Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies are the best ever! These cookies are soft and chewy with crisp edges instead of typical cake-like pumpkin cookies.
For cake-like cookies, try these soft pumpkin cookies. These pumpkin oatmeal cookies are another favorite pumpkin cookie recipe!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
While I love the big, soft, cake-y, muffin-top-like pumpkin cookies, nothing compares to these cookies. They’ve got everything you love about regular chewy chocolate chip cookies, but with a pumpkin spice twist.
With actual pumpkin and fall-inspired spices in the dough, these cookies are carefully created to give you a soft and chewy center with crisp edges.
Ingredients In Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Butter: Provides flavor and a chewy texture.
- White and Brown Sugar: Sweetens the cookies and brown sugar also adds a hint of molasses.
- Egg Yolk: Binds the dough and adds richness.
- Vanilla: Enhances the flavor.
- Pumpkin: Gives the cookies a soft texture and pumpkin taste.
- Salt and Spices (Cinnamon, Ginger, Cloves, Nutmeg, Allspice): Season the cookies with a warm spice flavor.
- Baking Soda: Helps the cookies puff up.
- Flour: Builds the cookie structure.
- Chocolate Chips: Provide chocolatey bursts in every bite.
Quick Tip
Use only pure canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie mix. The ingredient list should only have pumpkin puree.
How To Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Melt the butter, then let it cool to avoid greasy cookies.
- Mix the cooled butter with sugars until smooth.
- Add pumpkin, vanilla, and egg yolk; mix well.
- Stir in spices, salt, and baking soda for flavor.
- Combine with flour and chocolate chips until you have a thick dough.
- Chill the dough for an hour.
- Shape the dough into tall balls and bake.
Tips For Success
- Allow time for the melted butter to cool and for the dough to chill twice. Rushing can ruin the texture.
- Use thick, quality pumpkin puree like Libby’s® to ensure the best flavor and texture.
- After baking, press extra chocolate chips on top for a nicer look and even chocolate distribution.
- Measure flour by spooning and leveling off, to avoid excess that can make cookies cakey.
- Shape dough taller for cookies with crispy edges and a soft, chewy center.
More Fall Desserts
- Pumpkin Creme Brûlée
- Acorn Donut Holes
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread
- Thanksgiving Cookies
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
With a soft center and just a bit of a crunch on the edge, these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies offer a delightful twist on a classic fall treat!
Equipment
- Sheet pan lined
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- 1 large egg yolk discard whites or save for another recipe
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/3 cup pumpkin
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1-1/2 cups flour
- 2/3 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a large, microwave-safe bowl, melt butter. Let butter stand until cooled to room temperature. It is very important the butter isn't hot or it will melt the sugars and make greasy cookies.
- Add both sugars to the room-temperature melted butter. Stir until smooth with a wooden spoon. Add in the large egg yolk, vanilla extract, and canned pumpkin. Make sure the pumpkin isn't watery; dab off excess moisture with a paper towel if it is. Stir until ingredients are combined.
- Add salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, ground allspice, and baking soda. Stir until spices are well incorporated.
- Spoon and level (see note 1) to measure flour and add to the bowl. Add chocolate chips. Gently stir to form a dough. It will seem dry at first, but continue to stir until you have a thick and sticky dough. Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for one hour.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Measure 1-1/2 tablespoons (or 30 grams) of dough per cookie ball. Roll the balls so they are taller rather than wider. Place 6 cookie dough balls on the sheet pan and then place in the freezer for 8 minutes. Remove and bake for 8–11 minutes or until no longer glossy on top. I like them best at 9 minutes, slightly under-baking will yield super-soft and chewy cookies. Remove from the oven and let cookies stand on the sheet pan for 5 minutes. If desired, press a few more chocolate chips into the tops of the cookies.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: If you press a measuring cup into a bag of flour, you will pack in way too much flour; use a spoon to scoop it into a measuring cup and then level the top with the back of a table knife. If your Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies turn out cake-y, there was likely too much flour added. To be as accurate as possible, use a food scale to measure precisely 190 grams of flour.
Storage: Using a metal spatula, transfer cookies to a cooling rack and allow the cookies to finish cooling. They firm up more as they cool. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 159kcal | Carbohydrates: 25g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 69mg | Potassium: 38mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 704IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I have been making these cookies since 2016 and they are always everyone’s favourite!
So thrilled to hear this! Thanks Brianne!
Chelsea,
I found your recipe a few years ago (2017)
and have been making them ever since. My
Kids and Grandkids ask for these on a
regular basis. These are in my top 5 favorite
cookies to make. I have been baking cookies
for over 65 years! Every time I share them
everyone asks for the recipe. One of the best
cookies ever! I always give you the credit for
this fabulous recipe! Thank you for sharing
with the world !I did not change one thing
from your original recipe! Perfection!!
This made my day!! So thrilled to hear this! Thanks Jo! 🙂
Ive made this recipe every fall for years. However, I just noticed that the baking instructions are now different. I always place two balls on top of each other and bake for 11-12 minutes per instructions from years past. These are a favourite of everyone I know!
I made half these cookies GF using King Arthur Measure for Measure 1:1 and they came out delicious! Very very tasty. However, I used a bigger scoop than recommended (24), and I still baked them for 11 minutes as recommended. They came up chewy, borderline raw (I still love them like that but my husband had trouble with the cookie sticking to the roof of his mouth) I wonder how much longer do I need to bake them. “Under baking” is a new thing for me and I am not sure if is normal or not to have such chewiness. Thank you!
If you make bigger cookie balls, you’ll want to cook them for a couple minutes longer 🙂 I usually bake until they are set, no longer glossy on top! Glad the recipe worked with the GF flour!
I made these over the weekend and these have got to be some of the best cookies I’ve ever made! Definitely making a second batch this week just to have ready to go in the freezer and to share the love with others. Thank you for this killer recipe!
Thank you so much Michelle! 🙂