Pumpkin Spice Sugar Cookies Recipe

• servings: 10 servings
• active time: 25 minutes
• total time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

2 tablespoons dark brown sugar, packed

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Pinch of ground nutmeg

2 cups plus 2 tablespoons [265 g] all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

1 cup [226 g] unsalted butter

1 cup [200 g] dark brown sugar, packed

1/4 cup [50 g] granulated sugar

1/3 cup [80 g] pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)

1 egg yolk, at room temperature

1 tablespoon molasses (not blackstrap)

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

6 tablespoons [85 g] unsalted butter

4 oz [115 g] full-fat cream cheese, at room temperature

2 1/4 cups [270 g] powdered sugar, sifted

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt

Directions

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Once it has melted, begin stirring often and stay close to the stove top. The butter will crackle and pop as it browns and it will start to foam slightly. Once the sizzling sound stops, continue stirring constantly until golden-brown bits begin to collect on the bottom of the pan. The butter will smell slightly nutty and be amber in color.

Remove from the heat and pour the butter into a heatproof bowl, making sure to scrape all the brown butter solids from the bottom of the pan. Chill in the refrigerator for about 25 minutes. Do not let it solidify.

Once the butter has chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.

Add the chilled brown butter to the bowl of a stand mixer fit­ted with the paddle attachment. Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar and mix to combine, about 1 minute. The mixture will resemble wet sand. Add the pumpkin, egg yolk, molasses, and vanilla. Mix on low speed until well combined. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl. Add the flour mixture and mix until combined. Do not over mix. The dough will be very soft but not sticky.

Use a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop to scoop the dough. Do not roll the cookie into a ball. Drop each cookie into the cinnamon sugar mixture and toss to coat while keeping the scooped form of the cookie intact.

Place the coated cookies on the prepared baking sheets, leaving 3 inches between to allow for spreading. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies are set on the edges and still puffed up in the center. The cookies will deflate as they cool.

Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets for 10 minutes before using a spatula to carefully transfer the cookies to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before assembling the cookie sandwiches.

Brown Butter Cream Cheese Frosting

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, melt the butter, stirring only occasionally. Once melted, begin stir­ring often. The butter will crackle and pop and foam slightly as it browns. Once the sizzling sound stops, continue stir­ring often until golden-brown bits begin to collect on the bottom of the pan. The butter will smell slightly nutty and turn a rich amber brown.

Remove from the heat, pour into a heatproof bowl, and allow to cool to room temperature.

In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine the brown butter and cream cheese and mix on medium-high speed for 2 to 3 minutes, or until smooth.

Turn the mixer down to low speed and add the powdered sugar, vanilla, and salt. Turn the mixer back up to medium-high speed and mix for 2 to 3 minutes, until well combined and smooth.