Soft, chewy, and warmly spiced, these pumpkin oatmeal cookies are finished with a rich brown butter icing that makes every bite taste like fall. They are tender in the center, lightly textured from rolled oats, and full of cozy pumpkin flavor.
Brown butter brings something special to baked goods, and it is especially delicious with pumpkin and oats. As butter cooks, the milk solids toast and develop a deep, nutty aroma with a flavor that is often compared to toffee. That richness pairs beautifully with the warm spices in these cookies.
This recipe keeps the cookie dough simple: melted butter, two kinds of sugar, pumpkin puree, vanilla, flour, pumpkin spice, and rolled oats. The dough is soft because of the pumpkin, but it bakes into cookies with the right balance of tenderness and chew. Once the cookies cool, a drizzle of brown butter icing adds a sweet, buttery finish without overpowering the pumpkin flavor.
If you are looking for a cozy fall dessert, an easy pumpkin cookie recipe, or a make-ahead treat for sharing, these brown butter iced pumpkin oatmeal cookies are a wonderful choice.
Ingredients
The full ingredient list with exact measurements is included in the recipe card. Here are a few key ingredients that help create the best texture and flavor in these pumpkin oatmeal cookies.
- Unsalted butter: Melted butter gives the cookie dough richness, while browned butter creates the nutty icing that finishes the cookies.
- Brown sugar: Brown sugar adds moisture and helps give the cookies their soft, chewy texture.
- Granulated sugar: Granulated sugar adds sweetness and balances the deeper flavor of the brown sugar.
- Rolled oats: Rolled oats add texture and chew. They hold their shape better than quick oats, making them a good choice for this recipe.
- Pumpkin puree: Canned pumpkin puree works well here and gives the cookies their signature pumpkin flavor and soft texture.
- Pumpkin spice: This blend adds the warm cinnamon-forward flavor that makes these cookies taste like a classic fall dessert.
How to make pumpkin oatmeal cookies
First, prepare the cookie dough.
Stir the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar together in a large bowl until the sugars begin to dissolve.
Add the egg, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree, then mix until just combined.
Stir in the flour, pumpkin spice, baking soda, and salt. Mix only until the dry ingredients are incorporated, then fold in the rolled oats.
A note about the dough: Because pumpkin puree adds moisture, the dough will be quite soft. Do not worry if it looks looser than traditional oatmeal cookie dough; it will bake into a tender, chewy cookie.
Second, bake the cookies.
Scoop the dough into 3-tablespoon portions and place them on parchment-lined baking sheets.
Bake at 350°F for 11 to 12 minutes, or until the tops are no longer shiny.
Let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet. They will continue to set as they cool, which helps keep the centers soft without overbaking the edges.
Finally, make the brown butter icing.
Place the butter in a small saucepan and cook it over low-medium heat until it turns golden brown and develops small brown flecks.
Remove the pan from the heat, pour the browned butter into a bowl, and let it cool for about 10 minutes.
Whisk in the powdered sugar until smooth and free of lumps. Drizzle the icing over the cooled cookies and allow it to set before serving.
Expert tips
- Use room temperature ingredients: Room temperature egg and pumpkin puree help the dough mix evenly and give the cookies a better texture.
- Bring the egg to room temperature quickly: If you forget to set it out in advance, place the egg in a bowl of warm water for about 5 minutes.
- Bake the dough right away: This dough is designed to be baked at room temperature. Chilling it can change the texture, so bake the cookies immediately after mixing.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet: The cookies are removed from the oven when the tops are no longer shiny, so they will finish setting on the warm pan without becoming overly browned.
- Watch the browned butter closely: The butter is ready when it smells nutty and you can see brown flecks at the bottom of the pan.
- Fix overcooked brown butter: If the butter gets too dark, pour it through a fine strainer to remove any burned bits before making the icing.
Storage
Store these pumpkin oatmeal cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to one week. For longer storage, freeze them for up to 6 months. Wrapping the cookies individually in plastic wrap before freezing helps protect their texture and makes it easy to thaw only what you need.
Using leftover pumpkin
This recipe uses ⅓ cup of pumpkin puree, so you will have about 1 ⅔ cups left from a standard can.
Leftover pumpkin puree can be used in other fall baking recipes such as pumpkin waffles, pumpkin doughnuts, pancakes, muffins, or quick breads. Keep the remaining puree in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week, or freeze it for longer storage.
More fall desserts
- Easy Pumpkin Baked Alaska
- No Bake Pecan Pie Cheesecake
- Sweet Potato Cake
- Cranberry Orange Pie
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating and share how it went in the comments. Your feedback helps improve the recipe and makes it more useful for other bakers.
Recipe
Brown Butter Iced Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
5 from 1 review
These brown butter iced pumpkin oatmeal cookies are chewy, tender, warmly spiced, and packed with pumpkin flavor.
- Author: Claire | The Simple, Sweet Life
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Total Time: 32 minutes
- Yield: 18 cookies
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
For the pumpkin oatmeal cookies:
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tsp pumpkin spice
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup rolled oats
For the browned butter icing:
- 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter
- ½ cup + 2 tbsp powdered sugar
Instructions
- In a large bowl, stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until the sugars begin to dissolve.
- Add the egg, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree. Stir until just combined.
- Add the flour, pumpkin spice, baking soda, and salt. Mix until the ingredients are incorporated.
- Fold in the rolled oats.
- Scoop 3 tablespoons of dough for each cookie and place the dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Bake at 350°F for 11 to 12 minutes, or until the tops are no longer shiny.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and let the cookies cool completely on the pan.
- To make the icing, cook the butter in a small saucepan over low-medium heat until browned and nutty.
- Pour the browned butter into a small bowl and let it cool for about 10 minutes.
- Add the powdered sugar and whisk until the icing is smooth and all lumps have dissolved.
- Drizzle the icing over the cooled cookies and allow it to set before serving.
Notes
- Room temperature ingredients: Using room temperature ingredients helps the dough come together smoothly.
- Soft dough: The pumpkin puree makes this dough softer than many cookie doughs, but it bakes properly as written.
- Bake immediately: For the best texture, bake the cookies as soon as the dough is mixed.
- Cooling on the pan: Letting the cookies cool on the baking sheet helps them finish setting without overbaking.
- Brown butter: The butter is ready when it has brown flecks and a nutty aroma.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 241
- Sugar: 26.1g
- Sodium: 145mg
- Fat: 10.9g
- Saturated Fat: 6.6g
- Carbohydrates: 35.1g
- Fiber: 0.8g
- Protein: 1.8g
- Cholesterol: 36mg