Caramelized Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Caramelized Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies are chewy, tender, and decadent, lightly spiced cookies full of gutsy, caramelized pumpkin flavor and semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Prep Time: 1 hour
Cook Time: 26 minutes
Chill Time: 30 minutes
Servings: 24 cookies
Equipment
- Large whisk
- Large rubber spatula
- Two 13″ x 18″ baking sheets
- Medium ice cream scoop (1.5-ounce capacity)
- Bowls for mixing and preparing various sizes
- Parchment paper or Silpat
Ingredients
Cookie Dough:
- 15 ounces canned pumpkin puree (yields 8 ounces after caramelizing)
- 226 grams salted butter (yields 185 grams after browning)
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon pumpkin spice
- ¼ teaspoon grated nutmeg
- 200 grams light brown sugar
- 50 grams cane sugar (can substitute with granulated sugar)
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- 320 grams all-purpose flour (spooned and leveled for measured baking)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 320 grams semi-sweet chocolate chips
Sugar Coating for Rolling:
- 75 grams cane sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Flakey sea salt (optional)
Instructions
Caramelize the Pumpkin Puree:
- Place 15 ounces of pure pumpkin puree in a saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Cook the puree, stirring frequently to prevent burning. The puree will become drier and darker in color.
- The pumpkin is caramelized and ready when it’s thickened, dry, spreadable, and steaming has slowed after 15-20 minutes of cooking.
- Allow the pumpkin to cool until just warm to the touch. You will have about 8 ounces of caramelized puree, or 1 measured cup.
Brown the Butter:
- In a medium saucepan with tall sides, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Once the butter has melted and begins to bubble, stir occasionally with a wooden spoon or whisk.
- As the butter begins to foam and grow in size, stir continuously. You’ll notice streaks of browned milk solids and a toasty aroma.
- Once the foam subsides and the butter is a dark amber color, remove from heat and pour into a bowl to cool. You will have roughly 180-190 grams of browned butter, or about 0.8 of a cup.
- Add ground cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and grated nutmeg to the warm brown butter to infuse the spices.
Make the Cookie Dough:
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour and baking soda. Set aside.
- Whisk together the browned butter, brown sugar, cane sugar, and kosher salt. Stir in the vanilla extract until well combined.
- Add the egg and whisk until fully combined and glossy.
- Whisk in 8 ounces of caramelized pumpkin puree until no visible streaks or clumps remain.
- Fold in half of the flour mixture using a rubber spatula, then fold in the remaining half along with 2 cups of chocolate chips until just combined and evenly dispersed.
- Portion the dough using a medium ice cream scoop (about 1.5 ounces) onto a parchment-lined sheet pan. Cover and chill for 30 minutes.
Sugar Coat the Cookie Dough:
- In a small bowl, combine â…“ cup of cane sugar and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
- Optional: Press each piece of chilled dough between your palms to form a disc shape for a more traditional cookie shape.
- Roll each piece of dough in the sugar mixture, coating all sides and edges. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets, fitting 9-12 cookies per sheet.
Bake the Cookies:
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Bake the cookies for 13-15 minutes, rotating halfway through baking. The cookies should be slightly browned and fragrant.
- Allow the cookies to cool completely on the pan before transferring. Sprinkle with flakey sea salt while still warm, if desired.
Notes:
- Cookie Storage Tips: Baked cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Storing Cookie Dough: Line each piece of scooped dough in an airtight plastic bag, then place inside another bag for extra protection. Freeze for up to 2 months.
