My Brown Butter Pumpkin Cookie Cake
One big, shareable cookie cake with crisp edges, a soft center, and that brown butter nuttiness you'll crave all season.
Equipment
- 10-inch cast iron skillet
- 9-inch Cake Pan
- Medium Saucepan
- Mixing Bowls
- Rubber spatula
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pie filling)
- 1 cup light brown sugar, packed
- 1 large egg
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
Mix-ins
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup toasted pecans
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Lightly grease a 10-inch cast iron skillet or cake pan with butter.
- Brown the butter: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Swirl the pan often. It will foam then settle. When it turns a deep amber color and smells nutty, about 4-6 minutes, pull it off the heat. Pour into a heatproof bowl to stop cooking. Let cool for five minutes.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the cooled brown butter and brown sugar together until smooth. Add the pumpkin puree, egg, yolk, and vanilla. Whisk until glossy and well combined, about one minute.
- Fold the dry ingredients: Sprinkle the flour, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and cinnamon over the wet mixture. Fold gently with a rubber spatula until just combined. A few streaks of flour are fine.
- Add the mix-ins: Fold in the dark chocolate chips and toasted pecans.
- Rest the dough: Let the dough sit in the bowl for 15 minutes. This is important for texture.
- Press into the skillet: Scrape the dough into the prepared skillet and press into an even layer.
- Bake: Bake for 18-22 minutes. The edges should be golden brown and set; the center should look slightly puffed and soft. A toothpick inserted one inch from the edge should come out clean.
- Cool: Place the skillet on a wire rack and cool for at least 20 minutes before cutting. Cutting too soon will cause it to collapse.
Notes
For dairy-free: use 1/2 cup coconut oil or vegan butter. For gluten-free: use 1:1 GF flour blend plus 2 extra tablespoons and rest dough 20 minutes. Store leftover baked cookie cake tightly covered at room temperature for up to 4 days. Freeze unbaked dough in skillet for up to 3 months; bake from frozen adding 8-10 minutes.