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Justine Doiron

Pumpkin Tangzhong Cookies

Big, gooey-centered pumpkin spice cookies with crisp edges. They get their soft, tender crumb from a cooked pumpkin tangzhong, and their depth from brown butter, milk powder and pools of melted chocolate.

⏱ 770 min16Americanpumpkincookiestangzhongbrown butterchocolate

Ingredients

  • 1 canpumpkin purée · 15 oz can
  • 1/2 cupall-purpose flour · 70g, for the tangzhong
  • 1 cupsalted butter · 226g
  • 3 tablespoonsmilk powder · 40g
  • 1/2 teaspooncinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoonallspice
  • 1/2 teaspoonnutmeg
  • 180 gramsgranulated sugar
  • 180 gramsbrown sugar
  • 2large eggs
  • 1 tablespoonvanilla extract
  • 1 1/4 cupsall-purpose flour · 175g, for the dough
  • 1/3 cuprye flour · 35g
  • 3/4 teaspoonbaking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoonbaking soda
  • 1 teaspoonDiamond Crystal kosher salt
  • 9 ouncesmilk or dark chocolate · chopped; reserve 2 oz for topping

Steps

  1. 1

    Add the can of pumpkin purée and 70g of all-purpose flour to a pot and mix into a paste over medium heat. Cook, stirring constantly, for 5-6 minutes, until it turns into a thick paste that starts to cling to the bottom of the pot in a film and darkens one shade. Turn off the heat and set aside.

  2. 2

    In a separate pan, brown 226g of butter with 40g of milk powder, stirring constantly so the milk powder doesn't scorch. Turn off the heat and stir in 1/2 teaspoon each of cinnamon, allspice and nutmeg.

  3. 3

    Pour the brown butter mixture into a bowl set over an ice bath. Whisk for about 3-4 minutes, until it firms up to the texture of softened butter.

  4. 4

    Transfer the firmed butter to a stand mixer with 180g of granulated sugar and 180g of brown sugar. Beat for 9-10 minutes, until fluffy. Add the eggs and 1 tablespoon of vanilla, then mix for 2-3 minutes more, until it looks whipped.

  5. 5

    Meanwhile, whisk together 175g of all-purpose flour, 35g of rye flour, the baking powder, the baking soda and the kosher salt.

  6. 6

    Add the dry ingredients to the mixer and mix. Add 200g of the pumpkin tangzhong and mix on the lowest setting until combined, scraping down the bowl well so no dough stays stuck at the bottom.

  7. 7

    Mix in 7 ounces of the chopped chocolate. The dough will be very soft. Cover it with cling wrap and chill it overnight, or for up to 48 hours.

  8. 8

    When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F convection or 375°F standard.

  9. 9

    Scoop the dough into 16-17 balls of 3 ounces each, and no larger, or the centers may not set. Dot them with the remaining 2 ounces of chocolate.

  10. 10

    Bake for 12-15 minutes. The cookies will spread a lot and look a little underdone in the center. Rap the pan hard on the counter, then, while the cookies are still warm, swirl a bowl around each one to shape it into a neat circle with crisp edges.

  11. 11

    Let the cookies cool for at least 45 minutes before eating, since they're too tender until then.

Creator's notes

Beat the butter and sugar for the full 9-10 minutes. Don't make the dough balls bigger than 3 oz, or the centers won't set. The dough needs to chill overnight (up to 48 hours). You'll only use 200g of the pumpkin tangzhong.

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