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Brown Butter Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Brown butter pumpkin oatmeal cookies with chewy texture and visible oats, baked until the edges turn golden and crisp. Nutty caramel notes from browned butter pair with pumpkin puree, finished with flaky sea salt for contrast.
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Prep Time 40 minutes
Cook Time 14 minutes
Total Time 54 minutes
Servings: 16 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 200
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

all-purpose flour
  • 1.75 cup all-purpose flour
baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking soda
cinnamon
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
old-fashioned oats
  • 1.5 cup old-fashioned oats
unsalted butter, browned and cooled
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter, browned and cooled
brown sugar
  • 1 cup brown sugar
pumpkin puree
  • 0.5 cup pumpkin puree
large egg
  • 1 large egg
flaky sea salt, for topping
  • 1 flaky sea salt, for topping

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Brown the butter
  1. Melt unsalted butter, browned and cooled in a light-colored pan over medium heat until golden brown and nutty smelling, then cool completely.
Mix dry ingredients
  1. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and old-fashioned oats together in a mixing bowl until evenly combined.
Mix wet ingredients
  1. Beat unsalted butter, browned and cooled with brown sugar until smooth, then mix in pumpkin puree and large egg until combined.
Form dough
  1. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until a soft dough forms with no dry streaks.
Bake
  1. Scoop the dough onto a sheet pan and bake at 350°F for 12-14 minutes until edges are golden.
Finish
  1. Sprinkle flaky sea salt, for topping immediately after baking so it sticks while the cookies are hot.

Notes

For cleaner browning, use a light-colored pan and watch closely once the butter turns golden—nutty aroma is your cue to stop. Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days or refrigerate up to 7 days; freeze baked cookies up to 2 months. Yes, freezer-friendly: freeze scooped dough balls on a tray, then transfer to a bag and bake straight from frozen as needed (add 1-3 minutes). For a dairy-free swap, use a 1:1 plant-butter replacement and brown it the same way.