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The best ever Brown Butter Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. Homemade pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, made with browned butter, pumpkin butter, oatmeal, pumpkin spice, and plenty of chocolate. Plus one special ingredient that really makes these stand out…espresso. They’re the perfect fall pumpkin cookie. Slightly crisp on the edges, but soft and gooey in the middle. And the sea salt on top makes every bite even more addicting. Equally perfect for Halloween night as they are for Thanksgiving dinner.
This is my year to bake all things pumpkin. When I was looking back at the last 10 years of writing recipes for HBH, I realized many things. But one thing that hit me about fall is the lack of sweet pumpkin recipes.
I actually have plenty of favorite pumpkin recipes. But when it comes to baking with pumpkin, I only have a handful of really solid go-to recipes.
I made it my goal this week to embrace baking with pumpkin. I’m two recipes down and wow, they’re both so delicious. Starting with my personal favorite though, cookies!!
We absolutely love oatmeal cookies around here. My mom’s recipe is pretty famous at this point. So all I do is use her recipe as a base, then adjust from there.
Shockingly, these didn’t take me long to test. I had a few ideas, but in the end, I landed on this cookie. I think it’s pretty perfect.
Details
Like most of my cookie recipes during the fall, this one starts with brown butter. I just love the rich nutty flavor it adds. It makes your cooking and baking even more special.
I brown the butter and then add it to a bowl with brown sugar and pumpkin butter. The key here is pumpkin butter, not pumpkin puree. Pumpkin butter is more reduced down than pumpkin purèe and contains less moisture. Less moisture will give you a chewier cookie, not a cakey cookie. You can use my homemade pumpkin butter or pick some up at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, your local market, or even via Amazon. Though I’m partial to my homemade recipe. Just make sure your pumpkin butter is spiced for best flavor.
Mix in half the pumpkin butter along with an egg and vanilla. I also love to add a small amount of espresso powder. I found this paired so nicely with the flavors and chocolate in the cookie. Kind of like a pumpkin latte with melty chocolate.
Now mix in the dry ingredients: flour, oats, baking soda, pumpkin spice, and salt.
The next step is important. Dollop on the remaining pumpkin butter and add the chocolate, but don’t mix the pumpkin butter fully into the dough. You want streaks. This gives you more pumpkin flavor without creating an overly cakey cookie.
Roll the dough into balls, I love to use a cookie scoop for this. It’s so much easier and works nicely with this dough since it’s a bit stickier. Then bake.
These cookies smell incredible, like cookies with the addition of warming fall scents.
Easy to make, no chilling, and take less than a half hour to make. Love that. Plus they’re full of actual pumpkin flavor, real pumpkin, and swirled with both pumpkin butter and chocolate.
These cookies are lightly crisp on the edges but soft and gooey in the center.
Looking for other pumpkin recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Cream Cheese Swirled Cinnamon Pumpkin Butter Bread
6 Ingredient Spiced Pumpkin Butter
Chai Pumpkin Cake with Maple Browned Butter Frosting
Pumpkin Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies
Cinnamon Swirl Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Butter Bread
Fluffy Pumpkin Butter Chocolate Chip Pancakes
Lastly, if you make these Brown Butter Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Brown Butter Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Servings: 18 -22 cookies
Calories Per Serving: 350 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter
- 1 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 2/3 cup pumpkin butter
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon espresso powder or instant coffee (optional)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 cups old fashioned oats
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2-1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 cups chocolate chunks or chips
- sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350° F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.2. Add the butter to a skillet set over medium heat. Cook until the butter begins to brown, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a heatproof bowl. Let cool 5 minutes or so.3. To the browned butter, mix in the brown sugar, 1/3 cup pumpkin butter, the egg, vanilla, and espresso powder, mixing until smooth. Add the flour, oats, baking soda, pumpkin spice, and salt. 4. Dollop the remaining 1/3 cup pumpkin butter over the dough. Sprinkle over the chocolate chips. Gently fold the pumpkin butter and chocolate into the dough, being careful to not over-mix. You want streaks of pumpkin butter. 5. Roll the dough into rounded tablespoon size balls, it might be a little sticky. Place 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet. Gently flatten the dough down. Bake 8 minutes. Remove from the oven, rotate, and tap the baking sheet on the counter 1-2 times to flatten. Bake another 2-3 minutes or until the cookies are just beginning to set on the edges.6. Sprinkle with sea salt (if desired). Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet. They will continue to cook slightly as they sit on the baking sheet.
Notes
Pumpkin Butter: you can use my homemade pumpkin butter or just pick some up from Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, your local market, or even via Amazon.
If you want more Pumpkin Spice Flavor: add in 1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice along with the flour.
Just made these yesterday & they are amazing!! So yummy.
Hey Madison,
Amazing!! 🍪 Thanks so much for giving these cookies a try, I am so glad that they were enjoyed! xT
Can you substitute pure pumpkin purée for pumpkin butter?
Hey Alison,
For this recipe you are going to want to stick with the pumpkin butter:) Please let me know if you give the cookies a try, I hope you love them! xT
Best cookies I have ever made IMO. I didn’t sprinkle salt cause I forgot and I made the pumpkin better on this recipe too. Pretty simple and extraordinary! Big fan!
Hey Michele,
Amazing!! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it:) xT
My came out a little flat :/ any idea why? For context, I used refrigerated pumpkin butter and egg, should they have been more at room temperature? My butter was still pretty hot with I started mixing, and I waited a few minutes longer than 5 minutes for it to cool down.
Hey Yolanda,
Thanks for making these cookies!! Mine are pretty flat too:) But if you want them more puffy I would make sure the ingredients are at room temp and let the butter cool slightly. I hope this helps! xT
Can I use apple butter?
Hi Jennifer,
Sure, apple butter will work for you, it’s going to change the flavor obviously but if you’re okay with that then totally! I hope you love the recipe! xTieghan
These cookies are amazing! Moist and chewy with the perfect hint of pumpkin. This recipe will be added to my regular rotation. Thank you!
Hey Brittany,
Thanks so much for making these cookies:) 🍪 I am so glad to hear that they were enjoyed!! Have a great day! xTieghan
I made these today with all-purpose GF flour and oats and they turned out great–I am a big fan of your recipes!
Hey Madee,
Happy Wednesday!!👻 I truly appreciate you giving this recipe a try and sharing your feedback, I love to hear that it was enjoyed:) Thanks so much! xT
If I just wanted to use pumpkin how would I go about that?
Hi Kat,
You’re going to want to use pumpkin butter for this recipe, not pumpkin puree. Pumpkin butter is more reduced down than pumpkin purèe and contains less moisture. Less moisture will give you a chewier cookie, not a cakey cookie. You can use my homemade pumpkin butter or pick some up at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, your local market, or even via Amazon. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Could I use apple butter instead? Or recs for using up my apple butter?
Hey Eve,
Here are some recipes to use up your apple butter:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/cinnamon-sugar-swirled-apple-butter-bread/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/apple-butter-old-fashioned/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/apple-butter-bars/
I have even more on the blog, just search “apple butter”. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Just fyi, Trader Joe’s doesn’t carry pumpkin butter this year.
They brought it out kind of late but they do have it!
Thanks Erica!! It also could just vary by location!
They did bring it out late! There was a sign for it on the shelf yesterday, but of course, they were out. Waiting patiently…
Thanks for the heads up Cheryl!
My TJ’s does! Maybe you can try another one?
Hi Tieghan-
I’m a huge fan! Wondering if you have considered creating a pumpkin baked donut recipe?
Thanks-
Beth
Hey Beth,
Thanks so much for your kind message! I have this recipe that you might like:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/baked-buttermilk-pumpkin-doughnuts-with-hot-cocoa-glaze/
Let me know if you give it a try! xT
Hi Tieghan, these sound delicious! Do you use light or dark brown sugar for this recipe? Thanks!
Hey Denyse,
I like to use light brown sugar for this recipe. Please let me know if you give the recipe a try, I hope you love it! xT
Tieghan have you considered making a holiday/ decor book? I especially enjoy your enthusiasm for all things holiday. Your eyeball Halloween cookies are adorable. You could include a focus on your cocktails, cookie boxes, and yummy appetizers plus holiday decor. I think it would be best seller!!!!!
I agree! I would love that!!!!
Hey Cindy,
Thanks so much for your kind message! Definitely something to consider in the future:) Hope you’re having a great week! xx
Everything about this cookie sounds perfect! Can’t wait to try these!
Thanks so much Ang!! I hope you love the recipe:) xx
Hi! When you use chocolate chunks for your cookies instead of chocolate chips, what kind of chocolate do you use specifically? Chocolate bars? Any specific brand? I normally use nestle chocolate chips but I feel like chunks would make them better!
Hey Courtney,
I love using Chocolove bars, they are my fave!! Please let me know if you have any other questions! xx
Hi Tieghan! These cookies look amazing! You haven’t failed me yet! Everything I make of yours is a hit! I can’t wait to try these cookies! I just found Chocolove bars on Thrive. Would you mind telling me which bar you prefer for baking? Thanks in advance!
Hey Kippy,
Thanks so much!! I like dark chocolate, that’s just what my family prefers, but any of their bars are great!! xx