Maple Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

image of a maple pumpkin oatmeal cookie that's been bitten into to show it's perfectly soft and chewy texture

5 from 2 ratings

Maple Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

These maple pumpkin oatmeal cookies bake up soft and chewy with warm notes of cinnamon and molasses, and are drizzled with brown butter maple icing.

Prep Time15

Cook Time8

Additional Time30

Total Time30 23

Course: Cookies

Cuisine: American

Servings: 20 cookies

Calories: 149kcal

Author: Chelsey White

Equipment

Ingredients

Brown Butter

3/4 cup (1 1/2 stick) unsalted butter, cold and cut into Tbsp-sized pieces 170g

Chewy Oatmeal Cookies

1/2 cup brown butter, room temperature - made above 113g
1 cup packed dark brown sugar 200g
1/4 cup pumpkin puree OR 1 large egg, room temperature 60g
1 tsp vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste 5g
1 1/4 cups all purpose flour - fluffed and spooned into the measuring cup 160g
3/4 cup rolled or old fashioned oats 80g
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp fine salt

Maple Icing

1 Tbsp brown butter, melted and cooled 15g
3 Tbsp pure maple syrup 45g
1/2 cup powdered sugar 60g
a pinch of fine salt

Instructions

Brown Butter

Using brown butter is optional, but it gives these cookies such a deliciously warm, toasted flavor! However, if you're short on time, you can always just use regular butter.
Grab a wide, heatproof bowl to pour the butter into once it's browned. Set aside.
Place 3/4 cup of unsalted butter in a large, light-colored pan (to make it easier to see) over medium heat. Stir the butter the entire time with a rubber spatula to prevent the milk solids from burning!
Once melted, the butter will foam and sizzle around the edges. Keep stirring!! The butter should turn golden brown after 5–6 minutes and be topped with a foamy layer of bubbles. Shortly after this the foam should kind of fade away and the milk solids at the bottom of the pan will be a perfectly toasted brown. It should have a strong, nutty aroma.
Immediately remove the pan from heat and pour the butter into a heatproof bowl to stop the cooking process. If left in the hot pan, the milk solids will burn. It can happen in a flash, trust me!! Place the brown butter in the fridge for 30 minutes to cool to room temperature.

Oatmeal Cookies

Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
Add 1/2 cup of room-temperature brown butter (the remaining amount will be used to make the frosting) and 1 cup packed dark brown sugar into a large bowl or the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Beat on a medium-high speed for a couple of minutes, or until the mixture becomes lighter in color and looks fluffy. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed with a rubber spatula.
Next, scoop 1/4 cup of pumpkin puree onto a couple of sheets of paper towel and pat it to remove any excess moisture. Then add the blotted pumpkin puree (or 1 large egg) and 1 tsp vanilla extract to the butter/brown sugar mixture. Mix on a medium speed until combined.
Then fold 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup old-fashioned oats, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp fine salt into the wet ingredients with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until just combined. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed to make sure everything is properly mixed together. The dough should be quite thick.
Use a 1 1/2 Tbsp cookie scoop or a small spoon to measure about 20 cookie dough balls and place them on the prepared pans. Space them about 1 1/2 inches apart, as they'll spread a bit as they bake.
Bake one tray at a time on the middle rack of your oven for 9-10 minutes, or until the edges look set and the centers have puffed up but are still soft.
This is optional, but I like to gently flatten the cookies with the bottom of a metal measuring cup or glass while they're still warm to make them even chewier. Then let the cookies cool on the sheet for 10 minutes, then place them on a wire rack to finish cooling.

Maple Icing

Whisk together 1 Tbsp of melted and cooled browned butter with 2 Tbsp maple syrup, 1/2 cup of powdered sugar, and a pinch of fine salt. If the icing seems too thick, add a tsp of milk. If it seems too thin, you can add additional powdered sugar.
Drizzle the icing over the cooled cookies with a spoon or small whisk. It should be set after about an hour. Once the icing is fully hardened, the cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.

Notes

Please refer to the "substitutions and swaps" section in the blog post above for substitutions that can be made in this recipe.

How Many Cookies Does This Recipe Make?

The cookie recipe makes about 20 cookies using a 1 1/2 Tbsp cookie scoop.

If you don't have that size cookie scoop, don't worry! You can also use a good old Tablespoon, or make them larger if you want.

The main thing that's important is that they're the same size so that all the cookies bake up nice and soft.

Or if you want to make more cookies, you can double the ingredients and make a double batch using either a hand mixer or a stand mixer.

Tips for Making the Best Maple Pumpkin Cookies

Use a cookie scoop to make sure your cookies are uniformly sized.
Space your cookies about 2 inches apart before baking them. They will spread as they bake.
Don't over-bake your cookies! You want the edges to be set, but the centers to still be soft and puffy! Even if they seem a bit soft coming out of the oven, they will continue to bake and set on the tray once they're out of the oven.

Making These Maple Pumpkin Cookies in Advance and Storing Them

This cookie dough can be made up to 2 days in advance. Store it in the fridge in an airtight container, then when you're ready to bake them, let the dough thaw to room temperature, scoop the cookies, and bake them.

Baked and iced cookies can be stored in an airtight container or ziplock bag at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the fridge for a week, or in the freezer for a month.

You can also freeze baked cookies for up to a month. I like to thaw them in the fridge overnight, then ice them once they've reached room temperature and are ready to be eaten.

Nutrition