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Browned Butter Pumpkin Pudding Cookies

Browned Butter Pumpkin Pudding Cookies are extra-thick, chewy, and golden, with a butterscotch-brown hue from instant pudding mix and browned butter. The dough is chilled about 1 hour for thicker cookies, then baked hot until set and topped with flaky salt.
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Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Brown butter chilling 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 37 minutes
Servings: 28 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 210
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 2.25 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 package (3.4 oz) instant butterscotch or vanilla pudding mix (dry)
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp salt
Wet ingredients
  • 1 cup unsalted butter, browned and solidified
  • 0.75 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 0.25 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.33 cup pumpkin puree (blotted dry)
  • 2 eggs
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 1 flaky sea salt for topping For sprinkling right after baking.

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Brown the butter and chill
  1. Brown the butter, then let it cool until solid, about 1 hour in the refrigerator (about 60 minutes) to firm it for thick cookies.
  2. Preheat the oven to 375F and line baking sheets with parchment or nonstick liners.
Mix dry ingredients
  1. Blot the pumpkin puree dry, then set it aside to prevent excess moisture in the dough.
  2. Whisk together the all-purpose flour, instant pudding mix, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt until evenly combined.
Mix wet ingredients
  1. Beat the solidified browned butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth and well blended.
  2. Beat in the blotted pumpkin puree, then add the eggs and vanilla and mix until the batter looks cohesive.
Assemble and bake
  1. Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until no dry streaks remain.
  2. Scoop 2-tablespoon rounds onto the lined baking sheets, spacing them for spreading.
  3. Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375F, until the cookies look set at the edges and slightly puffy in the center.
  4. Sprinkle flaky sea salt immediately after baking while the tops are still warm so it adheres.

Notes

Pro tip: blotting the pumpkin puree dry and chilling the browned butter helps the dough stay thick, giving chewy centers instead of cakier cookies. Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or refrigerate for up to 7 days; freeze baked cookies up to 2 months. For a gluten-free swap, use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend (and ensure the pudding mix is gluten-free) for similar texture.