Recipe Background
Grandma's Fall Festival Cookies deliver autumn nostalgia with spiced pumpkin and brown butter.
The crisp air of October was always a signal for our family to gather for the Fall Festival in my hometown. Growing up, I cherished those weekends filled with hayrides, corn mazes, and pumpkin picking. One year, as I prepped to host my own autumn gathering, I decided to pay homage to our family tradition with a batch of cookies inspired by the festival. Pumpkin purée, brown sugar, and cinnamon became my secret weapons for capturing that nostalgic taste.
Making the browned butter for these cookies was like bottling up the essence of a bonfire night. That nutty aroma always transports me back to chilly evenings spent wrapped in blankets watching the leaves drift by. The key is to keep a close eye as the butter browns to catch every bit of those golden solids. Letting it cool before mixing ensures the flavors meld perfectly without any unwanted texture in the dough.
For a touch of whimsy, I added icing with just the right amount of pumpkin pie spice on top. This finishing flourish was a nod to the pumpkin patches from those childhood Sundays. A practical tip? Flatten the dough balls slightly before baking to guarantee an even bake. Now, each bite serves up a slice of autumnal nostalgia, perfect for sharing at any fall festivity.
Ingredients
For the cookies:
- 1 1/4 cups pumpkin purée
- 1 1/4 cups unsalted butter sliced
- 2 cups old-fashioned whole rolled oats
- 1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup light or dark brown sugar packed
- 1 egg yolk room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
For the brown butter icing:
- 1 1/2 cups confectioners' sugar
- 3 tablespoons milk
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- pumpkin pie spice optional, to taste, for garnish
Directions
- Line a medium bowl with two paper towels.
- Add the pumpkin purée to the prepared bowl and using another paper towel, press down to blot the excess moisture from the purée. You should have about 1 cup of pumpkin purée remaining after it drains.
- In a light-colored skillet over medium heat, add the butter and cook, while stirring or whisking constantly, until it foams and begins to brown, about 5-8 minutes.
- Immediately transfer the brown butter to a heatproof glass bowl or a liquid measuring cup and allow it to cool. Make sure to transfer the browned solids in the bottom of the pan to the bowl or cup as well.
- Reserve 1/4 cup of the brown butter and set it aside.
- In a medium bowl, add the oats, the flour, the baking soda, the salt, the cinnamon, and 2 teaspoons of the pumpkin pie spice and whisk to combine.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a large bowl, add the remaining 1 cup of the brown butter, the granulated sugar, and the brown sugar and whisk to combine.
- Add the egg yolk and 2 teaspoons of the vanilla to the brown butter mixture and whisk to combine.
- Add the drained pumpkin purée to the brown butter mixture and whisk to combine.
- Slowly add the oat mixture to the brown butter mixture, while whisking, until just combined into a soft and sticky dough.
- Using a medium-size cookie scoop, scoop the dough into balls about 2 heaping tablespoons in size and place the balls on the prepared cookie sheets about 3 inches apart.
- Slightly flatten the dough balls so they spread out more evenly as they bake.
- Bake until the cookies are lightly browned and set on the edges, about 14-15 minutes.
- Allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes.
- Stir the reserved browned butter and, if it is no longer thin and in liquid form, warm it on the stovetop or in the microwave until it is a liquid again.
- Add the confectioners' sugar, the milk, and the remaining vanilla to the brown butter and whisk until a smooth icing forms.
- Dip the top of each cookie in the icing.
- Serve sprinkled with the extra pumpkin pie spice.
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