Pumpkin Cookies with Caramel and Meringue
A soft baked pumpkin cookie topped with pumpkin spice caramel and torched meringue. A show stopping dessert perfect to celebrate fall and pumpkin season!
Ingredients
- 2 sticks butter unsalted, room temperature
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup pumpkin purée
- 1 tspn baking powder
- ½ tspn baking soda
- 1 egg
- 1½ tspn vanilla extract
- ½ tspn salt
- 2½ cups flour
Pumpkin Spice Caramel
- ¼ cup dulce de leche caramel I used Nestle brand
- ½ tspn pumpkin pie spice
Meringue Topping
- 3 egg whites room temperature
- ¼ tspn cream of tartar
- ½ cup granulated sugar
Instructions
Pumpkin Cookies
- Cream butter and sugars until pale and creamy.
- Add egg, vanilla, salt, and pumpkin puree and continue to mix until very creamy.
- Sift the dry ingredients on top of the pumpkin mixture and mix on low until it just comes together to form a dough.
- Scoop with a 3 ounce cookie scoop onto a parchment lined baking sheet and allow to rest in the fridge for at least an hour.
- Preheat oven to 375*F and bake 6-8 cookies per baking sheet for 12-15 minutes or until the tops and sides are dry and they don't look wet.
- Allow to cool completely on the baking sheet before adding toppings.
Pumpkin Spice Caramel
- Combine caramel and pumpkin pie spice until mixed together.
Meringue
- Whisk egg whites and sugar over a pan of simmering water. Be sure to whisk continuously to prevent the egg whites from cooking and turning white.
- When the sugar is dissolved, add the cream of tartar, take off heat and beat on high with whisk attachment until glossy, stiff peaks form.
Assembly
- Layer a teaspoon of caramel on top of cooled cookies.
- Spoon on a generous amount of meringue on top of the caramel topped cookie. I like to make swirl designs with the back of a spoon.
- Lightly go over the tops of the meringue with a blow torch. You can also use oven broiler on high for a few second to toast the meringue.
- Serve and stand back for all of the praise people will give you for these wonderful cookies.
Notes
Pairing a soft baked pumpkin cookie with pumpkin spiced caramel and a fluffy swiss meringue topping creates a beautiful dessert that combines the best elements of fall flavors in a cookie.