These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are tender, chewy and spiced! Try this tasty fall spin on the classic treat.
Can’t choose between traditional chocolate chip cookies and pumpkin cookies? You don’t have to with these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies! These sweet morsels are an ode to fall: chewy and spiced, they feature cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg with a traditional chocolate chip cookie base. Even better: they’ve got just the right texture: no cakey cookies here. Whip up a batch and your kitchen will smell like an autumn paradise.
Ingredients in pumpkin chocolate chip cookies
Pumpkin puree is a great ingredient because it adds moisture to baked goods. But at the same time, too much moisture can turn cookies into a cake-like texture. This is the great paradox of baking with pumpkin. There’s nothing we want less than a domed, fluffy, cakey pumpkin cookie. Instead, here’s how to make a cookie that tastes like the classic but is loaded with pumpkin spices. Here’s what you’ll need for pumpkin chocolate chip cookies:
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar and brown sugar
- Pumpkin puree
- Egg yolk
- Vanilla extract
- Cinnamon, ginger, cloves and nutmeg
- Baking soda
- Kosher salt
- Flour
- Chocolate chips: semi-sweet or bittersweet
Tips for pumpkin chocolate chip cookies
These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are easy to whip up and similar to that classic cookie recipe. Leave enough time to chill the dough, which is in an important step for the shape and texture of the cookies. Here are a few more tips for baking the perfect chocolate chip pumpkin cookies:
- Refrigerate the dough 30 minutes before baking. This ensures just the right texture and bake consistency.
- Use a cookie scoop. A 1 ½ tablespoon cookie scoop is helpful for portioning the dough.
- Bake the trays separately. This is one of our biggest baking tips: bake only one tray of cookies at a time! This ensures the best consistency between the trays because the oven heat is the same for each.
- Bang the pan in the middle of the baking time (optional). To make sure the pumpkin cookies spread (and aren’t too puffy), you can also bang the pan 5 minutes into baking. It’s a technique made up by our friend Sarah Kieffer which flattens cookies and makes them have lovely ripples in the texture. If you don’t mind a fluffier shape, you can skip this step.
A note on pumpkin puree brands
When baking with pumpkin, the brand does have an effect on the end result. Some brands are rather dry, and others are very wet. In our testing, we’ve found that the Libby brand of canned pumpkin has the best dry texture for baking (we’re not affiliated with the brand). If you’re making these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, we recommend using that brand if you can find it.
Storage for pumpkin chocolate chip cookies
These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies taste good right away, but they become more even more flavorful as they cool. Try them after 2 hours and the flavor is beautifully spiced and bold. The cookies last well at room temperature (though not as long as our best pumpkin cookies, which are even more stable at room temp). Here’s what to know about storage:
- Store in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 4 days. If you like chewy cookies, add a paper towel to the container to keep them more moist.
- Store refrigerated for 1 week. Bring to room temperature before serving.
- Or, store frozen for up to 3 months.
More pumpkin recipes
Love baking with pumpkin? Here are a few more tasty pumpkin recipes to try this season:
- Go for our classic Best Pumpkin Cookies or Pumpkin Bread
- Try Perfect Pumpkin Cake, Pumpkin Ice Cream or Pumpkin Bread Pudding
- Opt for Pumpkin French Toast, Pumpkin Pancakes, or Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal
- Go for Pumpkin Muffins or Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins
- Make a pot of Pumpkin Chili or a tray of Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
This pumpkin chocolate chip cookies recipe is…
Vegetarian.
Print
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (1 Bowl!)
- Prep Time: 45 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 10 minutes
- Yield: 20 to 22 1x
Description
These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are tender, chewy and spiced! Try this tasty fall spin on the classic treat.
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ⅓ cup pumpkin puree*
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger
- ½ teaspoon ground cloves
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 ½ cups [210 g] flour
- 1 cup semisweet or bittersweet chocolate chips, plus more for topping
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, granulated sugar and brown sugar. Once well combined, add the pumpkin puree, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and whisk.
- Whisk in the cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and nutmeg. Whisk in the baking soda and salt and whisk again. Add the flour and stir it in with a spatula until just combined. Fold in ¾ cup chocolate chips.
- Place the dough in the refrigerator and chill for 30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 350F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Roll the dough into 1 ½ tablespoon-sized balls, using a cookie scoop if you have one. Place the balls on the parchment and flatten each with your hand. Continue until you have 12 cookies.
- Bake the first tray for 12 to 13 minutes until puffed and cooked through. If desired, remove the tray at 5 minutes and bang it on the counter 2 times for flatter, less-domed cookies. Once the cookies are just baked, remove from the oven and press a few more chocolate chips into the tops of each cookie. Allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a baking rack to cool.
- Repeat with the second tray of cookies (baking the trays separately makes for a more even bake). Cool the cookies completely before enjoying; the pumpkin flavor comes out more the longer they cool.
- Store in a sealed container for 4 days at room temperature (if you like them chewy, with a paper towel inside), or refrigerated for 1 week (bring to room temperature before serving). You can also freeze them for 3 months.
Notes
*Don’t use pumpkin pie filling! Canned pumpkin can vary in moisture level, and too much moisture makes cakey pumpkin cookies. We’ve found Libby brand canned pumpkin has the best dry texture for baking, while other brands can have more moisture than others.
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: Cookie
- Diet: Vegetarian
Keywords: Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, chocolate chip pumpkin cookies, pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe
Let us know if you have any questions!
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