These soft and chewy brown butter pumpkin oatmeal cookies are the perfect choice if you’re looking for a fun, flavorful, and satisfying fall cookie recipe. To simplify the entire process, brown the butter for both the cookies and the icing at the same time. This recipe has a HUGE fanbase!
I originally published this recipe in 2016 and have since added some new photos, a video tutorial, and more helpful success tips. You’ll also find this recipe in my New York Times best-selling cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101.
There is no question that fall is the best baking season. We’re talking homemade pies, warm and cozy spices, comforting desserts, and of course, a few pumpkin treats. Pumpkin pie is always top of the list, but I usually like to kick off the fall baking season with cookies—I’ve done maple brown sugar cookies, apple cinnamon oatmeal cookies, pumpkin snickerdoodles, apple spice whoopie pies, pumpkin crumb cake cookies, and the constant favorite… brown butter pumpkin oatmeal cookies. You’ll love the double dose of brown butter… in the cookies and the icing.
One reader, Brittany, commented: “The absolute best cookie recipe ever. I’ve made this recipe twice and both times people have obsessed over them. It’s child and husband approved. I leave a few without the glaze for those who don’t like sweets and even they still taste fabulous. It makes a lot of cookies, so I always share with family and coworkers. Everyone raves about them! ★★★★★“
These are by far one of the best cookie recipes to come out of my kitchen. Let’s get started!
Tell Me About These Brown Butter Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
- Texture: We love the soft, yet dense centers and chewy crisp edges. You’ll appreciate that this is a CHEWY pumpkin cookie as opposed to a cake-like pumpkin cookie. If you love the texture of these, you’ll also love these pumpkin oatmeal cream pies. Or if you’re looking for a cakey pumpkin cookie, try these soft pumpkin cookies.
- Flavor: Brown butter is a massively underused ingredient. Browning butter takes about 5–10 minutes and the result promises extra flavor. And not just regular flavor—a deep toffee-like, toasty, nutty flavor that pairs wonderfully with pumpkin and fall spices.
- Ease: This simple recipe makes fall baking quick and easy. (With big flavorful results!) Browning the butter takes a little extra time, but there’s no dough chilling or mixer required. Here are more cookie recipes that don’t require chilling; shortbread cookies are another quick favorite.
I include directions for browning the butter below, but feel free to review my How to Brown Butter page, which includes a helpful video. You can also go ahead and prepare a batch of homemade pumpkin pie spice, because you WILL be making these on repeat.
The Secrets to Chewy Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
Pumpkin is a really moist ingredient, which makes it useful in cakes, pumpkin muffins, and quick breads. But it poses a texture problem when we’re trying to make dense and chewy oatmeal cookies.
Here’s what I’ve learned:
Blot the pumpkin. More moisture = cakier cookies. To prevent overly cakey cookies, blot some of the moisture out of the pumpkin. I know it sounds odd, but gently soaking liquid out of the pumpkin puree with paper towels is a trick that works. Take a look at the difference below.
- Left: Blotted the pumpkin—the cookie is denser and chewier.
- Right: Did not blot the pumpkin—the cookie is cakey.
Use only an egg yolk. Pumpkin acts like an egg in cookie dough and this is something I learned when testing pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. Testing today’s pumpkin oatmeal cookies, however, proved that an egg—or at least part of an egg—is necessary. The cookies were a little dry and crumbly without it because of the oats in the dough. Use just 1 large egg yolk in the dough because that little extra bit of fat makes a difference.
Use a cookie scoop. I like to use a medium cookie scoop for this cookie dough. Why? This is a sticky dough, and a cookie scoop makes things a little more manageable. Once you scoop the dough, slightly flatten the tops of the dough mounds. The cookies don’t expand much but flattening them first encourages spreading, which helps seal in that chewy texture. Just like this:
Overview: How to Make Brown Butter Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
The full printable recipe is below, but let’s walk through it so you understand each step before getting started.
- Brown the butter. You’ll use browned butter in both the cookie dough AND the icing, so it’s helpful to brown the butter all at once. When you’re finished browning the butter, set aside 2 ounces for the glaze topping. Use the rest in the cookie dough.
- Whisk dry ingredients together. This includes whole oats, all-purpose flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
- Whisk the brown butter you need for the dough with granulated sugar and brown sugar. Then whisk in the egg yolk + vanilla extract.
- Blot the pumpkin, then whisk it into the wet ingredients. (By the way, here’s a list of recipes to make with leftover pumpkin puree!)
- Mix dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Combine to form a thick and sticky dough.
- Scoop & flatten. As noted above, scoop cookie dough onto baking sheets using a medium cookie scoop. Slightly flatten each cookie dough ball before baking.
- Bake until cookies are lightly browned and set on the edges.
- For the icing, whisk the reserved brown butter and the remaining icing ingredients together until smooth. Dip the top of each cookie into the icing.
Because it’s made with butter, which is solid at room temperature, the icing eventually sets, making the cookies a little easier to stack, store, and transport. This brown butter icing is also delicious on peach Bundt cake, apple blondies, pecan sugar cookies, and pistachio cookies. Or try it on pumpkin scones or apple cinnamon scones!
I love seeing all of your photos of these popular cookies. Thank you for sharing!
Brown Butter Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour, 10 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These soft and chewy brown butter pumpkin oatmeal cookies are the perfect choice if you’re looking for a fun, flavorful, and satisfying fall cookie recipe. To simplify the entire process, brown the butter for both the cookies and the icing at the same time. This recipe is also in my New York Times best-selling cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101.
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/4 cups (285g) canned pumpkin puree*
- 1 cup (16 Tbsp; 226g) unsalted butter, cut into 16 pieces
- 2 cups (170g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats
- 1 and 2/3 cups (208g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons store-bought or homemade pumpkin pie spice*
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup (133g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1 egg yolk, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Brown Butter Glaze
- 1/4 cup (4 Tbsp; 56g) unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces
- 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) confectioners’ sugar
- 3 Tablespoons (45ml) milk
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- optional for garnish: sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice
Instructions
- Blot the pumpkin: Line a medium bowl with a double layer of paper towels. Place the pumpkin puree in the bowl. Using another paper towel, press down to blot excess moisture from the pumpkin. You may need to repeat a couple of times with new paper towels. After blotting, you will have about 1 cup (225g) of pumpkin. Set aside.
- Brown the butter: Brown the 16 Tablespoons of butter for the cookies together with the 4 Tablespoons for the glaze. Place all 20 pieces of butter in a light-colored skillet over medium heat. (Light-colored helps you determine when the butter begins browning.) Stir or whisk the butter constantly as it melts. Once melted, the butter will begin to foam. Keep stirring. After 5–8 minutes, the butter will begin browning—you’ll notice lightly browned specks begin to form at the bottom of the pan and it will have a nutty aroma. As soon as the butter has browned, immediately remove from heat and pour it into a large heat-safe glass bowl or liquid measuring cup. Scrape up the browned solids at the bottom of the skillet and add them as well. Divide and set aside 2 Tbsp (28g) of the brown butter to use for the glaze in step 8. The rest of the brown butter will go in the cookie dough in step 5. Allow to slightly cool while you continue.
- Make the cookies: Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C). Line large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
- In another large bowl, whisk the brown butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until combined. Whisk in the egg yolk and vanilla extract until combined, then whisk in the blotted pumpkin. Slowly stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until combined. The cookie dough will be soft and sticky.
- Scoop the cookie dough, about 2 Tablespoons (45g) of dough each, and arrange them 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 14–15 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are lightly browned and set. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
- Make the glaze: Give the brown butter you reserved for the glaze a quick stir. If it’s no longer thin and liquid, warm it on the stove or in the microwave. Whisk in the confectioners’ sugar, milk, and vanilla extract until smooth. Lightly dip the top of each cookie into the glaze. Sprinkle a pinch of pumpkin pie spice on top of each glazed cookie, if desired. Return the cookies to the cooling rack and let sit until the glaze has set. Store covered tightly at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead & Freezing Instructions: Iced cookies stay fresh covered in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. You can make the cookie dough and chill it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Allow to come to room temperature then continue with step 6. Baked and frosted or unfrosted cookies freeze well for up to 3 months. Unbaked cookie dough balls freeze well for up to 3 months. Bake frozen cookie dough balls for an extra minute, no need to thaw. Here are my tips and tricks on how to freeze cookie dough.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Mixing Bowls | Light-Colored Skillet or Stainless Steel Skillet (for browning butter) | Stand Mixer | Baking Sheets | Silicone Baking Mat | Cookie Scoop | Cooling Rack
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: You can find pumpkin pie spice in the baking aisle of most grocery stores or make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice. If you don’t have either and want to use individual spices, use 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/2 teaspoon ground allspice, 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg, 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves, and an extra 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon. Do not leave out the 1 and 1/2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon that is also called for in this recipe.
- Pumpkin: Make sure to use the can labeled “pure pumpkin puree,” not “pumpkin pie filling.” Blot as much of the moisture out of the pumpkin puree as you can before using it in the cookie dough. I simply squeeze the puree with paper towels and repeat with new paper towels until I can’t get any more moisture out. See photo in the post for a visual. This will help produce a less cakey cookie. Less moisture is a good thing in these cookies!
- Chocolate Chips: Instead of icing (or in addition to!), you can add 1 heaping cup of chocolate chips to the cookie dough. Or 1 cup of chopped nuts, dried cranberries, raisins, white chocolate chips, butterscotch morsels, etc.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Really good cookies, the brown butter In the frosting is the BEST, you can really taste the nutty flavor there! Great for Fall/Thanksgiving and with all the oats and pumpkin, I can give to grandkids without feeling too guilty!
I used cultured unsalted butter, other than that followed exactly! The cultured butter gave the frosting a tang like cream cheese! So good.
These are some of the best cookies I have ever made. I made the recipe exactly as stated and baked them in a convection oven (25 degrees lower) for 14 minutes. They were perfect. No need to visit Crumbl cookies because these are way better!! DO NOT SKIP the brown butter!!
Hey Sally,
Could I replace the pumpkin puree for pumpkin butter? Bought it from a cider mill and have been wanting to use the pumpkin butter for something!
Hi Alexa, We recommend sticking to plain pumpkin puree here. Pumpkin butter is made with sugar and other flavors which makes it a delicious spread (like you would use jam or apple butter) but not ideal for using in a recipe.
I have to agree with the other review that said there’s too much brown butter flavor — something I thought impossible! The greasiness from the butter is disappointing and the flavor is delicious but unbalanced. The pumpkin and spices are totally lost to the brown butter, and I didn’t even brown it very dark. This is not a recipe I would try again or recommend, I’d skip and try another one of the pumpkin cookies
I made these today and took them to work and came home with an empty container!
Sooooo good! Thank you for sharing!
These cookies are magical! I’m sad I didn’t see the suggestion to add pecans until after I made them. Next time! I added just a small amount of cream cheese to the icing which made it thicker more like a frosting. These will be my fall seasonal go to cookies from now on.
Can I use salted butter and leave out the salt? I’m almost out of unsalted butter but really want to make these for my girls tonight. P.s. LOVE YOUR RECIPES. Love this website.
Also which would be a better substitution, steel cut oats or instant oats? Thank you
Hi Cristine, quick oats will work in a pinch, but for best taste and texture we recommend waiting until you can get whole oats.
Hi Cristine, you can reduce the salt to 1/4 teaspoon and use the salted butter. Hope you enjoy these cookies!
How much butter do you start with for browning if you don’t want to make the icing? I never know since some cooks of while browning!
Hi Julie, start with 1 cup of butter for the cookies only. Enjoy!
Can you substitute maple syrup for the sugar
Hi Terie, we don’t recommend it — it would take some recipe testing in order to ensure good results with that swap since it’s not necessarily a 1:1 swap.
These are one of the best cookies I’ve ever had! My family and I loved them, and I thought they tasted even better the next day (especially with a cup of coffee!). Great recipe!
One of the best oatmeal pumpkin cookies I have ever made!!! Do not, I repeat do not skip the browned butter , that is a game changer! The only thing I would change is I would double or triple the recipe, 25 is not enough!!!! Go make this now;)
Made these today and they taste very good but I found that they spread quite a bit. Would chilling them for an hour or so hurt anything?
Hi Heather, For help troubleshooting cookies that spread, visit the post 10 Guaranteed Tips to Prevent Cookies from Spreading.
I have made this recipe twice, the first time as written, and the second time with only one minor adjustment. We ate the first batch way too quickly, so I made them half the size the second time around, baking for 12 minutes instead of 14. They turned out perfectly and were much easier to store/save. Overall, great recipe!
Can you substitute banana for the pumpkin?
could you substitute oat milk or almond milk for the icing? would that work?
Hi Keilani, the icing will be a bit less rich, but that should work OK.
Not sure what I did wrong but my batch turned out bland. The family never turns down a cookie…but these are just sitting on the counter-uneaten. I bake all the time, so I’m not sure what happened.
Hi Kim, so sorry to hear that! With spices and brown butter, it’s hard to imagine these coming out bland. Did you make any changes to the recipe? Perhaps your cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice could be a bit old? That can make a big difference for flavor!
Where do you get pumpkin purée & what is the difference from can pumpkin.
Hi Sally, you can make homemade pumpkin puree or use canned pumpkin puree. A majority of bakers using this site use pumpkin puree you purchase in a can in the baking aisle, such as Libby’s brand. For a homemade pumpkin puree tutorial, there are plenty online and I’ve used this one: https://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/pumpkin-puree-recipe-1922629
Canned is best in this recipe though.
Hi, could I use almond flour instead of all purpose flour?
Hi Jan, I don’t recommend that substitution. Here are all of my recipes that use almond flour and here are naturally gluten free recipes if you’re interested in browsing either section.
This recipe looks amazing. Before I try I need to see nutritional info to see if anything needs to be adjusted. I need to eat heart healthy so fat, sat fat, and sodium is extremely important for me. I can’t find any info on nutrition numbers. I would love to make these.
Hi Marly! We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
Made these today, and they were absolutely delicious! Perfection!
I loved this recipe, even with the tweaks I made, or because of the tweaks I made and it was still great! I didn’t have unsalted butter, so just browned some salted butter, and after letting it cool a bit, poured off the salted browned ghee for the cookie recipe, and left the saltier bits in the pan, and withheld the salt in the recipe itself. I used a silicone brush to brush on the icing, and then sprinkled a little pie spice and then some granules of sea salt on top. I think that put them over the top! Nothing says Fall like some nice pumpkin flavored cookies!
Made these this weekend and they’re good as gold! We ate them without icing too! Thank you.
I looked up this recipe after seeing that Jennifer Garner made these on her YouTube channel. So glad I did! These were absolutely incredible. I LOVE the brown butter flavor and they were chewy! I was so very happy with the way they turned out and will be saving this recipe. I swapped out 2 Tbsp of the milk for 2 Tbsp of pure maple syrup in the glaze to give it maple flavor. Amazing!
Does it matter if the flour is bleached and pre-shifted?
That should be fine!
These were drop dead delicious but the brown butter was a tad strong. How could I make these with non-browned butter instead? Melt it down to 8oz for the cookies and 2oz for the glaze?
That’s exactly right!
You can remove the butter before it gets too dark, maybe just a dark blonde instead of full browned butter, so cooking it on low until it stops bubbling up. I know the first time I made browned butter, I waited too long, and then the pan itself continued to cook the butter after removing it from the heat, and it went too dark and overpowered the other ingredients.
Is there a high altitude adjustment you recommend?
Hi Alison, I wish we could help, but have no experience baking at high altitude. Some readers have found this chart helpful: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
Looking forward to trying this recipe, but I only have quick cook oats. Can I use quick cook oats instead or should I make these cookies once I get old-fashioned whole rolled oats? Thanks!
Hi Kay, quick oats will work in a pinch, but for best texture, we recommend waiting until you have old-fashioned rolled oats!
Amazing! I almost skipped browning the butter for the icing and I’m so glad I didn’t. I’m going to dream of the brown butter icing all day.
Thanks for always being so spot on with every recipe!
Can I add pecans to this?
Hi Emily, absolutely — we recommend about a cup of pecans.
Hi Emily. I didn’t have cinnamon chips so I added 1 cup of pecans and they were wonderful.
sorry want to clarify.. I made a very similar Sally recipe from her cookbook… which called for cinnamon chips (this recipe does not) and I put pecans in that and they were delicious. With the two recipes being so similar I bet they would be great in these too!
Taste is great however the cookies came out FLAT. Seems I can’t make a cookie that doesn’t flaten on my cookie pans. Why is that? I correctly measured all the ingredients!
Hi Donna, we’re happy to help. There are many different reasons why cookies can come out flat — #2 “Prevent Excess Spreading” in this post should be helpful for troubleshooting. Thank you so much for giving this recipe a try!