Chewy Maple Pumpkin Cookies
These Chewy Maple Pumpkin Cookies are soft, perfectly spiced, and have that amazing chewiness we all crave. Plus, they're surprisingly easy to whip up, making them perfect for a spontaneous baking session or when you need a crowd-pleasing treat in a flash.
Equipment
- Medium bowl
- Large bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer
- Stand Mixer optional, can stir by hand
- Refrigerator
- Oven
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper
- Small shallow dish
- Scoop rounded tablespoons
- Wire rack
Ingredients
Main Cookie Ingredients
- 1.75 cup all-purpose flour (270g)
- 2 tsp pumpkin or chai spice blend
- 0.5 tsp baking soda
- 0.5 tsp salt
- 1 cup European style unsalted butter browned and cool but still liquid (226g)
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed (200g)
- 0.33 cup pure maple syrup (79ml)
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- 0.5 cup canned pumpkin blotted (125g), 100% pumpkin puree, not pie filling
- 2 tsp vanilla extract (10ml)
- 0.5 tsp maple extract (2.5ml) (optional)
Spiced Sugar Coating
- 0.5 cup granulated sugar (100g)
- 0.5 tsp pumpkin or chai spice blend
Instructions
- First, get your dry ingredients ready. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin or chai spice blend, baking soda, and salt. Set this aside.
- In a large bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer, cream together the cooled browned butter and light brown sugar until well combined and fluffy.
- Beat in the pure maple syrup until fully incorporated.
- Add the room temperature egg yolk, blotted canned pumpkin, vanilla extract, and optional maple extract. Beat until everything is just combined. Don't overmix here!
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing on low speed or stirring by hand until just combined. Be careful not to overmix the dough once the flour is added. You should have a soft dough.
- Cover the dough and chill it in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 days). This step is key for chewy cookies and easier handling!
- While the dough chills, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a small shallow dish, mix together the granulated sugar and the ½ tsp pumpkin or chai spice blend for the coating.
- Scoop rounded tablespoons of dough and roll them into balls.
- Roll each dough ball generously in the spiced sugar mixture, ensuring they are well coated.
- Place the coated dough balls about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 8-12 minutes, or until the edges are set and lightly golden but the centers still look slightly soft. For chewy cookies, you want to just underbake them slightly.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 5-10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Try not to eat them all in one go!
Notes
- **Substitutions & Additions:**
- **Swap the Spice:** Make your own blend with 2 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp ginger, ½ tsp nutmeg, ¼ tsp cloves.
- **Add Chocolate:** Fold in about ¾ cup white or dark chocolate chips.
- **Nutty Crunch:** Add about ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts.
- **Maple Glaze:** Whisk powdered sugar and a little maple syrup for a glaze.
- **Tips for Success:**
- **Browned Butter is Gold:** Watch butter closely as it browns; milk solids turn golden brown.
- **Blot That Pumpkin:** Spoon pumpkin onto paper towels and blot to remove excess water.
- **Room Temp Egg Yolk:** Warms up quickly in a bowl of warm water.
- **Don't Skip the Chill:** Improves flavor, handling, texture, and prevents spreading.
- **Watch the Baking Time:** Check around 8 minutes; centers should still look soft.
- **Storage:**
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.
- Freeze baked cookies in a single layer then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature.
- Store dough in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or frozen for up to 2 months. Roll frozen dough in sugar after thawing slightly.
- **FAQs:**
- Browning butter adds nutty, caramel depth.
- Do not use pumpkin pie filling; it has added sugar/spices.
- Egg yolk adds richness and chewiness; leaving out the white prevents cakeyness.
- Chilling the dough is highly recommended for best results (easier handling, better texture, less spread, flavor development).
- **Swap the Spice:** Make your own blend with 2 tsp cinnamon, ½ tsp ginger, ½ tsp nutmeg, ¼ tsp cloves.
- **Add Chocolate:** Fold in about ¾ cup white or dark chocolate chips.
- **Nutty Crunch:** Add about ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts.
- **Maple Glaze:** Whisk powdered sugar and a little maple syrup for a glaze.
- **Tips for Success:**
- **Browned Butter is Gold:** Watch butter closely as it browns; milk solids turn golden brown.
- **Blot That Pumpkin:** Spoon pumpkin onto paper towels and blot to remove excess water.
- **Room Temp Egg Yolk:** Warms up quickly in a bowl of warm water.
- **Don't Skip the Chill:** Improves flavor, handling, texture, and prevents spreading.
- **Watch the Baking Time:** Check around 8 minutes; centers should still look soft.
- **Storage:**
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days.
- Freeze baked cookies in a single layer then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature.
- Store dough in the refrigerator for up to 2 days, or frozen for up to 2 months. Roll frozen dough in sugar after thawing slightly.
- **FAQs:**
- Browning butter adds nutty, caramel depth.
- Do not use pumpkin pie filling; it has added sugar/spices.
- Egg yolk adds richness and chewiness; leaving out the white prevents cakeyness.
- Chilling the dough is highly recommended for best results (easier handling, better texture, less spread, flavor development).