You’re one tray of cookies away from becoming the hero of every fall gathering. No overpriced bakery run, no complicated equipment—just chewy, melty, pumpkin-spiced perfection that tastes like your favorite sweater feels. These cookies hit that sweet spot between cozy and “wow, did you really make these?” And yes, they’re studded with creamy white chocolate chunks that make pumpkin sing.
Want dessert that vanishes faster than leaves in a windstorm? This is it.
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What Makes This Special
Let’s be honest: pumpkin + white chocolate is a cheat code. The mild pumpkin adds moisture and warmth, while the white chocolate brings creamy sweetness and contrast.
It’s like a PSL met a candy bar and decided to behave.
These cookies bake up thick, chewy, and soft without being cakey. A touch of browned butter adds nutty depth, and a mix of spices keeps things balanced instead of cloying. Bonus: the dough is forgiving, chills fast, and doesn’t spread into sad pancake territory.
Shopping List – Ingredients
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, browned and cooled to room temp
- 3/4 cup (150 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk (not the white)
- 1/2 cup (120 g) pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling), blotted
- 1 3/4 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (optional but recommended)
- 1 1/4 cups (210 g) white chocolate chips or chunks
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Optional: 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar for rolling
- Optional: Flaky sea salt for finishing
How to Make It – Instructions
- Brown the butter: In a light-colored saucepan, melt butter over medium heat.
Cook, stirring, until it foams and the milk solids turn deep golden and smell nutty, 5–7 minutes. Transfer to a bowl and cool to room temp. Don’t skip cooling or you’ll scramble your dough.
- Prep the pumpkin: Place pumpkin puree on a few layers of paper towel or a clean kitchen towel.
Fold and press to remove excess moisture for 1–2 minutes. You should lose about 1–2 tablespoons of liquid. This prevents cakey cookies.
- Mix dry ingredients: Whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves in a bowl.
Set aside.
- Cream sugars + butter: In a mixing bowl, whisk the browned butter with brown sugar and granulated sugar until glossy and combined, about 1 minute.
- Add yolk, pumpkin, vanilla: Whisk in egg yolk and vanilla until smooth. Stir in blotted pumpkin until just mixed. It may look slightly curdled—totally fine.
- Combine: Add dry ingredients to wet and fold with a spatula until no dry streaks remain.
Don’t overmix. Fold in white chocolate.
- Chill: Cover and refrigerate 30–45 minutes until scoopable and slightly firm. This step controls spread and intensifies flavor.
- Preheat and prep: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Scoop: Scoop 2-tablespoon mounds (about 35–40 g). Roll into balls. For a bakery look, press a few extra white chocolate chips on top.
Optionally roll lightly in turbinado sugar.
- Bake: Arrange 2 inches apart and bake 9–12 minutes until edges are set and centers still look slightly underbaked. The tops should be puffed with matte edges.
- Pan-bang and set: Optional but clutch—gently tap the tray once on the counter to deflate and create crinkles. Cool on the sheet 5 minutes, then move to a rack.
- Finish: Sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt while warm to balance sweetness.
Try one. Pretend you’re evaluating. Actually you’re celebrating.
Preservation Guide
- Room Temp: Store in an airtight container up to 3 days.
Slip in a slice of bread to keep soft.
- Fridge: Not necessary for baked cookies, but safe up to 1 week. Let them come to room temp before serving.
- Freeze (Baked): Freeze in a single layer, then bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temp or warm 5 minutes at 300°F (150°C).
- Freeze (Dough): Scoop, freeze balls until solid, then bag.
Bake from frozen at 350°F, adding 1–2 minutes.
What’s Great About This
- Texture goals: Chewy edges, soft centers, zero cakey fluff.
- Balanced spice: You taste pumpkin and white chocolate—not a spice cabinet explosion.
- Low effort, high flex: Browned butter = fancy flavor without extra dishes. IMO, it’s the secret sauce.
- Crowd-proof: The dough chills fast, bakes fast, and disappears faster.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Using unblotted pumpkin: Too much moisture equals puffed, cakey cookies. Blot, always.
- Skipping the chill: Warm, loose dough spreads like gossip.
Chill it.
- Overbaking: Pull when the centers look slightly underdone. They finish on the sheet.
- Using the whole egg: The white adds extra water. The yolk keeps things rich and chewy.
- Overmixing: Stir just to combine.
Gluten + enthusiasm = tough cookies, literally.
Recipe Variations
- Maple Toasted Pecan: Add 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans and 1 tablespoon maple syrup. Reduce brown sugar by 1 tablespoon to balance.
- Chai-Spiced: Swap spices for 2 teaspoons chai spice blend. Add 1/8 teaspoon black pepper for a subtle kick.
- Cran-White Crunch: Fold in 1/2 cup dried cranberries with the white chocolate for tart pops of flavor.
- Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour with xanthan gum.
Add 1 extra tablespoon of flour if dough feels loose.
- Espresso Drama: Add 1 teaspoon instant espresso powder to the dry ingredients. Coffee makes the white chocolate shine, FYI.
- Stuffed Center: Press a teaspoon of cream cheese filling (softened cream cheese + a touch of sugar) into the center of each dough ball for a cheesecake vibe.
FAQ
Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree?
Nope. Pumpkin pie filling has sugar and spices already added, which throws off sweetness and texture.
Use plain pumpkin puree.
Do I have to brown the butter?
Technically no, but you’ll miss the nutty, toasty depth that makes these next-level. If skipping, use softened butter and cream with sugars for 2 minutes.
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Why only an egg yolk?
The yolk adds richness without extra moisture. The white can make the cookies puffy and cakey, which we’re avoiding here.
My cookies spread too much—what happened?
Usually it’s warm dough, unblotted pumpkin, or not enough flour.
Chill longer, blot the pumpkin thoroughly, and make sure you measured flour correctly (spoon and level).
Can I make them smaller or larger?
Yes. For smaller cookies, bake 8–9 minutes. For jumbo (3 tablespoons), bake 12–14 minutes and tap the pan midway to keep them thick and crinkly.
Are white chocolate chips or chunks better?
Chunks melt into pools and feel bakery-style.
Chips hold shape better. I like a 50/50 mix for texture and drama.
How do I keep them soft for days?
Store airtight with a slice of bread. The cookies absorb the bread’s moisture and stay tender.
Replace the slice as it dries.
Can I cut the sugar?
You can reduce total sugar by up to 2 tablespoons without major texture changes. Any more and they’ll be drier and less chewy.
What if I don’t have all the spices?
Use 2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice and add a pinch of extra cinnamon if you like. Done.
How do I know when browned butter is ready?
It will foam, then the foam subsides and you’ll see golden-brown specks with a nutty aroma.
Pull it before those specks turn dark brown—burnt butter is bitter.
My Take
This cookie is the fall flex: simple, forgiving, and wildly crowd-pleasing. The browned butter and blotted pumpkin are the twin levers that make the texture elite. White chocolate adds creamy sweetness that plays perfectly with warm spice—no heavy-handed flavor bombs here.
Make a double batch, freeze half the dough balls, and thank yourself later.
When the craving hits—or guests “just happen to be nearby”—you’ll have warm, fragrant cookies in under 15 minutes. That’s a power move any season, but in fall? It’s your signature.
Printable Recipe Card
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