Brown Butter & Maple Chewy Pumpkin Cookies

Ingredients

Notes

Submitted by Nikolas Kerbers, broadcast, videography and photography associate in the Office of Communications and Community Outreach

Source: Butternut Bakery Blog; check this blog for ingredient measurements.

Using melted butter makes a more dense cookie. With room temperature butter, air is whipped into the dough during the creaming process.
Gently spoon the flour into the measuring cup, and level if off with a flat edge.
- If you scoop directly into the flour container, it compacts it down into the cup which could leave you with ¼ cup or more of added flour.
Dark brown sugar contains a higher amount of molasses than light brown sugar, so it builds a much more dense cookie. Paired with the maple syrup, the two help weigh down the cookie to stop it from puffing up.
The coating is optional, but it add a touch of extra sweetness and texture. It’s a simple combination of light brown sugar, granulated sugar and cinnamon.
When the dough is ready, scoop each dough ball directly into the dish of the coating. The dough will be very soft, so use a light touch to toss it in the sugar. Gently form it back into a ball and place it on the baking sheet. Sprinkle a little extra coating on the very tops and bake.
How to tell when pumpkin cookies are done baking
- The key to a dense and chewy cookie is to pull it out of the oven when the center still looks a bit underdone. They’re ready when the edges are flat and golden, but the center is pale and puffed.
- The residual heat will continue to bake the cookies outside of the oven and the centers will firm up and settle as they cool.