Pumpkin butterscotch cookies are a brown butter and pumpkin based cookie dough filled with oats and butterscotch chips. They're chewy and sweet, and have the perfect flavors of fall.
These pumpkin butterscotch cookies combine pumpkin, oats and butterscotch in a chewy cookie. They're a fun fall twist on a classic oatmeal butterscotch cookie.
For more cookie recipes try my caramel oatmeal cookies, coffee cake cookies, or apple cider cookies.
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Why You Will Love This Recipe
- TASTES LIKE FALL: Between the browned butter, pumpkin, oats and spices these flavors are the epitome of fall.
- NO CHILL TIME: These cookies can be made quick since the dough doesn't need to sit in the fridge.
- CHEWY, NOT CAKEY: Blotting the pumpkin helps give these cookies the perfect chewy oatmeal texture, without feeling too cakey.
Ingredient Notes
Full ingredient measurements and instructions can be found in the recipe card below.
- Butter: You will brown your butter, and then allow it to cool completely before starting to mix.
- Pumpkin: Make sure you are using pumpkin puree and not pumpkin filling. You will also be blotting the pumpkin to remove moisture (image below).
- Oats: I used old fashioned oats for the cookies, not quick oats.
- Butterscotch Chips: Guittard is my favorite brand for butterscotch chips. These cookies would also be good with chocolate, white chocolate chips, or even no chips at all.
Recipe Instructions
Step 1: Start by browning the butter. You'll take ½ cup of butter (one stick) and melt in a medium saucepan, and then continue to cook past the point of boiling. You will do this over medium heat, past the point of the butter foaming, until it turns a nice golden brown, and has a nutty smell. Make sure you are stirring and watching it, because it will turn from perfectly brown to burnt fairly quickly. Once finished browning, pour all of it into a bowl and allow to cool completely.
Step 2: Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 3: Measure out ½ cup of pumpkin and place on a paper plate. Using some paper towels, blot the pumpkin, removing liquid until the paper towel wipes clean. When done the pumpkin should measure more like ⅓ cup (80g).
Step 4: Place browned butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment and mix together. Add pumpkin, egg yolk and vanilla and mix again.
Step 5: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon. Add flour mixture to bowl and mix on low, being careful not to overmix.
Step 6: In a small blender or food processor pulse the oats 4-5 times until they become a mixture of oats and oat flour. Add this to your cookie dough and mix again. Fold in butterscotch chips.
Step 7: Scoop the dough into large balls, I like to use a ⅓ cup cookie scoop. Top with a few extra butterscotch chips and sprinkle with a bit of flaked salt if desired.
Step 8: Bake the cookies for 11-14 minutes. You don't want to see any shiny dough in the middle of the cookie. Allow cookies to cool on the pan before moving to a cooling rack to hold their shape.
Expert Baking Tips
- With browning the butter and blotting the pumpkin, everyone will have slightly different results. If your dough feels crumbly before scooping, add 1-2 tablespoon extra pumpkin in until it feels like a smoother cookie dough consistency.
- Blotting the pumpkin beforehand is what helps these cookies to become less cakey and more chewy.
- Pulsing the oats gives these cookies a nice hearty texture with bits of oat in every bite.
FAQ
Yes, I have tested this recipe with the moisture removed from the pumpkin, they will have too much moisture if you do not blot some out.
Yes, just make sure you do all the blotting as well, and once done it is ⅓ cup.
Yes, to make these cookies gluten free sub in 1:1 gluten free flour where all-purpose is called for.
Storing & Freezing
These pumpkin butterscotch cookies can be stored in an airtight container or a ziplock bag for 3-4 days at room temperature.
You can freeze your cookies in an airtight container for 2-3 months with them remaining fresh. Pull them out and allow to thaw before eating.
Other Popular Recipes to Try
For more yummy treats follow me on instagram @thesaltedsweets. And be sure to tag me and comment if you make them and love them as much as I do!
Pumpkin Butterscotch Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter browned and cooled completely
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup pumpkin puree blotted to become ⅓ cup (80g)
- 1 large egg yolk room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 cup old fashioned oats pulsed with a blender 4-5 times
- ¾ cup butterscotch chips
- flaked sea salt
Instructions
- Start by browning the butter. You'll take ½ cup of butter (one stick) and melt in a medium saucepan, and then continue to cook past the point of boiling. You will do this over medium heat, past the point of the butter foaming, until it turns a nice golden brown, and has a nutty smell. Make sure you are stirring and watching it, because it will turn from perfectly brown to burnt fairly quickly. Once finished browning, pour all of it into a bowl and allow to cool completely.
- Preheat oven to 350 F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Measure out ½ cup of pumpkin and place on a paper plate. Using some paper towels, blot the pumpkin, removing liquid until the paper towel wipes clean. When done the pumpkin should measure more like ⅓ cup (80g).
- Place browned butter and sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer, fitted with a paddle attachment and mix together. Add pumpkin, egg yolk and vanilla and mix again.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon. Add flour mixture to bowl and mix on low, being careful not to overmix.
- In a small blender or food processor pulse the oats 4-5 times until they become a mixture of oats and oat flour. Add this to your cookie dough and mix again. Fold in butterscotch chips.
- Scoop the dough into large balls, I like to use a ⅓ cup cookie scoop. Top with a few extra butterscotch chips and sprinkle with a bit of flaked salt if desired.
- Bake the cookies for 11-14 minutes. You don't want to see any shiny dough in the middle of the cookie. Allow cookies to cool on the pan before moving to a cooling rack to hold their shape.
Bekah
Loved these! Such good texture. Rich and so addicting!
Laura
I made these twice this fall and were major favorites both times. They’re just pumpkin-y enough and reminded many of the cookie from an oatmeal creme pie!
AJ
These pumpkin butterscotch cookies are a clever unexpected perfect combo! I love the flavors together. Browned butter is such a delicious warm and caramelly element. The blotted pumpkin lends to an excellent texture that is thick and dense. I have made these cookies 4 times since Brooke first posted them. They might be my favorite cookie ever!