Description
These Spooky Ghost Brown Butter Pumpkin Cookies are soft, chewy, and full of warm fall flavors with a festive Halloween twist. Made with nutty brown butter, pumpkin, and cozy spices, they’re decorated with ghostly white icing for the ultimate Halloween cookie recipe. Perfect for parties, bake sales, or family fun!
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 cup unsalted butter (browned and cooled)
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup pumpkin purée
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- For decorating: white royal icing or melted white chocolate, mini chocolate chips or melted dark chocolate (for faces)
Instructions
- Brown the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, stirring until golden and nutty. Let cool.
- In a bowl, mix browned butter, sugars, egg, pumpkin purée, and vanilla until smooth.
- In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, spices, and salt.
- Slowly combine dry with wet ingredients to form dough. Chill for 30 minutes (optional).
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Scoop dough onto lined baking sheets, spacing 2 inches apart.
- Bake 10–12 minutes, until edges are lightly golden. Cool on a rack.
- Decorate: pipe or drizzle icing/white chocolate to resemble ghosts, and use chocolate chips for eyes and mouths.
Notes
- Chilling dough helps prevent spreading.
- Do not overbake—cookies should stay soft and chewy.
- Use pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Let cookies cool fully before decorating for best results.
- Store undecorated cookies in the freezer and decorate later for fresh party treats.
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Cookies, Halloween, Fall Desserts, Pumpkin Recipes
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American, Seasonal
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 160
- Sugar: 13g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 22g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 2g
- Cholesterol: 25mg
Keywords: Halloween Cookies, Pumpkin Cookies, Brown Butter Cookies, Ghost Cookies, Fall Baking