Pumpkin Cookies with Browned Butter Icing
Seriously – these cookies are SO AMAZING! We were invited to a friend’s house for a post-Thanksgiving turkey dinner and I was in charge of dessert. I found a recipe for these cookies on Cooking Classy’s site and couldn’t wait to try them out. Not only did the pumpkin cookies sound tasty but the browned butter frosting had me intrigued. The cookies turned out to be soft which was a perfect combination with the flavorful and sweet icing. I loved, loved, loved the flavor the browned butter gave to this icing- it was SO GOOD! Make these cookies and I bet you won’t regret it.
Pumpkin Cookies with Browned Butter Icing
Pumpkin Cookies:
- 1 ⅓ cup plus 1 tbsp flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cups packed light-brown sugar
- 6 tbsp white sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cups canned pumpkin puree
Browned Butter Icing:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 ½ tbsp half and half
- ½ tsp vanilla
How to Make Pumpkin Cookies with Browned Butter Icing
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
Make the cookies by combining the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and clove in a bowl until mixed thoroughly and set aside. Using a hand mixer set on medium speed, whip together butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 – 4 minutes.
Add in egg, mixing after the addition until combined. Mix in the sour cream, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree then mix well.
Slowly add dry ingredients and mix until combined.
Transfer the cookie dough to a zip lock bag then cut the tip and pipe 1 1/2-inch rounds onto a nonstick or Silpat lined cookie sheet, spacing cookies at least 1 inch apart.
Bake in the oven for about 12 minutes until the tops spring back when touched. Allow cooling for several minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack.
Prepare the browned butter icing by measuring the powdered sugar into a mixing bowl, and set it aside.
Brown the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally. Remove from heat when the golden-brown flecks begin to appear in the center of the foamy bubbles.
Carefully pour browned butter over powdered sugar in a mixing bowl, use a rubber spatula to scrape any excess butter and browned bits from the pan. Add the half and half and stir the mixture until smooth and creamy.
Frost the cookies by spreading evenly over the cookies with a spoon.
Side Note: Add extra half and half, about 1 – 2 tsp at a time, to the icing mixture to thin because it will thicken as it sits.
Side Note: The icing is very sweet so don’t put it on too thick.
Store in an airtight container in a single layer in the refrigerator and rest at room temperature before serving.
Equipment
Ingredients
Pumpkin Cookies:
- 1 ⅓ cup plus 1 tbsp flour
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¾ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- ¼ tsp ground cloves
- 6 tbsp unsalted butter softened
- ¾ cups packed light-brown sugar
- 6 tbsp white sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup sour cream
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- ¾ cups canned pumpkin puree
Browned Butter Icing:
- 2 cups powdered sugar
- 5 tbsp unsalted butter
- 2 ½ tbsp half and half
- ½ tsp vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Make the cookies by combining the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and clove in a bowl until mixed thoroughly and set aside.
- Using a hand mixer set on medium speed, whip together butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until pale and fluffy, about 3 - 4 minutes.
- Add in egg, mixing after the addition until combined. Mix in the sour cream, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree then mix well.
- Slowly add dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- Transfer the cookie dough to a zip lock bag then cut the tip and pipe 1 1/2-inch rounds onto a parchment-lined cookie sheet, spacing cookies at least 1 inch apart.
- Bake in the oven for about 12 minutes until the tops spring back when touched. Allow cooling for several minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack.
- Prepare the browned butter icing by measuring the powdered sugar into a mixing bowl, and set it aside.
- Brown the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, swirling the pan occasionally. Remove from heat when the golden-brown flecks begin to appear in the center of the foamy bubbles.
- Carefully pour browned butter over powdered sugar in a mixing bowl, use a rubber spatula to scrape any excess butter and browned bits from the pan. Add the half and half and stir the mixture until smooth and creamy.
- Frost the cookies by spreading evenly over the cookies with a spoon. Side Note: Add extra half and half, about 1 - 2 tsp at a time, to the icing mixture to thin because it will thicken as it sits. Side Note: The icing is very sweet so don't put it on too thick.
- Store in an airtight container in a single layer in the refrigerator and rest at room temperature before serving.
love this… especially the browned butter icing. So perfect for fall. Happy Thanksgiving Pam.
They look amazing!!
I saw these on cooking classy too and thought that I had to make them immediately. I don’t why I still haven’t but thanks for reminding me to get on it!
These look really yummy Pam.
Brown butter makes everything good! I like all the spice in these cookies. Yum!
Oooooooooohhhhh…. these look INCREDIBLE!! So fluffy and delicious… I’d like three dozen, please…. well, might as well make it four!!!
These have me drooling this morning! I bet they were the hit of the dinner party!
Still trying to use up canned pumpkin from last Thanksgiving!! So, these are perfect!
Oh dear me….you had me at cookie!!!
xo Kris
All I had to see was that brown butter icing and I was in! These sound wonderful! I could see how they would be quite addictive! If you ever come to my house, you are in charge of dessert! 🙂
These cookies sound great! I’ve made the cinnamon iced ones and may try these as well.
BUT, think you’ve got a wrong pic up 🙂 For me, the ingredients pic shows yeast and garlic. Not tasty additions to these cookies, I bet…
Megan,
You are right! I used the wrong picture. Thank you!
Pam
Never made pumpkin cookies…. I have to try them!!
xoxoxoxo, Flavia
The “bited” cookies is my favourite pic , have a nice week, Flavia
I love pumpkin cookies. They look like they are nice and soft and delicious.
I always have too much pumpkin puree left over – these look delicious – thank you!
I’m always on the lookout for a new pumpkin cookie recipe! This sounds like such a winner!
I’ve seen a lot of browned butter recipes lately…even one for a pecan pie!
what a GLORIOUS frosting! i never hide my distaste for pumpkin, but i’d be so tempted to eat many, many of these and it’s all because of that frosting. 🙂
Love pumpkin anything! These cookies with browned butter frosting look so inviting!
Brown butter icing? Wow, that sounds good, and your cookies sound extra good, Pam.
Oh yum! It’s coming on cookie season!
Omg!!! These came out AMAZING! The pumpkin cookies were so airy and tasty, and then with the browned butter frosting on top…it was heavenly!! Thanks so much for sharing this recipe. I will definitely be making this again! Also, I ended up with a batch of 24 medium-large sized cookies! 🙂
Thank you so much for this recipe!!! These cookies are absolutely amazing! I have made them a few times already and they always turn out delicious!!!