Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Brown the butter and solidify
- Brown the butter in a saucepan until it turns golden and smells nutty, then pour it out to cool. Chill in the fridge until solid, about 1 hour, so it creams easily.
Prep and preheat
- Preheat the oven to 375F and line baking sheets with parchment. Keep the trays ready so you can bake right after scooping.
Mix the dry ingredients
- Whisk the all-purpose flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt together in a bowl. Whisk until evenly speckled with spices.
Cream butter and sugars
- Beat the solidified brown butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until creamy. Scrape down as needed for a smooth, cohesive mixture.
Add wet ingredients
- Beat in the blotted pumpkin puree, then add the eggs and vanilla extract. Mix just until incorporated and the dough looks uniform.
Combine and add chocolate
- Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until no dry streaks remain. Fold gently to keep the dough tender.
- Fold in the chocolate chips until they are evenly distributed. Stop mixing once the chips are fully incorporated.
Scoop and bake
- Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon rounds and space them on the prepared baking sheets. Keep the scoops consistent for even baking.
- Bake at 375F for 10-12 minutes until the edges are golden. The centers should still look slightly soft.
Finish and cool
- Sprinkle the cookies immediately with flaky sea salt right after they come out of the oven. This helps the salt adhere before the surface sets.
- Cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring. Let them firm up slightly for clean edges and chewy centers.
Notes
Pro tip: blot the pumpkin puree very dry before mixing—extra moisture can make cookies spread too much or bake cakey. Store airtight at room temperature for 3-4 days, or refrigerate up to 7 days. Freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months. For a lighter option, use semi-sweet chocolate chips and reduce the granulated sugar to 1/3 cup while keeping the total sugars similar.