Name: Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Prep time: 50 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 75 min
Ingredients: ½ cup or 8 tbsp melted, slightly cooled, unsalted butter; ¼ cup packed dark or light brown sugar; ½ cup granulated sugar; 1 tsp pure vanilla extract; 6 tbsp pumpkin puree; 1 ½ cups spooned and leveled all-purpose flour; ¼ tsp salt; ⅓ tsp baking powder; ⅓ tsp baking soda; 1 ⅓ tsp ground cinnamon; 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice (homemade or store-bought); ⅔ cup semisweet chocolate chips

Jump to Recipe

We were all so familiar with chocolate chip cookies for breakfast that my kids started getting bored. But as a baker, I’ve found a way to jazz things up: pumpkin puree! The result was amazing beyond words, and you, my friend, will soon know the secret behind my delicious chocolate chip pumpkin cookies.

Why These Homemade Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies Are A Hit

Extra pumpkin puree brings moisture and a soft, chewy texture to your treats. What a nice departure from our oh-so-familiar classic chocolate chip cookies! Also, those warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves literally scream fall vibes.
Semisweet chocolate chips are our best friends, but guess what? There’s plenty of room for your creative touches here! I like to mix it up with dark or milk chocolate chips (sometimes even both) to get everyone on a wild ride.
There’s no better way to round out a Thanksgiving dessert spread; these babies offer a lighter option alongside the richer pies to satisfy everyone. Plus, they’re easy to take along and share at fall events (say, pumpkin patches or tailgate parties). Just the thought already makes me buzz with excitement!

9 Basic Steps To Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Step 1.

First, grab a medium bowl and whisk the cooled butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until smooth and lump-free. Then, stir in the blotted pumpkin and vanilla until everything combines well. Set that bowl aside for a moment!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies wet ingredient

Step 2.

Take out another larger bowl. Whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Once that’s all mixed up, pour the wet mixture (from Step 1) into these dry ingredients and stir until creamy. Don’t worry if the dough seems soft; that’s normal!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies ingredient mixing

Step 3.

Now, fold in half a cup of those yummy semisweet chocolate chips. I know the melty butter might not make the chips stick perfectly, but just try your best to get them all mixed in!

Step 4.

Once your dough is ready, cover it and put it in the fridge to chill for at least 30 minutes. Trust me, this step is super important! If you plan ahead, you can even leave it there for 2-3 days.

Step 5.

Preheat your oven to 350°F (or 177°C) when ready to bake, and line your baking sheets with silicone mats or parchment paper.

Step 6.

Grab your chilled dough and scoop about 1 ½ tablespoons per cookie, rolling each into small balls. Space these cookie dough balls on your baking sheets, about 2 to 3 inches apart, then gently flatten their tops with a cup (the bottom part) or a small spoon!

Step 7.

Pop those babies in the oven for 11 to 12 minutes until the edges look nice and set. Their centers might still look soft, but that’s perfect.

Step 8.

Let them out of the oven. Do they still not spread much? Flattening them with a spoon should do the trick. Press some chocolate chips onto these warm cookies for extra flair.

You can leave those chocolate chips out if you want to, actually, because they are just for looks and nothing else. But we call our cookies “chocolate chip cookies” for a reason! Without chocolate chips in the mix, they are simply pumpkin cookies.

Step 9.

Let the cookies sit on your prepared baking sheets for 10 minutes (or longer), then move them to a rack to chill completely. Trust me, it’s worth the wait! The longer they cool, the more the flavors set and the chewier they become.

That’s why I like to leave them out at room temperature, without cover, for a few hours before slicing. And guess what? They’re even chewier and more pumpkin-y on day two.

Notes

1. Are you craving a richer, nutty flavor? Browned butter to the rescue! Instead of melting the butter directly, I sometimes heat it in a saucepan until it turns golden brown and releases a lovely, nutty aroma. Plus, there’s that hint of caramel and toffee, too; even better!

But here’s the thing: Always keep a close eye on the browning process. Burnt butter only makes your cookies super bitter.

2. Some of my readers prefer a little more warmth in their cookies, so I came up with this solution!

Consider adding a pinch of cayenne pepper or grated ginger to the dough. Cayenne pepper adds a subtle heat that dances well with the warm spices without overpowering. On the other hand, freshly grated ginger brings a fresh, zingy flavor – the perfect partner in crime with the pumpkin and cinnamon.

You are likely a beginner (or just a bit above that level), so it is better to tread lightly. Start with a small amount (⅛ teaspoon) and taste your dough with each addition.

3. Chocolate chips are the key team player for a chocolate chip cookie, but as I said earlier, you don’t have to stick with them all the time.

For example, you can use chopped dark chocolate if you are a huge chocoholic. The larger chunks melt differently than chips, creating awesome pools of thick chocolate throughout the cookie. Pure bliss!

You can also fold in white chocolate chips to yield a sweeter and creamier contrast. For extra textural twists, try chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans!

FAQs

Can I Frost These Cookies?

Totally! Once these chewy pumpkin cookies are completely cool, give them a simple glaze by whisking together powdered sugar, a splash of milk, and a touch of vanilla extract until smooth. The glaze should be thin enough to drizzle but thick enough to coat your cookies.

Is There A Gluten-Free Version?

I haven’t tried it, but yup, you only need to replace the all-purpose flour with a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend.

However, as gluten-free flours absorb less moisture, you might need to tweak the liquid in my recipe slightly. Start with the original amount and add more by the tablespoon if the dough seems too dry and crumbly.I hope my instructions are simple for you. Have fun!