Spooky Ghost Brown Butter Pumpkin (Printer-Friendly)
Brown butter pumpkin cookies with maple, topped with cute white chocolate ghosts. Soft, chewy, and festive.
# List of Ingredients:
→ Cookie Dough
01 -
3/4 cup unsalted butter
02 -
1 cup light brown sugar, packed
03 -
1/4 cup granulated sugar
04 -
1/4 cup pure maple syrup
05 -
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
06 -
1 large egg yolk
07 -
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
08 -
2 cups all-purpose flour
09 -
1 teaspoon cornstarch
10 -
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
11 -
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
12 -
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
13 -
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
14 -
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
15 -
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
16 -
1/2 cup granulated sugar for rolling
17 -
1/4 cup light brown sugar for rolling
→ Ghost Decoration
18 -
1 cup white chocolate melting wafers
19 -
1/4 cup black candy melts
# Preparation Steps:
01 -
Place unsalted butter in a saucepan and heat over medium, stirring frequently, until the butter foams and solids turn golden brown with a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and let cool for 10 minutes.
02 -
In a large bowl, combine the cooled brown butter, packed brown sugar, granulated sugar, pure maple syrup, pumpkin puree, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth and fully incorporated.
03 -
In a separate bowl, whisk together all-purpose flour, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, fine sea salt, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves until evenly blended.
04 -
Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir with a spatula or wooden spoon until a uniform dough forms, ensuring no flour pockets remain.
05 -
In a small bowl, mix granulated sugar and brown sugar for rolling. Using a scoop, portion dough into 2 tablespoon balls, roll in the sugar mixture to coat, then place on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.
06 -
Preheat oven to 350°F. Arrange dough balls with 2 inches of space between each. Bake for 12 minutes, until edges are just set and centers remain slightly puffy.
07 -
Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
08 -
Melt white chocolate wafers in a microwave-safe bowl at 50% power in 20-second increments, stirring well between bursts until smooth.
09 -
Spoon a generous dollop of melted white chocolate onto the center of each cooled cookie. With the back of a spoon, gently drag the chocolate downward to create a ghost shape. Allow chocolate to set.
10 -
Melt black candy melts and transfer to a piping bag or ziplock. Pipe small dots for eyes and a mouth on each ghost. Allow the decorations to harden before serving.
# Additional Suggestions:
01 -
Use pure maple syrup for the richest flavor; avoid imitation syrups as they can produce an artificial taste.
02 -
Do not over-bake; cookies should appear slightly underdone at the center as they will continue to set while cooling.
03 -
A light-colored baking sheet ensures the bottoms of the cookies do not brown too quickly.