I whipped up a no-chill pumpkin cookie you can make in under 30 minutes for Halloween or Thanksgiving that I think deserves a spot among the Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.

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I didn’t mean to perfect a cookie today but here we are. Easy to make, no chilling, under 30 mins, the perfect fall pumpkin cookie.

Equally perfect for Halloween and Thanksgiving! I use browned unsalted butter for that nutty edge and fold in old fashioned rolled oats so each bite has chew and grit, not just mush.

Little pockets of semisweet chocolate are implied by the name, but what surprised me was how these somehow feel like Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies while also slotting straight into Fall Oatmeal Cookies territory. Try one warm, you’ll be suspiciously proud.

Ingredients

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Browned butter: nutty toasted flavor that makes cookies richer, adds fat not much nutrition.
Pumpkin puree: adds moisture, fiber, vitamin A, mild sweetness and autumny flavor, subtle.
Old fashioned oats: hearty fiber, slow carbs, chew, helps texture and makes them filling.
Brown sugar: molasses notes, adds chew and caramel sweetness, lots of sugar, so treat sparingly.
Semisweet chocolate chips: sugar and cocoa, quick bursts of sweetness, some antioxidants but mostly calories.
Toasted nuts: crunchy fat, added protein and omega 3s, toasty depth and richness.
Warm spices: cinnamon and pumpkin spice give aroma, tiny antioxidants, make cookie taste cozy.

Ingredient Quantities

1 cup (2 sticks, 226 g) browned unsalted butter

3/4 cup (150 g) packed light brown sugar

1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar

1/2 cup (120 g) canned pumpkin puree

1 large egg

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups (190 g) all purpose flour

1 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp ground cinnamon

1 tsp pumpkin pie spice

1/2 tsp fine sea salt

1 1/2 cups (135 g) old fashioned rolled oats

1 to 1 1/4 cups (170 to 200 g) semisweet chocolate chips

3/4 cup (75 g) chopped toasted pecans or walnuts optional

How to Make this

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1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper; set a rack in the middle of the oven.

2. Brown 2 sticks (226 g) unsalted butter in a light-colored skillet over medium heat: melt, foam, then watch for brown flecks and a nutty aroma, about 5 to 7 minutes; pour into a heatproof bowl and let cool until warm, not hot.

3. Whisk the cooled warm browned butter with 3/4 cup (150 g) packed light brown sugar and 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar until mostly smooth, then whisk in 1/2 cup (120 g) canned pumpkin puree, 1 large egg, and 1 tsp vanilla extract until combined.

4. In a separate bowl whisk together 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice, and 1/2 tsp fine sea salt.

5. Stir the dry mixture into the wet mixture just until mostly combined, do not overmix or the cookies get tough.

6. Fold in 1 1/2 cups (135 g) old fashioned rolled oats, then fold in 1 to 1 1/4 cups (170 to 200 g) semisweet chocolate chips and up to 3/4 cup (75 g) chopped toasted pecans or walnuts if using.

7. Scoop dough by heaping tablespoon or 2 tablespoon-size portions onto the prepared sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart; no chilling needed.

8. Bake 10 to 12 minutes at 350°F (175°C) until edges are set and centers still look slightly soft; rotate pans halfway if baking multiple sheets.

9. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes so they firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling; store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for longer.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (set to 350°F / 175°C)
2. 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper
3. Light-colored skillet for browning the butter
4. Heatproof mixing bowl to catch the browned butter
5. Whisk (for creaming sugars and combining wet ingredients)
6. 2 mixing bowls (one for dry, one for wet)
7. Measuring cups and spoons plus a kitchen scale if you like weighing ingredients
8. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for folding and scraping
9. Cookie scoop or tablespoon for portioning dough and a wire cooling rack for finishing cookies

FAQ

How do I brown butter without burning it? Heat the butter in a light colored pan over medium heat, stirring or swirling so the milk solids cook evenly; it will foam, then turn golden and smell nutty, with tiny brown specks. Once you see that, remove from heat right away and pour into a bowl so it stops cooking, let cool until just warm before mixing into the dough.

Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned puree? Yes but make sure your fresh pumpkin is roasted and pureed until smooth, then drain any excess liquid so it matches the thicker canned texture; otherwise the dough gets too wet and you may need a few extra tablespoons of flour or oats.

Do I need to chill the dough? Chill is optional but recommended, 15 to 30 minutes firms the dough and helps the cookies hold shape and not spread too much; if you skip chilling bake right away and watch closely, you might get thinner edges and a chewier center.

How do I get chewy cookies instead of cakey ones? Don't overmix after adding flour, use the full amount of brown butter and brown sugar, and pull them from the oven when the edges are set but centers still look slightly underdone, they finish while cooling and stay chewy.

Can I make these gluten free or dairy free? For gluten free swap in a 1-to-1 gluten free flour blend and use certified gluten free oats; for dairy free use a plant based butter that browns well or browned coconut oil and choose dairy free chocolate chips, flavor will be a bit different but still tasty.

How should I store or freeze the cookies and dough? Baked cookies keep in an airtight container at room temp 3 to 4 days, in the fridge up to a week, or frozen up to 2 months; shape dough into balls and freeze on a tray then transfer to a bag, bake from frozen adding 1 to 3 minutes to the bake time.

Brown Butter Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Browned unsalted butter → If you cant brown butter, use melted unsalted butter 1 cup (226 g) 1:1. To get that nutty flavor, brown just 2 Tbsp separately and stir back in or add 1/4 tsp toasted walnut or sunflower oil.
Pumpkin puree → Swap with canned mashed sweet potato or roasted mashed butternut squash, 1:1. If you use unsweetened applesauce 1:1, cut the granulated sugar by about 2 Tbsp because applesauce is sweeter and wetter.
Old fashioned rolled oats → Use quick oats 1:1 for a softer, less chewy cookie, or use certified gluten free rolled oats 1:1 if you need gluten free. If using quick oats chill the dough 30 minutes to reduce spread.
Semisweet chocolate chips → Use chopped semisweet or bittersweet chocolate (60 to 70% cacao) by weight, same amount (170 to 200 g). Chopped bars give pockets of molten chocolate. For nut allergy friendly, swap with carob chips or allergy-safe vegan chips same volume.

Pro Tips

1. Let the browned butter cool until it’s warm not hot, otherwise the egg or pumpkin can do weird stuff in the batter. If you like a super smooth cookie pour the butter off the browned bits or strain them out, but if you want extra nutty flavor leave them in.

2. For better texture pulse about a third of the old fashioned oats a couple quick times in a food processor so you get some chewy bits and some softer bits, dont turn them into powder though or the cookies get gummy.

3. If you want taller, chunkier cookies chill the dough 20 to 30 minutes or even overnight, it’ll stop them from spreading too much. For quick baking scoop and freeze balls on a sheet then bake frozen for a minute or two longer.

4. Toast your nuts and let them cool before adding so they stay crunchy, and chop a high quality chocolate bar instead of only using chips for big melty pockets. Also bake one sheet at a time on the center rack and use an oven thermometer if you have one, oven temps lie and that fixes a lot of baking problems.

Brown Butter Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies. Recipe

Recipe by Nicky Smith

0.0 from 0 votes

I whipped up a no-chill pumpkin cookie you can make in under 30 minutes for Halloween or Thanksgiving that I think deserves a spot among the Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Servings

servings

Calories

224

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (set to 350°F / 175°C)
2. 2 baking sheets lined with parchment paper
3. Light-colored skillet for browning the butter
4. Heatproof mixing bowl to catch the browned butter
5. Whisk (for creaming sugars and combining wet ingredients)
6. 2 mixing bowls (one for dry, one for wet)
7. Measuring cups and spoons plus a kitchen scale if you like weighing ingredients
8. Rubber spatula and a wooden spoon for folding and scraping
9. Cookie scoop or tablespoon for portioning dough and a wire cooling rack for finishing cookies

Ingredients

1 cup (2 sticks, 226 g) browned unsalted butter
3/4 cup (150 g) packed light brown sugar
1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
1/2 cup (120 g) canned pumpkin puree
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups (190 g) all purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp fine sea salt
1 1/2 cups (135 g) old fashioned rolled oats
1 to 1 1/4 cups (170 to 200 g) semisweet chocolate chips
3/4 cup (75 g) chopped toasted pecans or walnuts optional

Directions

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper; set a rack in the middle of the oven.
Brown 2 sticks (226 g) unsalted butter in a light-colored skillet over medium heat: melt, foam, then watch for brown flecks and a nutty aroma, about 5 to 7 minutes; pour into a heatproof bowl and let cool until warm, not hot.
Whisk the cooled warm browned butter with 3/4 cup (150 g) packed light brown sugar and 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar until mostly smooth, then whisk in 1/2 cup (120 g) canned pumpkin puree, 1 large egg, and 1 tsp vanilla extract until combined.
In a separate bowl whisk together 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all purpose flour, 1 tsp baking soda, 1/2 tsp baking powder, 1 tsp ground cinnamon, 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice, and 1/2 tsp fine sea salt.
Stir the dry mixture into the wet mixture just until mostly combined, do not overmix or the cookies get tough.
Fold in 1 1/2 cups (135 g) old fashioned rolled oats, then fold in 1 to 1 1/4 cups (170 to 200 g) semisweet chocolate chips and up to 3/4 cup (75 g) chopped toasted pecans or walnuts if using.
Scoop dough by heaping tablespoon or 2 tablespoon-size portions onto the prepared sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart; no chilling needed.
Bake 10 to 12 minutes at 350°F (175°C) until edges are set and centers still look slightly soft; rotate pans halfway if baking multiple sheets.
Let cookies cool on the baking sheet 5 minutes so they firm up, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling; store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days or freeze for longer.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.