These White Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Cookies will soon become your new go-to autumn cookie recipe: they are soft, chewy, with crisp outer edges, the most INCREDIBLE pumpkin spice flavor and a sweetness from white chocolate! You’re going to love them!
Okay, so I know it’s still a million degrees outside, but we’re almost done with August, so I figured it was game on for the pumpkin recipes.
And I am ready for all things apple, maple and pumpkin. And cooler weather. And boots. And jackets. And generally not feeling like I am melting. That would be nice!
These cookies are the perfect way to usher in fall vibes because they technically don’t have pumpkin in them, but they have the essence of pumpkin, thanks to pumpkin pie spice and pumpkin spice extract which I’ll explain more about in a minute.
They’re cozy, warm, spicy, sweet – and so delicious! Wanna know more?
White Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Cookies
These cookies start with a brown butter cookie base (oh yeah, did I forget to mention they have brown butter, too?). You’ll simply brown most of your butter until it is toasty, nutty and fragrant and add it to a bowl with your brown and white sugars. Then you’ll mix in your egg, egg yolk, and extracts. For this recipe, we’re using a small bit of vanilla extract, but the star is the pumpkin spice extract.
What is pumpkin spice extract? It’s a newer extract flavoring available in most supermarkets by brands like McCormick that has the flavors of pumpkin spice. It’s just all-around delicious. I actually found mine at Michael’s by the LorAnn Oils brand. Sometimes it may be called an “emulsion” because it’s thicker than an extract. It’s a strong, concentrated flavor and tastes like pumpkin spice. I HIGHLY suggest you use it for the primary flavoring of these cookies!
The rest of the ingredients are pantry staples: flour, baking soda and powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice of course. For some texture and to balance all the spices, I added in some white chocolate chips for sweetness. It was a good decision on my part.
Cookie Tips and Tricks
Does this dough need to be chilled? No! You can actually bake this dough right away, or chill it up to an hour to better familiarize the flavors.
Can these cookies be frozen? Yes, cookies can be frozen for up to 6 months in a freezer-safe bag or container. Bring to room temperature to thaw. Likewise, you can freeze the dough balls and bake from frozen, tacking on a couple minute or two.
Where can I find pumpkin spice extract? Sometimes called extract or emulsion, depending on the brand, you can find it by McCormick brand at most grocery stores like Walmart and Safeway, or emulsions by LorAnn at Michael’s.
What if I can’t find pumpkin spice extract? If you can’t find the extract or emulsion, you can omit it completely and just add another teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice. However, I highly recommend you find it because it really enhances these cookies that the spices can’t do alone and gives it that signature pumpkin spice flavor.
These cookies are soft, chewy, with crisp outer edges and the most addictively nutty brown butter and pumpkin spice flavor paired with sweet, white chocolate chips. You’re going to flip for them just like I did!
White Chocolate Pumpkin Spice Cookies
Ingredients
- 12 Tbsp (1½ sticks) unsalted butter, divided, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 3/4 cup granulated white sugar
- 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tsp pumpkin spice extract or emulsion (see Note)
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3/4 cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350° F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper; set aside.
- Place 4 Tbsp of the softened butter in a large bowl and set aside. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, heat the remaining 8 Tbsp (1 stick) unsalted butter over medium-low heat until melted. At this point, pay close attention because things move quickly and the butter will burn fast. The butter will melt and eventually sizzle, fizz and pop violently. Shortly past this point, it will begin to brown and you'll notice browned bits forming on the bottom of the pan, the butter will be turning amber in color and smell nutty and fragrant. Remove the pan from the heat, and pour the butter (and all the browned bits!) into the bowl with the softened butter. Combine the two carefully until the softened butter has melted as well.
- To the butter bowl, add in both sugars and mix well. Add in the vanilla extract and pumpkin spice extract and mix well. Add in the egg and egg yolk, mixing well after each addition, followed by the flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice and salt and mix until a soft dough comes together. Stir in the white chocolate chips.
- Using a 1"-1.5" Tbsp size cookie dough scoop, portion out rounded balls of dough about 2" on the parchment-lined baking sheets. Bake for 10-12 minutes, rotating pans halfway through baking time to ensure even cooking. Cookies will appear slightly undone in the centers; this is okay as they will continue to set up as they cool on the baking sheets. Allow cookies to rest on the baking sheets for about 10 minutes before carefully transferring them to wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
I pretty much hoarded the entire batch of these cookies to myself because they were that good. I hope you love them as well!
Have a super sweet day!
xo, Hayley
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