This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
About This Recipe
You guys know I’m all about the brown butter and pumpkin combo this season! If you missed my Brown Butter Pumpkin Banana Bread earlier this season, be sure to check it out!
But once I came up with that combo I knew I couldn’t stop at just banana bread and figured it’d be the perfect combo for cookies too! So I whipped up these chewy oatmeal cookies and OH EM GEE! Let me tell you, this is one of my favorite cookies I’ve ever made! The nutty, rich flavor of the browned butter combined with the warmth of pumpkin combine with the chewy, hearty oats to make the most delicious cookies ever!! Add in rich little bites of chocolate throughout and wow!!
And don’t let the brown butter intimidate you! If you’ve never browned butter before, it’s so easy. Just pop a stick of butter in a small saucepan and let it melt until it becomes this deep golden brown with a nutty aroma. I promise, you’ll be able to smell it as soon as it’s ready and it’s like liquid gold for any recipe!
There’s no doubt these will be your favorite cookie all fall long! And if you’re looking for more ways to enjoy the fall flavors of pumpkin this season, try one of these 15+ healthy pumpkin recipes like my chocolate chip pumpkin muffins, pumpkin french toast bake or pumpkin cinnamon rolls for even more delicious fall flavor!
Why You’ll Love These Brown Butter Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
- The perfect fall flavor combo of pumpkin, brown butter and warm spices!
- The nutty, caramelized taste of brown butter takes these cookies to another level that regular butter just can’t match.
- Thick and chewy! These cookies have the best texture and are soft, tender and chewy!
- No need to butter come to room temperature! Since we’re browning the butter, you don’t have to worry about remembering to set it out beforehand!
- Can easily be made gluten-free if needed!
- Butter: I recommend using unsalted butter for the browned butter as salted butter foams more than unsalted, making it hard to gauge when the butter is browned. We also want the brown butter flavors to shine, not the salt. If using salted butter, you can omit or reduce the amount of additional salt.
- Pumpkin: Make sure to use pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix!). My favorite brand of pumpkin is Libby. I think it has the best texture and color but any pure pumpkin works! It also has less moisture than a lot of other brands.
- Oats: I used old-fashioned oats to give these cookies that thick and chewy texture. You can also use quick oats just note the texture won’t be as chewy.
- Flour: I used all-purpose flour. Use gluten-free flour if needed.
- Baking essentials: Grab some baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, salt and vanilla extract.
- Sugar: You’ll need both granulated sugar and brown sugar. You can use light or dark brown sugar.
- Egg: You’ll just be using the egg yolk to these cookies to help give us a soft and chewy cookie.
- Chocolate chips: I used semi-sweet chocolate chips (Enjoy Life are my favorite) but you can use milk chocolate or dark chocolate if you prefer!
- Nuts: if you love nuts in your cookies, try throwing in some walnuts or pecans!
- Mix-ins: For a fun twist, use white chocolate, butterscotch or pumpkin spice chips.
How To Make
The full printable recipe is below, but let me walk you through the process so you know what to expect when you’re making it!
1. Place butter into a light colored saucepan (stainless steel would work) over medium heat. Stir until melted and then frequently with a rubber spatula for several minutes. Butter will start to foam up–keep stirring, continuing to scrape the bottom. As soon as the butter turns golden brown and you start to smell a nutty aroma and see brown specs, you have your brown butter. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
2. Blot pumpkin puree between paper towels to remove excess liquid. Blot until you have a ball of pumpkin dough (should have around a heaping 1/4 cup/75g once squeezed). Set aside.
3. In a separate bowl whisk together the oats, flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and salt.
4. Pour butter into a large bowl. Whisk in the sugar, brown sugar, egg yolk, vanilla and blotted pumpkin.
5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.
6. Stir in the chocolate chips. Chill for at least 30 minutes (or 2 hours if time allows).
7. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop dough into balls with a 1.5 Tbsp scoop (~40g), about a heaping tablespoon in size, and place on the baking sheet 1 inch apart. Flatten a little with your fingertips to encourage spreading.
8. Bake for about 12-15 minutes, until set in the middle and starting to brown along the edges. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Storage: store pumpkin cookies in airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
- Freezing: let the baked cookies cool to room temperature and then store in an airtight ziplock bag. For best results, make sure to get all the air out to prevent freezer burn!
- To freeze cookie dough: scoop cookie dough onto a lined baking sheet, then place in the freezer for 2 or more hours. Once frozen, transfer the frozen balls of dough to a large ziploc bag or freezer-safe container and store in the freezer until ready to use. When ready to eat, just take out however many you want (no need to thaw) and bake at the same temperature for the same time (you may need to add 1-2 extra minutes depending on how you like your cookies).
Baking Tips!
- Chill the dough: Chilling dough for a little longer will give flour time to absorb in the dough giving a thicker chewier cookie, also makes dough easier to work with!
- Do not overbake: Be careful not to overbake these cookies! Bake these cookies until they are starting to just show golden brown along the edges. They may seem slightly underdone but will continue backing on the hot pan when removed from the oven.
- Don’t burn your butter: Browning butter is seriously so easy but just be careful that it can go from perfect to burnt in seconds. I recommend watching it closely and continuing to stir until it has that nutty aroma.
- Blot the pumpkin: Make sure to blot your pumpkin with a paper towel to remove excess moisture. If your pumpkin has too much moisture, it can lead to thinner cookies.
What type of pumpkin should I use for this recipe?
Make sure to use pure pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin puree is made from 100% cooked pumpkin that provides flavor and moisture for this quick bread recipe. Alternatively, pumpkin pie filling is pre-sweetened and spiced and will throw off the flavor of this recipe. I always use pumpkin puree in my baking recipe so I can control the flavor and added sugar. My favorite brand of pumpkin is Libby as I think it has the best taste, texture and orange color.
How do I know when my butter is done?
Your butter is done as soon as it turns golden brown and you start to smell a nutty aroma and see brown specs. Transfer it to a bowl quickly so it doesn’t burn. The process of browning butter can go from perfect to burnt in seconds, so it’s important to watch it closely and keep stirring so none of the browned milk solids get stuck to the bottom of the pan. I highly recommend watching your butter closely and not walking away!
Do I have to let these cookies chill?
Yes, I highly recommend letting these brown butter pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip cookies chill for at least 30 minutes if not 2 hours. Chilling the dough allows the flour time to hydrate which gives the cookies that chewy texture. It also allows the butter to chill so that the cookies don’t spread too thin.
Did you make this? If you snap a photo, please be sure leave a review, tag me on Instagram or TikTok at @LaurenFitFoodie or hashtag #LaurenFitFoodie so I can see your creations!
Brown Butter Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter (112g)
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (120g)
- 1 cup old fashioned oats (96g)
- 3/4 cup all-purpose flour (90g) GF if needed
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (92g)
- 1/4 cup packed brown sugar (48g)
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips (120g)
Before You Begin! If you make this, please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive & continue providing free recipes. Scroll for macros and MyFitnessPal code.
Instructions
- Place butter into a light colored saucepan (stainless steel would work) over medium heat. Stir until melted and then frequently with a rubber spatula for several minutes. Butter will start to foam up–keep stirring, continuing to scrape the bottom. As soon as the butter turns golden brown and you start to smell a nutty aroma and see brown specs, you have your brown butter. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
- Blot pumpkin puree between paper towels to remove excess liquid. Blot until you have a ball of pumpkin dough (should have around a heaping 1/4 cup/75g once squeezed). Set aside.
- In a separate bowl whisk together the oats, flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon and salt.
- Pour butter into a large bowl. Whisk in the sugar, brown sugar, egg yolk, vanilla and blotted pumpkin.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Chill for at least 30 minutes (or 2 hours if time allows).
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop dough into balls with a 1.5 Tbsp scoop (~40g), about a heaping tablespoon in size, and place on the baking sheet 1 inch apart. Flatten a little with your fingertips to encourage spreading.
- Bake for about 12-15 minutes, until set in the middle and starting to brown along the edges. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Storage: store pumpkin cookies in airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
- Freezing: let the baked cookies cool to room temperature and then store in an airtight ziplock bag. For best results, make sure to get all the air out to prevent freezer burn!
- To freeze cookie dough: scoop cookie dough onto a lined baking sheet, then place in the freezer for 2 or more hours. Once frozen, transfer the frozen balls of dough to a large ziploc bag or freezer-safe container and store in the freezer until ready to use. When ready to eat, just take out however many you want (no need to thaw) and bake at the same temperature for the same time (you may need to add 1-2 extra minutes depending on how you like your cookies).
Nutrition Information
Nutrition is hand-calculated and accurate. No autocalulations! However, note that values can vary based on the brands you use and if you substitute ingredients.
