If needed, add 1-2 tablespoons of milk to get a spreadable consistency.ย ย  Spread on top of cooled cookies.
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A baking rack with pumpkin cookies on it.
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The pumpkin cookies puff up into a delicious, soft cookie. ย  They are great on their own and are filled with pumpkin and spices.

However, the brown butter frosting takes the cookie to a whole other level.ย ย  These are one of the best pumpkin cookies I’ve had in a long time.

Pin Image:   Text, a plate of frosted pumpkin cookies with 2 pumpkins behind the plate.

How do you store Pumpkin cookies?

Store the cookies in an air tight container with layers of parchment paper int between layers so that the frosting doesn’t stick.ย ย  Store in a cool place for up to 1 week.

If youโ€™ve tried my Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Butter Frostingย  or any other recipe on Hezzi-Dโ€™s Recipe Box please take a minute to rate the recipe and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. I love hearing from you! You can FOLLOW ME on:

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A plate of frosted pumpkin cookies with a mug of coffee behind it.

Pumpkin Cookies with Brown Butter Frosting

Soft pumpkin spice cookies topped with brown butter frosting.
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Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Total Time: 43 minutes
Servings: 2 dozen
Author: Hezzi-D

Ingredients

For the cookies:

  • 2 1/2 c. flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1 c. sugar
  • 1/2 c. brown sugar
  • 1/2 c. salted butter softened
  • 1 c. pumpkin puree
  • 1 egg
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

For the frosting:

  • 1/2 c. salted butter,
  • 2 Tablespoons brown sugar packed
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 3 c. powdered sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
  • In a medium bowl combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Set aside.
  • In a large bowl cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Add in the pumpkin, egg, and vanilla and mix well.
  • Slowly pour the flour mixture into the butter mixture. Mix until well combined.
  • Using a #40 cookie scoop, scoop the batter onto the cookie sheets at least 2 inches apart.
  • Bake for 15-18 minutes or until the cookies look firm. Remove from oven and cool for 2 minutes before removing to a wire rack.
  • To make the frosting place the butter in a small saucepan. Allow it to cook over medium heat. Swirl the pan occasionally and check the color until it begins to brown. Once it starts to brown begin swirling it constantly until it's a golden brown and smells nutty. Remove from heat.
  • Add in the brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, and vanilla. Mix well.
  • Slowly add the powdered sugar a half cup at a time, stirring well after each addition, until it is the desired consistency. Add 1-2 Tablespoons of milk if needed.
  • Spread the frosting on top of the cooled cookies.

Notes

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hand holding a pumpkin cookie broken in half.

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