Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Prepare two baking trays by lining them with parchment paper. Set aside.

Begin by browning the butter in a large stainless steel pan. Keep a close watch as the butter cooks; it will foam, pop, and crackle. Stir occasionally to prevent burning. Once it smells nutty and brown bits form at the bottom, remove it from heat. Transfer the browned butter to a glass bowl and refrigerate for 50-60 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes, until it cools to 75°F while remaining liquid.

Meanwhile, spread the pumpkin puree onto a plate. Use a stack of paper towels to press out excess moisture, then scrape the pumpkin into a pile. Repeat the process until the pumpkin reaches a soft, dry consistency similar to playdough and measures about 1/3 cup.

Once the butter has cooled, whisk in both the granulated and brown sugars for exactly 1 minute until the mixture resembles pale, wet sand.

Add the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and prepared pumpkin puree to the butter-sugar mixture and whisk until well combined.

Gently fold in the flour, pumpkin spice, baking soda, sea salt, and chocolate chips until just incorporated.

Using a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop, portion out the dough and roll each portion into a ball. Place the dough balls on the prepared baking trays, spacing them 2-3 inches apart. For extra chocolate, press larger chocolate pieces on top of the dough balls.

Bake one tray at a time for 9-13 minutes, until the edges are golden brown but the centers are still slightly underbaked. Immediately after removing from the oven, use a large cookie cutter to shape the edges, creating a thicker, rounder cookie. Allow the cookies to cool completely on the tray before transferring them to a wire rack.

Store your cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2-3 days. You may also refrigerate or freeze the cookie dough balls—just bring them to room temperature before baking (approximately 1 hour for refrigerated dough and 2 hours for frozen dough).