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I discovered this amazing twist on snickerdoodles last fall while experimenting with brown butter and pumpkin. These cookies are pure autumn magic with their perfect chewy centers and crispy edges. The combination of nutty brown butter warm spices and that classic cinnamon sugar coating makes them absolutely irresistible. Best of all you don't even need a mixer to make them.
Why These Are My Fall Favorite
After countless test batches I finally cracked the code to getting that perfect chewy texture. The secret is browning the butter and carefully drying the pumpkin puree. These cookies taste like autumn wrapped in sugar and spice. I love how they fill my kitchen with the most incredible aroma while they bake.
What You'll Need
- Pumpkin Puree: 1/3 cup (67-75 g), dried to remove excess moisture for chewy texture. Use Libby's for consistency.
- Dark Brown Sugar: 1/2 cup, packed, for molasses-rich chewiness.
- Brown Butter: 1/2 cup, cooled to 75°F (24°C) to maintain the perfect texture.
- Egg Yolk: 1 large, for gooey centers without cakiness.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: 2 teaspoons, store-bought or homemade for warm autumn flavor.
- All-Purpose Flour: 1 1/2 cups, measured precisely for proper dough consistency.
- Cinnamon Sugar: 1/4 cup sugar with 1 tablespoon cinnamon, for rolling cookie dough balls.
Let's Get Baking
- Brown the Butter
- Heat butter until golden and nutty. Cool to room temperature, then chill to 75°F (24°C).
- Dry the Pumpkin Puree
- Spread puree on a plate, press with paper towels, and remove moisture until it feels like soft play dough.
- Cream Butter and Sugars
- Combine cooled butter, granulated sugar, and dark brown sugar. Mix until smooth and well combined.
- Add Wet Ingredients
- Whisk in egg yolk, vanilla extract, and dried pumpkin puree until fully incorporated.
- Mix Dry Ingredients
- Fold in flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, cream of tartar, and salt until a soft dough forms.
- Chill and Scoop
- Chill dough for 5 minutes, then scoop 3-tablespoon-sized balls. Roll in cinnamon sugar.
- Bake
- Place dough balls on baking sheets, spaced 2-3 inches apart. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10-12 minutes until edges are golden and centers are puffy.
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Keep Them Fresh
These cookies stay fresh for about 3 days in an airtight container at room temp. I love making extra dough balls to keep in the freezer just skip the cinnamon sugar coating until you're ready to bake. Let them come to room temperature roll in the sugar mixture and pop them in the oven whenever you need a fresh batch.
Troubleshooting Tips
Getting the perfect texture depends on a few key things. Make sure you really dry out that pumpkin puree and let your brown butter cool to just the right temperature. If your cookies come out puffy you probably didn't dry the pumpkin enough. Too flat means the butter was too warm. Using a kitchen scale for measuring helps guarantee success every time.
Common Questions About Cooking
- → Why do I need to dry the pumpkin puree?
Extra moisture from pumpkin makes cookies cakey. Drying it helps achieve a chewy texture. The pumpkin should feel like soft playdough when ready.
- → Is the brown butter temperature really that important?
Yes! Butter temperature is crucial for proper cookie spread. Too warm (over 75°F) means flat cookies, while properly cooled butter (70-75°F) gives perfect chewy texture.
- → Can I skip the cream of tartar?
Cream of tartar gives snickerdoodles their signature tangy taste and chewy texture. Without it, they're just cinnamon sugar cookies.
- → Can I make smaller cookies?
Yes, use a 2-tablespoon scoop and reduce baking time to about 9 minutes. Watch carefully as smaller cookies bake faster.
- → Why specifically use Libby's pumpkin?
Libby's has consistent moisture content between cans and is generally drier than other brands, making it easier to control the cookie texture.