Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Seriously and no joke and this is the best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe. It is the one my mom and before that my grandma has made for years. It is a classic recipe with simple and delicious ingredients. Soft pumpkin dough is mixed with brown sugar and warm spice and chocolate chips and a cozy buttery base.

Perfect for fall dessert plates or lunchbox treats with a glass of milk on the side. A classic Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe is one of my go to easy desserts. Not only does it make for a super delicious treat but it is packed with pumpkin flavor and keeps me satisfied for hours. Also and there are no complicated methods or ingredients needed.

And holiday prep is a cinch. I often make a batch of these cookies on Sunday to enjoy for a snack on Monday and Tuesday and if you love pumpkin baking then try our Cinnamon Sugar Pumpkin Donuts too. With just a few basic ingredients probably already in the fridge and pantry you can whip up soft cookies or sandwich them with cream cheese frosting or even crumble them over vanilla ice cream for a fancy fall dish.

Ingredients

Here is what I use for this recipe and you can adjust nuts or spices based on preference:

• Pumpkin puree: Adds moisture and soft pumpkin flavor while helping the cookies stay tender.
• Unsalted butter: Creates a rich base and helps the dough spread gently during baking.
• Brown sugar: Sweetens the dough while adding caramel notes and a soft chewy texture.
• Granulated sugar: Adds sweetness and helps the cookie edges set lightly.
• Large egg yolk: Adds richness without making the pumpkin dough too cakey.
• Vanilla extract: Rounds out the pumpkin and chocolate flavor with warm sweetness.
• All purpose flour: Builds structure so the cookies hold their rounded shape.
• Baking soda: Helps the cookies rise slightly and keeps the texture soft.
• Baking powder: Adds a gentle lift for thick tender cookies.
• Pumpkin pie spice: Adds cozy cinnamon and nutmeg flavor that makes the cookies taste like fall.
• Fine sea salt: Balances sweetness and makes the chocolate flavor stronger.
• Semi sweet chocolate chips: Creates melty chocolate pockets throughout the soft pumpkin cookies.

Tools You’ll Need

• Mixing bowl: Holds the wet ingredients and thick cookie dough while everything is combined.
• Rubber spatula: Folds flour and chocolate chips into the pumpkin dough without overworking it.
• Measuring cups and spoons: Measures the pumpkin and flour and sugars and spices accurately.
• Baking tray: Holds the scooped cookie dough while it bakes into soft cookies.
• Parchment paper: Prevents sticking and helps the cookies release cleanly from the tray.
• Cookie scoop: Portions the dough into similar sized mounds for even baking.
• Wire rack: Allows the baked cookies to cool evenly while keeping the bottoms from steaming.

Instructions

Step 1: Stir the pumpkin mixture

Pumpkin puree and melted butter and both sugars come together into a glossy orange base. The mixture changes from separate soft piles into a thick and shiny batter with little streaks of sugar still visible.

Tip: Blot very wet pumpkin with a paper towel before mixing so the cookies bake soft and thick instead of cakey.

Step 2: Fold in the dry ingredients

Flour and baking soda and baking powder and spice and salt are folded into the pumpkin base. The batter changes from glossy and loose to thick and soft with pale flour streaks disappearing into orange dough.

Tip: Stop folding as soon as the flour disappears because overmixing can make pumpkin cookies dense and tough.

Step 3: Scatter in the chocolate chips

Chocolate chips are folded through the thick pumpkin dough. The dough changes from plain orange to speckled and chunky with chips tucked inside and scattered across the surface.

Tip: Save a small handful of chocolate chips for pressing on top so every cookie looks rich and homemade.

Step 4: Scoop the dough onto the tray

The soft dough is portioned into rounded mounds on a baking tray. The dough changes from one large mass in the bowl to individual cookie portions with uneven tops and natural spacing.

Tip: Space the dough mounds apart and keep them a little tall so the cookies bake up thick and soft.

Step 5: Bake until puffed and lightly browned

The dough mounds bake into soft rounded cookies with set edges and melted chocolate. The cookies change from raw dough to puffed orange cookies with light browning around the edges and irregular tops.

Tip: Pull the cookies when the centers still look soft because they finish setting as they cool on the tray.

Step 6: Serve a broken cookie

One cookie is moved to a white plate and broken open to show the soft center. The final portion shows tender pumpkin crumb and melted chocolate inside with browned edges and homemade uneven texture.

Tip: Let the cookies cool for a few minutes before breaking one open so the crumb stays soft but not gummy.

Pro Tips

• Blot the pumpkin puree if it looks watery because extra moisture can make the cookies cakey instead of softly chewy.
• Use melted butter that has cooled slightly so the dough blends smoothly without warming the chocolate chips too fast.
• Chill the dough for twenty minutes when your kitchen is warm because it helps the cookies bake thicker.
• Press extra chocolate chips onto the scooped dough so the finished cookies look rich and bakery style.

Storage Instructions

Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days. For the softest texture place a small piece of bread in the container and remove it once it starts to dry out. Freeze baked cookies in a sealed freezer bag for up to two months and thaw at room temperature before serving. Freeze scooped dough balls on a tray first and then move them to a freezer bag so you can bake only what you need.

Frequently Asked Questions

See You in the Kitchen

These Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies are a great way to satisfy your fall dessert cravings without picking up a bakery box.

I typically make a tray of cookies at the same time I plan a cozy treat like Caramel Apple Cheesecake Dip or Cinnamon Apple Granola and that way all of my holiday snack components will be ready at the same time.

Even my kids love this one!

Print