In case you haven’t noticed, we’re finally in the full swing of fall recipes (!!), and these Pumpkin Tangzhong Cookies might be the recipe I’m most excited to share. They’re soft, chewy, loaded with warm fall spices, and have crispy edges and melty pools of chocolate that would make any cookie completely irresistible.
The tangzhong is what gives these cookies their texture and helps them stay that way for days. Instead of making a traditional tangzhong with milk or water, we’re using an entire can of pumpkin, which adds even more fall flavor while helping the dough hold onto all that moisture. It’s one of those little baking techniques that makes such a big difference in the final cookie.
And then, of course, there’s brown butter. But we’re taking this brown butter one step further by blooming the cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg directly in it. This makes the spices incredibly fragrant and brings out all those warm, cozy flavors. Between the pumpkin tangzhong, spiced brown butter, crispy edges, chewy centers, and melty chocolate, these are truly the overachiever pumpkin cookies. And needless to say, I am obsessed.
Table of contents
- What is tangzhong and how is pumpkin tangzhong different?
- Ingredients you’ll need for these cookies
- Ingredient substitutions
- Tips on making, storing and using a tangzhong
- How to make these pumpkin cookies
- Can I bake these as smaller (or bigger) cookies?
- Storage tips
- Watch the recipe here
- Looking for similar recipes?
What is tangzhong and how is pumpkin tangzhong different?
Tangzhong is a Chinese term for a fantastic baking technique that cooks down flour and a liquid (typically water or milk) on the stovetop so that it gelatinizes into a paste. In a tangzhong, the flour is cooked up to 150°F which causes the sugars and starch in the flour to gelatinize. A few things happen when this is added to a dough. It helps the cookie dough hold moisture, but it also stalls crystallization, so it makes the cookies last longer while keeping a soft, chewy texture.
The only difference between a classic tangzhong and this pumpkin tangzhong is the liquid. Instead of milk, we’re using an entire can of pumpkin to infuse all of that fall flavor.
Ingredients you’ll need for these cookies
For the pumpkin tangzhong
- 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin purée
- 1/2 cup (70g) all-purpose flour
For the cookies
- 1 cup (226g) salted butter
- 3 tablespoons (24g) milk powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 180 grams granulated sugar
- 180 grams brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups (175g) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (35g) rye flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 1/3 cups (225g) milk or dark chocolate, reserve 2 ounces for topping
Ingredient substitutions
- Pumpkin – feel free to use canned butternut squash purée instead.
- Butter – you can swap it for vegan butter – I recommend using Miyokos Creamery, as it’s the only one I’ve found that actually browns.
- All-purpose flour – can be swapped for King Arthur’s 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour, if needed.
Tips on making, storing and using a tangzhong
The key to using a tangzhong is that you want it to be done before you start your dough so that it has time to cool. I pop it in the fridge to speed this up, but it also can come to room temperature on its own while you brown and cool the butter.
This recipe will only use half of the amount of pumpkin tangzhong made but it stores really well in the fridge for up to two weeks. After you try the cookies, I have no doubt you’ll be using the leftovers well before then. You could make another batch or use it in either this vegan brioche or honey butter milk buns.
The big tip is that the closer you can get this to room temperature, the better. So if it has chilled for a long time, give it an hour to warm up before you mix it in!
How to make these pumpkin cookies
- Make the pumpkin tangzhong: Add the pumpkin purée and flour to a pot. Place the pot over medium heat and mix into a paste. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5-6 minutes. You’ll see the pumpkin mixture go from a loose paste to a thick paste, almost like drying glue, and the pumpkin will start to cling to the bottom in a film and get one shade darker in color. Turn off the heat and set this aside.
- Brown the butter and bloom the spices: In a separate pan, add the butter and milk powder. Brown these together, stirring constantly because the milk powder has a tendency to scorch. Turn off the heat and stir in 1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg.
- Chill the brown butter: Pour the browned butter mixture into a bowl and surround the bowl with ice water, whisking until the butter firms up to softened-butter texture, around 3-4 minutes.
- Whisk the wet ingredients: Once the butter has firmed up, add it to a stand mixer with the sugars and beat for 9-10 minutes (really!) until fluffy. Add the eggs and vanilla extract, and mix again for 2-3 minutes until it looks whipped.
- Add the dry ingredients and tangzhong: While the wet ingredients are mixing, whisk together all-purpose flour, rye flour, baking powder, baking soda, and kosher salt. Add the dry ingredients and mix. Then add 200 grams of the pumpkin tangzhong and mix on the lowest setting until combined.
- Add the chocolate and chill: Fold in most of the chopped chocolate. The dough will be incredibly soft, so cover it with cling wrap and chill overnight or up to 48 hours.
- Bake: Scoop the dough into 3-ounce balls. You should get 16-17 cookie dough balls. Dot them with the remaining chocolate. Bake for 12-14 minutes at 350°F convection or 375°F standard. They will spread a ton and look a little underdone in the center.
- Shape and cool: Give them a big smack on the counter, then use a bowl to swirl around the cookie’s edges when it’s still warm, forming them into crispy-edged, gooey-center perfect circles. Let these cool for at least 45 minutes (they’ll be too tender to eat before then), then enjoy!
Can I bake these as smaller (or bigger) cookies?
Absolutely! Just be aware that the texture will change depending on the size you decide to bake. If you make them smaller, the texture will be a bit more cakey. If you make them bigger, it’ll get you the really cookie dough-like center with crispy edges.
Storage tips
Here’s the best way to store these cookies, based on each method:
To store the baked cookies in the fridge: These will keep in an airtight container for up to 5 days. I like to wrap each cookie in a layer of wax paper to prevent them from sticking to each other.
To store the cookie dough in the freezer: Scoop the dough into individual 3 ounce balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet, freeze until solid for about an hour, and then transfer them to a freezer gallon bag. These will freeze well for up to 3 months. You can bake them straight from frozen, I would just recommend adding 2-3 minutes to the bake time!
To store the baked cookies in the freezer: These will freeze well for up to three months. I like to wrap them with wax paper so they don’t stick to each other, then place them in a freezer gallon bag. To thaw, remove the cookies from the bag and let them sit at room temperature for 3-4 hours. Then they should be ready to eat!
Why is this recipe in grams?
Grams are always my preference for baking, and I hope it will be yours, too. The only way to ensure complete accuracy is through measuring by weight, not volume. One cup of flour can weigh anywhere from 120 grams to 160 grams, depending on how it was packed. This ends up causing some volatility and mismatched results.
I want to ensure you get the best results with this recipe (and I want to keep this recipe foolproof!) so I highly recommend getting a small affordable kitchen scale if you want to move forward with this particular recipe.
Watch the recipe here
The video may not fully represent the recipe. For best results, follow the instructions as written.
Looking for similar recipes?
Pumpkin Miso Caramel Cookies
Banana Bread Cinnamon Rolls
Brown Butter Pumpkin Loaf
And that’s it for these Pumpkin Tangzhong Cookies!
If you make them, please tag me on Pinterest or Instagram so I can see! It’s my favorite thing to scroll through stories and see what you all are making.
You can also shop this video if you’re looking for the exact pieces I use – I’ve linked everything on my ShopMy! *some links may contain affiliate commissions
And of course, feel free to leave any questions, comments, or reviews! This is the best place to reach me, and I’d love to hear from you <3
Equipment
- 1 small pot
Ingredients
For the pumpkin tangzhong
- 1 (15 oz) can pumpkin purée
- 1/2 cup (70g) all-purpose flour
For the cookies
- 1 cup (226g) salted butter
- 3 tablespoons (24g) milk powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
- 180 grams granulated sugar
- 180 grams brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups (175g) all-purpose flour
- 1/3 cup (35g) rye flour
- 3/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1 1/3 cups (225g) milk or dark chocolate, reserve 2 ounce for topping
Instructions
- Add the can of pumpkin purée and 70 grams of all-purpose flour to a pot. Place the pot over medium heat and mix into a paste. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5-6 minutes. You’ll see the pumpkin mixture transform into a thick paste, almost like drying glue, and the pumpkin will start to cling to the bottom in a film and get one shade darker in color. Turn off the heat and set aside.
- In a separate pan, add 226 grams of butter and 40 grams of milk powder. Brown these together, stirring constantly because the milk powder has a tendency to scorch. Turn off the heat and stir in 1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg.
- Pour the brown butter mixture into a bowl. Place the bowl over an ice bath and whisk until the butter firms up to softened-butter texture, around 3-4 minutes.
- Once the butter has firmed up, add it to a stand mixer along with 180 grams of granulated sugar and 180 grams of brown sugar. Beat for 9-10 minutes (really!) until fluffy. Add 2 eggs and 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract. Mix again for 2-3 minutes until it looks whipped.
- In that downtime, whisk together 175 grams of all-purpose flour, 35 grams of rye flour, 3/4 teaspoon of baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda, and 1 teaspoon of kosher salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl of the stand mixer and mix. Then add 200 grams of the pumpkin tangzhong and mix on the lowest setting until combined. Make sure to scrape down the bowl well during this time, dough can sneakily get stuck at the bottom of the mixer.
- Mix in 198 grams of chopped chocolate. The dough will be incredibly soft, so cover it with cling wrap and chill overnight up to 48 hours.
- When you are reading to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F convection or 375°F standard.
- Scoop 14-16 cookies into 3 ounce balls (don't go any larger or they may not set in the center). Dot with the remaining 2 ounces of chocolate.
- Bake the cookies for 12-15 minutes, the will spread a ton and look a little underdone in the center. Give them a big smack on the counter, then use a bowl to swirl around the cookie’s edges when it’s still warm, forming them into crispy-edged-gooey-center perfect circles.
- Let these cool for at least 45 minutes (they’ll be too tender to eat before then), then enjoy!
Comments
In your video, you showed a puffier version of this cookie. How would I adjust the flour, sugar ratio to get that cakier version? I have in mind to make this cookie with rolled oats as a breakfast cookie (because oats make it ‘healthy’ right?!). Thank you!
Instead of adjusting this one (which might be a lot!) I’d suggest using my banana bread cookie recipe: https://taille-fine.today/banana-bread-cookies/%3C/a%3E%3Cbr /> and then just swapping in pumpkin. It will be extra puffy and they will be healthier too!
These are THE pumpkin chocolate chip cookies! The extra work is totally worth it, and in the end it’s about the same amount of effort as the Jacques Pepin chocolate chip recipe, which is my go-to anyways. In true internet recipe commenter fashion, I did make a few substitutions: Replaced rye flour with pumpernickel since it’s what I had. Omitted milk powder since I had none, and used only the yolk from one of the eggs to keep the fat/liquid ratio closer. Finally, baked 16 mins with 1.8 oz balls and let them rest about 20 mins on the pan before moving them to the cooling rack. They’re chewy yet tender, and SO flavorful! Many cheers from my friends and coworkers on this one too. Thanks for the recipe! Excited to try the tangzhong on my pumpkin bread recipe!
Omg YAY! This is music to my ears! I’m so so glad you loved them and that those swaps/size changes worked.
Returning to update on the tangzhong pumpkin bread – the leftover half from this recipe works PERFECTLY with half of the Downeast Maine Pumpkin Bread recipe by Laurie Fontaine Bennett on Allrecipes, minus 1/4c flour and using dark brown sugar. I would love to see you do a little extra recipe testing with that idea actually because I was too afraid to try it in muffins – I did a 9×9 cake pan and it turned out great though. Sat out in the counter all week only with a dishtowel and stayed chewy and moist the whole time. Thanks again for the idea and encouragement to try this technique for the first time!
Hi Justine,
What do you mean by “use a bowl to swirl around the cookie’s edges?” I can’t picture that one.
Thx
If you flip a bowl upside down over the cookie (rim of the bowl meets baking sheet) and swirl it, it’ll scooch the cookie into a nice circle! Hopefully this makes more sense?!
Thoughts on doing this with banana instead of pumpkin? Thinking about doing a banana bread style version!
Ooooo, okay, I have not tested it so I cannot fully confirm. But I don’t think it would be a catastrophe if you try! I’d just measure the banana by weight to make sure you have the same amount as the pumpkin purée we use. And let me know how it goes!
Should it be whole milk powder or nonfat dry milk powder? I’ve heard that these are not interchangeable!
Hi Christa! For cookies, it generally does not matter which one you use and you can substitute them 1:1 but here I personally used nonfat dry milk powder
These were FANTASTIC! Everyone who knows him calls my husband ‘the cookie monster’ — he has tried and devoured every cookie on earth and he can’t stop talking about these!
My neighbor has gifted me a bunch of persimmon from her tree so used those instead of pumpkin and a 1:1 substitution worked perfectly. I don’t have a stand mixer but my hand mixer worked great (and I got an arm workout!). Taking your advice to save the extra tangzhong and I’m going to use it to try your honey buttermilk buns.
Thank you!
OMG this is music to my ears! I’m so glad everyone loved them and to hear the persimmons work well here. Let me know how you like the buns and thank you for taking the time to leave a review 🙂
Question: can you use sweet white rice flour (mochi or glutinous flour) instead of the AP in the tangzhong?
Excited to try this one. Thank You !
Hi! I wouldn’t recommend it only because sweet rice flour has a much higher starch content and behaves a little differently. It would make a sticky, chewy texture rather than the soft, tender texture we’re going for with these cookies.
Hey Justine, awesome recipe! I’d love to give it a try, but we don’t get the kind of pumpkins commonly used for baking here in India. I was thinking of substituting sweet potato and roasting it in the oven until soft before using it. Do you think that would work, or am I barking up the wrong tree?
Hi! Absolutely, that or any kind of squash would be perfect. Let me know what you go with and I hope you love them!
Hello!
These cookies look delicious
Could I do only half of the tangzhong or is it necessary to do double the amount you need? Or did you do that, because its one can of Pumpkin puree.
And how many grams are 15 oz of Pumpkin puree?
Hi Maria! You could only do half but you would have leftover pumpkin puree in the can. A 15 oz can of Libbys pumpkin puree is 425g.
Hi, first of all, love your recipes! I wanted to check if there was a possible substitution for the milk powder?
There are some dairy free milk powders or you can leave it out!
These are so yummy but my cookies are just not spreading. Do you let the dough sit after scooping to warm up a little before backing or am I missing a trick to get these to spread?
Hi Rachel, I’m so glad you like them! It could be a myriad of things. I assume you are but if you’re not using a scale/weight measurements, be sure to try that first. If you are, it could be the egg, the amount the tangzhong has been cooked down, the color of your baking sheet (I highly recommend baking cookies only on a light colored pan), if you’re not weighing the cookie dough balls out, or even the chocolate distribution. Just as a trick, you could press down in the center of the dough balls before baking to manually spread a little bit and encourage further spread in the oven.
Can this dough successfully frozen once it’s divided?
Absolutely! It freezes well for up to 3 months. You can bake from frozen just add 2-3 minutes to your bake time.
These are addictive and oh so delicious! I’ve only ever used a tangzhong in bread so this recipe intrigued me. I also pipped cream cheese into the cookie before baking and it took it to another level 🤤
I’m so thrilled you loved them!! The cream cheese addition sounds so good.
The weight listed for milk powder seems high to me? I’m sure it varies some by brand, but the weight listed would be nearly 6 tablespoons of Carnation instant dry milk. I made the recipe by volume today and it’s chilling in the fridge now. I’m hoping I made the right call!
Ah, thank you! I’ve just double checked and adjusted it.
Hello!
Is this pumpkin tangzhong directly substitutable with regular tangzhong in other recipes or is there a weight difference?
As long as you add the same weight amount, it should be fine!
Hi Justine, I’ve made a ton of your salad and soup recipes, but this is the first baking recipe! Thank you for stating the amount of the ingredient, in the directions. This is so helpful, rather than the constant scroll and rechecking of amounts. My cookies tasted great, but didn’t look as lovely as your photos. I had trouble adding the milk powder while browning the butter. The (brand new) milk powder clumped and I could not get it to smooth out. I added it early in the heating process, and ended up tossing my first batch of browned butter. Can you be more descriptive of how to get this addition to work? I ended up making my batch without any milk powder, but since I’ve got that remaining tangzhong in the fridge, I plan on a second batch. My other issue with the cookies is that they spread. I tried both 3 oz and 2 oz balls of dough (preferring smaller cookies), and baking at both 350 and 375 – but had the same difficult spreading result. I had refrigerated the dough for 12 hours, and could try longer next time. My other thought was that possibly my tangzhong needed to be cooked a little longer. Any ideas on what I might do differently? Thank you!
Hi! Thank you so much for making the recipe, and I’m so glad you’ve enjoyed the salads and soups! I’m sorry the milk powder gave you trouble, but I’m happy to help troubleshoot. The milk powder can definitely clump a little (it’s okay they will get broken up in the blending process), but keep stirring and use your spatula to break up any lumps as the butter melts is your best bet. Plus, it’s important to keep everything moving because the milk solids can burn quickly. For the spreading, it could be a few things. I’m sure you did but if you didn’t, I recommend weighing all of the ingredients and making sure the butter is chilled back to a softened texture. You can also chill it for longer, that should help!
Just wondering what the technique is to prevent the cookies going cakie. I’m not sure if it was whipping the butter too much or what, like I added in too much air? The part that I might have messed up was adding the hot browned butter directly to the sugars and then cooling it down, instead of cooling the butter down separately.
Ooh yes, I would absolutely cool the butter down, it should be the texture of softened butter before adding to the sugars!
Hi question. I only have all purpose flour. Can I use that instead of the rye flour?
You can absolutely use all-purpose flour in place of the rye flour! The cookies will just have a slightly different flavor since rye adds a lovely earthy, nutty depth and the texture may be a little lighter. Just substitute it 1:1 by weight, and you should be good to go!
I’m a huge fan of your original pumpkin cccs and was excited to give these a try! Made them for my office Halloween party and had a coworker describe them as “pure bliss.” Will definitely be making again
I’m so glad you loved them!! Thank you for taking the time to leave a review 🙂
When I say I love everything about this recipe, I truly mean that. As someone who is obsessed with tangzhong method, I was like “I need to try this recipe!!!!!”. The taste of these are so comforting!!! Made them the other night. The whole family was obsessed! Even the ones who don’t like allspice or cinnamon. Because I’m coming from a third World country, we don’t have anything similar to pumpkin purée so I decided to buy a fresh butternut squash which I roasted and then made a purée from it. One more thing that I also switched because I only had white chocolate chips instead of dark chocolate chips, but they worked perfectly with the flavor profile of these cookies.
This recipe is going straight to the books! And I will probably make them 100 times more in the future for sure !
Hi Nikolina! I’m so so thrilled everyone loved these and so glad the butternut squash and white chocolate substitutes worked perfectly. Thank you for taking the time to leave a review<3
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