Preheat and Prepare

Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two baking trays with parchment paper and set them aside.

Brown the Butter

In a large stainless steel saucepan, add 1 cup (226 g) cold unsalted butter. Cook over medium heat, stirring occasionally. The butter will foam, pop, and crackle—this is normal. Watch it closely to avoid burning. Once you see brown bits forming at the bottom and it smells nutty and fragrant, remove the pan from the heat. You should be left with just under 1 cup (184 g) of browned butter. Scrape it into a heatproof glass measuring cup and transfer it to the fridge. Chill for 50–60 minutes, stirring every 10–15 minutes, until the butter cools to about 75°F (24°C). It should still be liquid but no longer warm.

Dry the Pumpkin

While the butter cools, place ⅔ cup (160 g) of pumpkin purée onto a large plate. Use a stack of paper towels to press out the excess moisture. Scrape the pumpkin back into a pile, then re-spread and repeat with fresh paper towels until it feels dense and dry—similar to soft playdough. The final volume should measure around ⅓ cup (75 g).

Mix the Wet Ingredients

Once the browned butter is cool, whisk in ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar and ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar for exactly 1 minute. The mixture will appear pale and sandy. Whisk in the 2 large egg yolks (36 g), 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and the dried pumpkin purée, mixing until fully combined.

Add the Dry Ingredients

Using a rubber spatula or wooden spoon, gently fold in 1⅔ cups + 1 tablespoon (220 g) all-purpose flour, 2½ teaspoons pumpkin spice, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon fine sea salt, and 1 cup (125 g) finely chopped chocolate bar or chocolate chips. Mix just until no dry streaks remain—do not overmix.

Shape the Dough

Using a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion the dough into balls. Roll them gently between your palms and place them on the prepared baking trays, spacing them 2–3 inches apart. This recipe makes about 15 cookies. For dramatic pools of chocolate, press extra chopped chocolate onto the tops of the dough balls before baking.

Bake

Bake one tray at a time for 9–13 minutes, or until the edges are golden brown but the centers still look slightly underbaked. Immediately after removing from the oven, use a large round cookie cutter to gently scoot the cookies into perfect circles—this also thickens the edges slightly for a bakery-style look.

Cool and Store

Let the cookies cool completely on the baking trays set over a wire rack before transferring. Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days.

Make Ahead and Freeze

To prep in advance, shape the dough into balls and refrigerate or freeze. Allow cookie dough to return to room temperature before baking—about 1 hour from the fridge or 2 hours from the freezer.