These Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies are the ultimate fall treat. Filled with cozy pumpkin spice and chocolate chips in every bite, they're the perfect balance of sweet and spiced. They're incredibly soft and moist, and they somehow taste even better the next day.
I love these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies for so many reasons. They're easy to whip up, don't require a mixer, and make your whole kitchen smell like pumpkin spice heaven. This recipe makes irresistibly moist cookies thanks to the roasted pumpkin purée, and it tastes way better than anything you'll buy at your grocery store.
I'm totally obsessed with all things pumpkin spice, and this recipe is a must for your fall baking lineup. For more pumpkin recipes, try my Pumpkin Spice Cake, Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread, and Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars for the ultimate fall treat spread. There's just something about baking with pumpkin and warm spices that makes the whole season feel cozy and magical!
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Ingredients Needed
Luckily, everything you need to make these cookies you probably already have in your pantry! You don't even need a mixer.
- Unsalted Butter: Using melted butter gives these cookies a rich, chewy texture. If you only have salted butter, reduce the added salt in the recipe by half.
- Brown Sugar & Granulated Sugar: The mix of both sugars adds a depth of flavor and chewiness. You can use all brown sugar for a softer, richer cookie or all granulated sugar for a slightly crispier edge.
- Pumpkin Purée: Be sure to use pure pumpkin purée and not pumpkin pie filling. You can substitute homemade pumpkin purée, just make sure to blot or cook it down to remove excess moisture.
- All-Purpose Flour: Regular all-purpose flour works best, but you can substitute a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend if needed.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice & Cinnamon: These warm spices give these cookies their cozy flavor. If you don't have pumpkin pie spice, make your own blend with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: This combo helps the cookies rise just enough while staying soft and chewy. Double-check they're fresh for the best results.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips: Semi-sweet balances the sweetness perfectly, but feel free to mix in milk, white, or dark chocolate chips.
- Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract enhances the pumpkin and spice flavors. You can substitute maple extract for a fall-inspired flavor variation.
How to Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pumpkin puree has a lot of water content, which can make your cookies spread. Make sure to blot out extra water with a paper towel or cook your pumpkin puree as described below before making your cookies.
- Reduce moisture from pumpkin purée: Add the pumpkin purée to a saucepan and cook over medium heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring often, to remove excess moisture. Let it cool slightly before using.
- Mix wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until no brown sugar lumps remain. Whisk in the vanilla extract and cooled pumpkin purée until smooth. Set aside.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together with a large spoon or rubber spatula until just combined. The dough will be soft. Fold in the chocolate chips as best you can-they may not stick well due to the melted butter, but that's okay.
- Chill the dough: Cover the cookie dough and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days. Chilling is essential to help the dough firm up and prevent the cookies from spreading too much.
- Preheat the oven: When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Scoop and shape: Scoop about 1.5 tablespoons of dough per cookie and roll each portion into a ball. Arrange dough balls 3 inches apart on the baking sheets. Use the back of a spoon or bottom of a cup to slightly flatten the tops-this helps them spread properly.
- Bake the cookies: Bake for 11-12 minutes, or until the edges appear set. The centers will look soft and slightly underbaked-this is perfect.
- Add finishing touches: Remove cookies from the oven. If they didn't spread much, gently flatten them again with the back of a spoon. For a bakery-style look, press a few extra chocolate chips into the tops while warm.
- Cool and serve: Let cookies cool on the baking sheets for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. The flavor and texture improve as they cool, becoming chewier and more flavorful. They're even better the next day!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes! Homemade pumpkin purée works great-just make sure to cook it down or blot it with paper towels to remove excess moisture so the cookies stay chewy, not cakey.
Chilling the dough is essential because it helps control spreading and improves the flavor. It allows the butter to firm up and the spices to meld for perfectly soft, chewy cookies.
Pumpkin adds a lot of moisture, which can make the dough thicker. If your cookies don't spread, simply flatten them slightly before baking or right after they come out of the oven.
Absolutely. You can chill the dough for up to 3 days before baking or freeze it for up to 2 months. Just thaw in the refrigerator before baking.
Store them covered or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. They actually taste even better the next day as the pumpkin flavor deepens and the texture becomes extra soft and chewy.
Nope! You don't need a stand mixer at all-this recipe comes together easily with just a whisk. If you prefer, a hand mixer works perfectly too, but a stand mixer isn't necessary to get delicious, perfectly mixed cookies.
Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted
- ¼ brown sugar light or dark, tightly packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 8 tablespoons pumpkin purée
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Add the pumpkin purée to a saucepan and cook over medium heat for 5-6 minutes, stirring often, to remove excess moisture. Let it cool slightly before using.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until no brown sugar lumps remain. Whisk in the vanilla extract and cooled pumpkin purée until smooth. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and mix together with a large spoon or rubber spatula until just combined. The dough will be soft. Fold in the chocolate chips as best you can-they may not stick well due to the melted butter, but that's okay.
- Cover the cookie dough and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days. Chilling is essential to help the dough firm up and prevent the cookies from spreading too much.
- When ready to bake, preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C) and line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Scoop about 1.5 tablespoons of dough per cookie and roll each portion into a ball. Arrange dough balls 3 inches apart on the baking sheets. Use the back of a spoon or bottom of a cup to slightly flatten the tops-this helps them spread properly.
- Bake for 11-12 minutes, or until the edges appear set. The centers will look soft and slightly underbaked.
- Remove cookies from the oven. If they didn't spread much, gently flatten them again with the back of a spoon. For a bakery-style look, press a few extra chocolate chips into the tops while warm.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheets for at least 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. The flavor and texture improve as they cool, becoming chewier and more flavorful.
Video
Notes
- Make-Ahead Instructions: You can chill the dough for up to 3 days before baking or freeze it for up to 2 months. Just thaw in the refrigerator before baking.
- Storage Instructions: Store them covered or in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. They actually taste even better the next day as the pumpkin flavor deepens and the texture becomes extra soft and chewy.
