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    Home » All Desserts » Cookies

    Published: Sep 27, 2022 · Modified: Oct 20, 2022 by Claire

    Brown Butter Iced Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

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    Jump To Recipe Print Recipe

    Chewy, tender and filled with pumpkin flavor, these brown butter iced pumpkin oatmeal cookies are going to be a new family favorite!

    a stack of iced pumpkin cookies next to a short glass of milk with additional cookies, bowls and white and green pumpkins in the background against a tiled backdrop.

    I recently rediscovered browned butter and now I'm on a full blown browned butter kick with everything from brown butter frosted apple cake to cinnamon rolls.

    And if you're new to browned butter yourself, let me tell you: You NEED this in your life.

    At its core, browned butter tastes like toffee with a sweet, slightly nutty aroma.

    Technically and chemically speaking, it's drool worthy for the same reason a seared steak is delicious - A chemical reaction between amino acids and sugars known as the Maillard reaction, which gives all browned food its distinctive flavor.

    And when paired with a chewy, fall-infused pumpkin oatmeal cookie, it's all the chef's kisses.

    Prefer to watch the process?

    Here's how to make these cookies

    First, make the cookie dough.

    In a large bowl, stir together the melted butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar, stirring until the sugar has dissolved.

    Stir in the room temperature egg, vanilla extract and pumpkin puree until just combined.

    A note about room temperature ingredients: In order to get the right consistency of dough, one that will bake into a thin, chewy cookie rather than retain the shape you scooped onto the baking sheet, it's important that all ingredients are room temperature. If you forgot to take the egg out in advance, you can quickly bring it to room temperature by placing it in a bowl of hot water for 5 minutes.

    Add the flour, pumpkin spice, baking soda and salt and mix until just combined. Fold in the oats.

    A note about the dough: The pumpkin puree in this recipe makes for a very soft dough, but don't worry if it seems loose; It bakes up to the perfect consistency.

    pumpkin cookie batter with visible bits of rolled oats in a white bowl next to a bowl with egg shells and a container of pumpkin puree.

    Second, bake your cookies.

    Scoop balls of dough that are approximately three tablespoons in volume (this is the average amount a cookie scoop will produce) onto a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.

    Bake at 350F for 11-12 minutes, or until the cookies are no longer shiny on top.

    Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely before removing them from the cookie sheet.

    baked pumpkin oatmeal cookies on parchment paper on a silver baking sheet.

    Finally, ice the cookies.

    In a small saucepan, cook the butter over low-medium heat until it browns.

    Note: Butter often becomes frothy as it cooks, so you’ll want to stir it regularly so you can see the butter underneath. The butter is ready when it develops little brown flecks and smells nutty.

    Immediately remove from heat and pour it into a bowl. Allow to cool about 10 minutes.

    Add the powdered sugar, whisking until all lumps have dissolved. Drizzle over the cooled cookies.

    a baked pumpkin oatmeal cookie next to a bowl of browned butter and powdered sugar.

    Expert tips

    • Bake immediately: While many kinds of cookie dough can be refrigerated prior to baking, this dough is just the right consistency at room temperature, which is why I recommend baking them immediately.
    • The importance of leaving cookies on the baking sheet: The goal of taking the cookies out when they’re no longer shiny is to keep them from becoming too browned or drying out. At this point, they’ll be slightly under-cooked, and leaving them on the hot baking sheet allows them to finish cooking through without browning further.
    • Doneness of browned butter: You know your butter is adequately browned when it develops brown flecks and a nutty smell.
    • Salvaging overcooked browned butter: Should you overcook your butter, you can pour it through a strainer to remove the burned flecks.
    • Storage: These cookies can be kept in an air tight container at room temperature for up to a week or frozen (I like to individually wrap mine in plastic wrap) for up to 6 months.
    brown butter iced pumpkin cookies on a small silver cooling rack next to a piece of white linen and a bowl.
    Print

    Recipe

    Brown Butter Iced Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

    brown butter iced pumpkin cookies on a small silver cooling rack next to a piece of white linen and a bowl.
    Print Recipe

    Chewy, tender and filled with pumpkin flavor, these brown butter iced pumpkin oatmeal cookies are going to be a new family favorite!

    • Author: Claire | The Simple, Sweet Life
    • Prep Time: 20 minutes
    • Cook Time: 12 minutes
    • Total Time: 32 minutes
    • Yield: 18 cookies 1x
    • Category: Dessert
    • Method: Baking
    • Cuisine: American

    Ingredients

    Units Scale

    For the pumpkin oatmeal cookies:

    • ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
    • ½ cup brown sugar
    • ½ cup granulated sugar
    • 1 egg, at room temperature
    • 2 tsp vanilla extract
    • ⅓ cup pumpkin puree
    • 1 cup all purpose flour
    • 2 tsp pumpkin spice
    • ½ tsp baking soda
    • ¼ tsp salt
    • 1 cup rolled oats

    For the browned butter icing:

    • 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter
    • ½ cup + 2 tablespoon powdered sugar

    Instructions

    1. Stir together the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar in a large bowl until the sugar has dissolved.
    2. Add the egg, vanilla and pumpkin puree, stirring until just combined.
    3. Add the flour, pumpkin spice, baking soda and salt and mix until the ingredients are incorporated.
    4. Fold in the oats.
    5. Scoop three tablespoons worth of dough into balls and place on a parchment paper lined cookie sheet.
    6. Bake at 350F for 11-12 minutes or until no longer shiny on top.
    7. Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the cookie sheet.
    8. In a small saucepan, cook the butter over low-medium until browned.
    9. Pour into a small bowl and allow to cool about 10 minutes.
    10. Add the powdered sugar, whisking until all lumps have dissolved.
    11. Drizzle over the cooled cookies.

    Nutrition

    • Serving Size: 1 cookie
    • Calories: 241
    • Sugar: 26.1g
    • Sodium: 145mg
    • Fat: 10.9g
    • Saturated Fat: 6.6g
    • Carbohydrates: 35.1g
    • Fiber: 0.8g
    • Protein: 1.8g
    • Cholesterol: 36mg

    Keywords: pumpkin oatmeal cookies, pumpkin cookies, easy pumpkin cookies

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    Tag @thesimplesweetlifeblog on Instagram and hashtag it #thesimplesweetlife

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    woman with long brown hair, half up in a bun, sitting in front of an open refrigerator eating a cookie with a white and orange cat.

    I'm Claire, the baker, blogger, and general sprinkle enthusiast behind The Simple, Sweet Life. Whether you like simple sweets, comfort (baked) foods, or works of sugar art, you're sure to find something here to sweeten your day!

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