Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies are soft, chewy, warmly spiced, and finished with a simple maple cream cheese glaze that settles into every cozy bite. The brown butter adds a deep, nutty flavor, while the oats give each cookie that tender, hearty texture people love in a great oatmeal cookie.

Because pumpkin naturally adds moisture, this recipe uses one important little trick: blotting the pumpkin first. As a result, the cookies stay chewy instead of turning cakey. Then, after a quick chill, they bake up thick, soft in the center, and lightly golden around the edges. They feel homemade in the best way — a little rustic, beautifully spiced, and perfect with coffee or tea nearby. Some cookies quietly disappear from the cooling rack. These are absolutely those cookies.

Recipe Yield: 18 cookies

INGREDIENTS

1 1/2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup 100% pumpkin purée, blotted to about 1/3 cup
10 tbsp unsalted butter
1 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg yolk, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp fine sea salt
1/3 cup chopped toasted pecans, optional

For the Maple Cream Cheese Glaze:
3/4 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp cream cheese, softened
1 tbsp maple syrup
2 to 3 tsp milk
1/4 tsp vanilla extract
Pinch of pumpkin pie spice

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Brown the butter:
Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until golden brown and nutty. Pour into a large mixing bowl, scraping in the browned bits, and cool for 10 minutes.

2. Blot the pumpkin:
Place 1/2 cup pumpkin purée on a few folded paper towels. Top with more paper towels and gently press 2 to 3 times, until the pumpkin looks thicker and the towels absorb excess moisture. Measure 1/3 cup of the blotted pumpkin for the dough.

3. Mix the wet ingredients:
Whisk the brown sugar, granulated sugar, browned butter, blotted pumpkin, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth and glossy.

4. Combine the dry ingredients:
Stir together the oats, flour, cornstarch, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a separate bowl.

5. Make the dough:
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. Then, fold in the pecans, if using.

6. Chill the dough:
Cover and chill the dough for 30 minutes, until scoopable and slightly firm.

7. Preheat and shape:
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper, then scoop 2-tbsp portions of dough and gently flatten each one slightly.

8. Bake the cookies:
Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges look set and the centers still look soft. Cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack.

9. Make the glaze:
Whisk the powdered sugar and cream cheese until mostly smooth. Then, whisk in the maple syrup, milk, vanilla, and pumpkin pie spice until thick and spoonable.

10. Glaze and set:
Spoon the glaze over cooled cookies and let it set for 15 minutes before serving.

Helpful Tips to Perfect This Recipe

• Blot the pumpkin for the best chewy texture: Pumpkin adds cozy flavor, but it also adds moisture. Removing the excess liquid helps these Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies bake soft and chewy instead of cakey.
• Use old-fashioned oats, not quick oats: Old-fashioned oats give the cookies better texture and a more homemade look. Quick oats can make the dough tighter and less chewy.
• Let the brown butter cool before mixing: If the butter is too hot, it can make the dough greasy. A short cooling time keeps the cookies thick, balanced, and easier to scoop.
• Do not skip the chill time: The oats need time to absorb moisture. As a result, the cookies bake with better shape, richer flavor, and softer centers.
• Glaze only after the cookies cool: Warm cookies will melt the maple cream cheese glaze too quickly. Cooled cookies hold that thick, pretty finish much better.