Soft Pumpkin Cookies With Brown Butter Icing Recipe

These soft pumpkin cookies, full of the flavors you're probably used to when eating pumpkin pie, are delicious, soft, and easy as pie (sorry, we couldn't resist) to make. The brown butter icing adds extra sweetness with an undeniable brown buttery taste. And the two, put together, is a match made in heaven.

Before You Get Started Making Soft Pumpkin Cookies With Brown Butter Icing

Weigh/Measure all the ingredients

Take butter out of refrigerator to come to room temperature

Prepare baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mat

Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F)

Soft Pumpkin Cookies With Brown Butter Icing Ingredients And Amounts (Yields ~40 cookies)

Pumpkin Cookies

2 1/2 cups (350g) all-purpose flour

1 tsp (5g) baking soda

1 tsp (4g) baking powder

1 tsp (3g) cinnamon

1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice or ground nutmeg

1/2 tsp (5g) salt

1/2 cup (114g) unsalted butter - softened at room temperature

1 1/2 cups (300g) granulated sugar

1 (50g) egg - cold

1 cup pure pumpkin puree

1 tsp (4g) vanilla extract

Brown Butter Icing

2 cups (230g) confectioners sugar (powdered sugar)

5 tbsp (70g) unsalted butter

2 1/2 tbsp (39g) evaporated milk

1 tsp (4g) vanilla extract

Soft Pumpkin Cookies With Brown Butter Icing Step-By-Step Directions

For Pumpkin Cookies

1) Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F).

2) In a bowl, sift flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Set aside.

3) In a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or mixing bowl if using a handheld mixer) cream butter and sugar together on medium speed for 3 minutes until light and fluffy.

4) With mixer on low, add the egg and mix for 30 seconds or until completely incorporated.

5) Next, add in pumpkin and vanilla and mix on low for 1 minute.

6) Add dry ingredients from Step 2 to the mixer slowly. Once the dry ingredients are mixed in, turn the mixer up to medium speed for 30 seconds.

7) Scoop 1 - 1 1/2 tbsp of dough for each cookie with a cookie scoop onto a parchment paper or silicone lined baking sheet.

8) Bake cookies for 15-18 minutes or until edges are lightly browned. Cool on baking sheet for 2-3 minutes and then remove and place on a cooling rack.

For Brown Butter Icing

1) Sift powdered sugar into the bowl of a stand mixer.

2) Heat a saucepan on medium heat and add in sliced butter and whisk frequently. Once the butter is melted, you will see a bit of foam form. Watch as the butter starts to turn a light brown color. Once the butter is lightly browned and it gives off a nutty aroma, remove from heat.

3) With the stand mixer on low, pour the brown butter over the powdered sugar. Be careful while pouring since the butter is very hot.

4) Add the evaporated milk and vanilla, and continue to mix on low until all is combined.

5) Ice the cooled pumpkin cookies with an offset spatula and enjoy.

Soft Pumpkin Cookies With Brown Butter Icing Sweet Notes

The brown butter icing does stiffen. If the icing becomes too thick and stiff while trying to frost the cookies, add a little more evaporated milk to the frosting and mix well

Store these cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days

Recipe adapted from Very Best Baking and Martha Stewart