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.
Can these be made gluten free by substituting gluten free flour? This recipe looks delicious, but I have to eat gluten free.
I’m so sorry I’ve never tested these with gluten free flour and am not very experienced with gluten free baking to be honest. Wish I could be of more help
I made these today using a real baking pumpkin vs. canned and they took way longer to cook than indicated in recipe. They still didn’t come out anywhere near as good as the ones I made last year which is disappointing since it had so many steps.
Sorry these weren’t what you were hoping for!
These cookies were easy to make and absolutely delicious! The recipe has great tips to making the cookies come out perfectly. I loved the tip to place more chocolate chips on top straight out of the oven so they look even more appetizing! The cookies turned out great and so did the picture I took of them!
I am so happy to hear this Sara! Thanks so much for your comment! 🙂
I have made many pumpkin cookie recipes over the years and none compare to this incredible recipe! Officially a family staple for years to come
Yay! I am so happy to hear this Carly! Thanks for your comment! 🙂
So good! I halved the recipe because all the cookies in my house get eaten whether there are a lot or only a few, lol. But I kept the pumpkin to 1/3, and added 1/4 cup flour (to the halved amount) to make up for the extra wet ingredient. I’m a no-fuss baker so I didn’t
shape or chill the dough or anything, just plopped it down. Baked for 11 mins and they’re so yummy! I’m sure the consistency is more “cakey”? than what a cookie should be, but everyone loved them anyway! If I need more than 12 cookies I’ll follow the recipe as written. ?
So happy to hear these were a hit! Thanks Laura 🙂
Can we use gluten free all purpose flour instead? I imagine needing more baking soda
I’m sorry I’ve never tested this recipe with gluten free flour and am not familiar enough to give recommendations.
I made these for my husband to take to work a couple years ago and I frequently was asked when I’d send him to work with more! I’m so excited fall is back around and it is time to whip these up again. Honestly the best cookies I’ve ever had!
So happy to hear these were the best cookies you’ve ever had! 🙂 Makes my day!! Thanks for the comment and review!
Made these they were good. But they did not spread very much. Easy but time consuming!
So glad you enjoyed! Thanks Bernie!
Amazing cookies! I couldn’t stop eating them. 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup coconut oil mix was fine too! Can we freeze the cookies? How long can we leave in the freezer?
So happy to hear you enjoyed!! I would recommend freezing the dough (rolled into balls first and stored in an airtight bag), not the actual cookies (I’ve found freezing the baked cookies loses texture/flavor). Freeze dough balls for up to 1 month! 🙂
Omg these cookies are delicious!!! The perfect combination of pumpkin, spices & of course chocolate! I don’t mind my cookies cakey, so after chilling the dough for an hour I formed single sized balls on cookie sheets (12 /sheet) and baked them for 12 minutes each. I think they turned out perfectly!! So happy I came across this recipe, thanks! 🙂
So happy you enjoyed these cookies! Thanks for the comment Heather 🙂