Brown Butter Pumpkin S'mores Cookies

Soft, gooey, and bursting with fall flavor — these brown butter pumpkin s'mores cookies are a dreamy twist on the classic chocolate chip cookie. The pumpkin puree adds moisture and warm color, the mini marshmallows create melty pockets of sweetness, and the chocolate chips tie it all together.

Prep Time15

Cook Time18

Total Time33

Servings:

Calories: 223kcal

Equipment

Baking sheet

Ingredients

1 cup 2 sticks unsalted butter
1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree blotted very dry
1½ cups packed light brown sugar
4 large egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2½ cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons cornstarch
½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
½ teaspoon salt
1 cup chocolate chips
1 cup mini marshmallows plus more for topping
Flaky sea salt for topping, optional

Instructions

Brown the Butter

Add the butter to a light-colored saucepan over medium heat. Cook, stirring or swirling the pan frequently, until the butter melts, foams, and begins to turn golden brown.
Continue cooking until you see golden-brown bits at the bottom of the pan and the butter smells nutty and fragrant, about 5–7 minutes.
Immediately remove from the heat and transfer the browned butter to a heatproof bowl. Let it cool until it is no longer warm to the touch.

Prepare the Pumpkin

While the butter cools, spread the pumpkin puree onto a plate lined with several layers of paper towels.
Press additional paper towels firmly over the pumpkin to absorb as much moisture as possible. Continue blotting until the pumpkin is very thick and has a texture similar to soft dough.

Make the Cookie Dough

Add the cooled browned butter and brown sugar to a large mixing bowl. Whisk for 2–3 minutes, until well combined.
Add the egg yolks, blotted pumpkin, and vanilla extract. Whisk again until smooth and evenly incorporated.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cornstarch, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. Gently fold in the chocolate chips and marshmallows.

Chill the Dough

Using a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion the dough into balls and place them on a parchment-lined baking sheet or plate.
Freeze for 15 minutes or refrigerate for 1-2 hours. Chilling the dough helps prevent the cookies from spreading too much and creates a thicker, chewier cookie.

Bake

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Arrange the chilled cookie dough balls on a parchment-lined baking sheet, leaving 2 inches between each cookie.
Press a few additional marshmallows and chocolate chips onto the tops of the dough balls, if desired. Slightly flatten the dough balls before they go into the oven (just a enough to not be too rounded on the top but not too much)
Bake for 13–16 minutes, or until the edges are set and lightly golden, while the centers remain slightly soft.
The cookies will continue to set as they cool, so don't wait for the centers to look completely baked.

Cool and Finish

Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately sprinkle with flaky sea salt, if desired. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10–15 minutes.

Notes

Blot the pumpkin well. This is the key to getting a chewy cookie rather than a cakey one. Pumpkin contains a lot of moisture, which can cause the cookies to spread and become soft.
Use pure pumpkin puree. Do not substitute pumpkin pie filling, which contains added sugar and spices.
Cool the browned butter before mixing. If it's too hot, it can affect the texture of the dough and partially cook the egg yolks.
Mini marshmallows work best. If using regular-sized marshmallows, cut them into 4–6 smaller pieces. Add extra marshmallows to the tops. This gives the cookies that gooey, bakery-style s'mores appearance.
For the best texture, don't overbake. The centers should still look slightly soft when the cookies come out of the oven.

Nutrition