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.
These were amazing! I had made the “cake” ones the last few years. While I’d say those are more pumpkin-y, these are a more well rounded fall flavor due to the spices. I am making a second batch today after I roast up the porch pumpkins 🙂 Thanks for sharing this recipe!
So thrilled to hear these were a hit! 🙂 Thanks for the comment Jen 🙂
These cookies are absolutely delicious!!! I used coconut oil in place of butter and dairy free chocolate chips to make them suitable for a friend! They turned out chewy like you described! We enjoyed them so much I am making another batch tonight!
I’m so thrilled to hear that! 🙂 Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment Kylie 🙂
I made these today and they are prefect! A new Go To recipe! I will be doubling or tripling next time though since it ONLY makes two dozen ?
Haha 🙂 Yes, ONLY making two dozen is definitely a fault of this recipe 😉 Thank you so much Bethany! I’m thrilled you enjoyed these!
These look so great! Do you have any idea how long these could stay fresh? And how I could possibly ship them? Thank you, excited to try these!!
Thank you so much! I think these are best eaten by 3-4 days. I really have no idea on shipping these; I’ve never tried that. Wish I could be of more help, but hopefully someone else can chime in! 🙂
I made these when I got a pumpkin at a market, seeing how it is August and I have been waiting months to make something with pumpkin, I couldnt wait! But, because it is August, and its too hot to turn on my oven, I decided to make the batter the night before and freeze the balls of dough to pop in the oven early the next morning on one of the colder mornings of the week. I had to cook them for 5 minutes more, and they didnt quite spread like the picture, but they taste great! If you want them to spread out, I dont recommend baking from frozen. Happy that I now have some leftover dough balls in the freezer for when Im craving for more pumpkin cookies! Thanks for the recipe!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed these cookies. Thank you for the comment Ashley! 🙂
You put frozen cookie dough into the oven to bake? Frozen dough is very different from chilled dough. Typically you don’t have to chill a drop cookie recipe, but to actually freeze it.. not surprised they didn’t cook in the middle. It’s the first time I’ve ever heard of baking a frozen cookie dough.
Could I form the cookies and then refridgerate overnight and bake the cookies the next morning? Or would that make it too chilled and affect the baking?
That should work great! Cover them tightly and note that you might need to bake a minute or two longer. Enjoy 🙂
Hi Chelsea,
I loved these just as much as your chewy pumpkin oatmeal cookies, they are awesome! Not too spicey which is perfect for me, and awesomely chewy. Thanks for another great cookie recipe!!!
Robin
Hey Robin! So great to hear! I’m so happy you tried out these cookies too! Thank you 🙂
These look so perfect I wish I had one right now. Going to have to find some time to make these this week!
Thanks Samantha! 🙂
I love that this is a “non-cakey” recipe. I do love the cakey kind but I would love to try some that aren’t! I will have to try! Thanks!
These look amazing. And kudos to the ” exactly complete” intructions in the recipe! Nice, no mistaking that huh? =) Can’t wait to try them. I love pumpkin, and chocolate, yay!
Haha exactly 🙂 🙂 Thanks so much Lori!! I hope you LOVE these!