Browned Butter Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies with Icing

First, make the dough.

Combine the melted butter with both sugars, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Add the egg, vanilla, and pumpkin puree and mix until just combined. Stir in the flour, pumpkin spice, baking soda, and salt until incorporated, then gently fold in the rolled oats.

Note about the dough: Because of the pumpkin, the dough will be softer than standard cookie dough. It may seem loose, but it bakes up with the right texture: tender and chewy.

Second, bake the cookies.

Scoop three-tablespoon portions of dough onto parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving space for spreading. Bake at 350°F for 11–12 minutes, or until the tops are no longer glossy. Allow cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet so they finish setting without additional browning.

Finally, make the icing.

Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat and cook until it turns golden brown and releases a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and transfer the butter to a bowl to cool for about 10 minutes. Whisk in powdered sugar until smooth and lump-free, then drizzle the icing over the cooled cookies.

The browned-butter glaze adds a depth of flavor that pairs perfectly with the warm pumpkin spice in the cookies. A light drizzle is enough to highlight the buttery, toffee-like notes without overpowering the cookie.

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 plus 2 tbsp powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
2. Stir together the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar in a large bowl until the sugar is mostly dissolved.
3. Add the egg, vanilla, and pumpkin puree, stirring until combined.
4. Add the flour, pumpkin spice, baking soda, and salt. Mix until the ingredients are incorporated.
5. Fold in the rolled oats until evenly distributed.
6. Scoop three-tablespoon portions of dough into balls and place them on the prepared baking sheets, spacing them a few inches apart.
7. Bake at 350°F for 11–12 minutes, or until the tops are no longer shiny. Remove from oven and let cool on the baking sheet to finish setting.
8. While the cookies cool, brown the butter for the icing: melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium-low heat, stirring occasionally, until it develops brown flecks and a nutty aroma. Remove from heat.
9. Pour the browned butter into a small bowl and let cool about 10 minutes, then whisk in the powdered sugar until smooth and lump-free.
10. Drizzle the icing over the cooled cookies and allow it to set before serving.

• Room temperature ingredients: Using room temperature ingredients helps achieve the right batter consistency and cookie texture.
• Bringing eggs to room temperature: If needed, place the egg in a bowl of warm water for five minutes.
• Bake immediately: This dough is best baked at room temperature rather than refrigerated.
• Finish on the baking sheet: Let cookies cool on the sheet so they finish baking without additional browning.
• Doneness of browned butter: You’ll know the butter is browned when you see brown specks and smell a nutty aroma.
• Salvaging overbrowned butter: Strain the butter through a fine sieve to remove any burned bits if necessary.