Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies that are wonderfully chewy, slightly spiced, and loaded with melty chocolate chips - the perfect fall treat!
Many of the pumpkin cookie recipes out there bake up into puffy little cakes, or have that overly soft, almost soggy texture from too much pumpkin. None of them give that classic cookie vibe - the chewy edges, gooey chocolate, and picture-perfect look that makes you excited to grab one off the tray.
So, I got to work on testing and tweaking until I landed on this version. These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies keep all the cozy fall flavor, but with the texture and look of a bakery-style cookie. Chewy, chocolatey, lightly spiced, and perfect for sharing (or keeping all to yourself!)
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Why You'll Love This Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
- Easy recipe that requires minimal equipment.
- Creates soft and chewy cookies that will never go soggy.
- The perfect cookies for pumpkin season with a chocolate twist.
Ingredients
These chocolate chip pumpkin cookies feature real pumpkin puree and cozy spices, making them the perfect snack for fall.
- Pumpkin Puree - Be sure to use pure pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin pie filling. I find canned pumpkin puree works best, as fresh pumpkins hold a lot more moisture, which can make the cookie dough too soggy.
- Chocolate Chips - I've used milk chocolate chips in this recipe, as the sweetness pairs nicely with the savory pumpkin flavor, but you can also use white chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, or semi-sweet chocolate chips if you'd prefer.
- Butter - We'll be melting the butter to create chewy pumpkin cookies, so there's no need to use softened butter. Use unsalted butter to control the level of salt.
- Granulated Sugar - White sugar makes for a sturdy base and gives the cookies a slight crispy edge.
- Light Brown Sugar - Light brown sugar will add a deeper, caramelized flavor. On a more technical note, its acidity will activate the baking soda and let your cookies spread out nicely.
- Egg Yolk - Egg yolks add extra flavor and a tender texture to the cookies. The white isn't necessary, since the pumpkin purée supplies plenty of liquid and structure. Use one large egg.
- Vanilla - A high-quality vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste will create a well-rounded flavor.
- Flour - All-purpose flour works best for soft cookies.
- Leavening Agents - Baking powder helps the cookies to rise and puff up, while baking soda helps them spread out. We'll use both for the best texture.
- Spices - I like to use ground cinnamon and ginger for those delightful fall flavors, but you can use any blend of warm spices you like - try ground nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice.
See the recipe card for quantities and the full pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe.
Measuring Ingredients:
I always recommend weighing your ingredients with a kitchen scale, rather than using measuring cups. It's very difficult to measure accurately with cups, and this can mess up your bakes.
Things You'll Need
- Cookie sheet
- Mixing bowls
- Wooden spoon - or rubber spatula.
- Cookie scoop
- Cookie lifter
I like to make this recipe by hand using just a large bowl and a wooden spoon, though a stand mixer with a paddle attachment can be used - just take care not to overmix the dough.
How To Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
This easy pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe uses the same base as my classic pumpkin cookies and some of the techniques from my ultimate chocolate chip cookie recipe to make cookies that have all the flavor and warmth of pumpkin spice, but with the perfect, bakery-style cookie texture.
Blot Pumpkin Puree
Lay the pumpkin purée out on a plate and gently press it with a paper towel to soak up the extra moisture. This prevents the dough from becoming too wet and sticky, and stops the cookies from having a cakey texture.
Continue blotting with fresh towels to absorb as much moisture as possible, until the purée looks drier and slightly crumbly rather than watery and soft.
Wet Ingredients
In a large bowl, stir together the melted butter, white sugar, brown sugar, and the blotted pumpkin purée until just combined. If you like, you can use a stand mixer on low speed.
Egg and Vanilla
Mix in the egg yolk and vanilla. The egg should be at room temperature so it blends smoothly without curdling.
Dry Ingredients
In a separate medium bowl, sift in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices, and stir to combine.
Then, add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and mix until a soft dough comes together. Be sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl to incorporate everything.
Add Chocolate Chips
Add the chocolate chips to the pumpkin cookie dough and mix until they are fully distributed.
Form Dough Balls
Scoop or roll the dough into balls about 2 inches wide and place them on a lined baking sheet.
Cover with plastic wrap and chill the cookie dough balls in the fridge for 1 hour (or up to 48 hours).
When you're ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°C (160°C fan).
Bake
Once chilled, space the dough balls out on another baking sheet lined with parchment paper, giving them room to spread. Bake the cookies for 10-15 minutes, until each one is golden and baked all over.
You can take them out right away for a soft, chewy cookie, or leave them for an extra minute or two for a more crunchy cookie. Let them rest on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Top Tips for Perfect Cookies
Making the perfect classic pumpkin chocolate chip cookie is no accident - here are my top tips to make sure your cookies are the best they can be.
- Blot the Pumpkin - Pumpkin purée is very watery (almost 90%), so thoroughly blot it with paper towels to stop your cookies from baking up too soft and cakey.
- Chill the Dough - Chilling melted-butter dough for at least an hour allows the butter to firm up, ensuring the cookies stay chewy and don't spread too much.
- Sugar Balance - Both white and brown sugar are important in this recipe: white sugar adds sweetness and crisp edges, while brown sugar adds moisture, depth of flavor, and helps activate the baking soda for soft pumpkin cookies with a chewy texture.
- Avoid Overmixing - Mix just until combined, ideally by hand, to prevent dense or tough cookies.
See my guide on why cookies spread too much and how to avoid it for some extra tips!
Flavor Variations and Ideas
You can easily customize these chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies to make them even tastier next time!
- Double Chocolate Pumpkin Cookies - Give your pumpkin cookies a chocolate upgrade by adding dark, white, or a mix of both for extra richness (triple chocolate!). The contrast with the milk chocolate makes each bite even more indulgent.
- Pumpkin Crumb Cake Cookies - Sprinkle my spiced crumble topping over these cookies halfway through baking for a sweet crunch and extra fall flavors.
- Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies - Check out my pumpkin oatmeal cookie recipe for a cozy twist on these cookies that is perfect for the fall season.
- Iced Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies - Add a sweet finishing touch by coating your pumpkin chocolate chip cookies with a powdered sugar glaze or cream cheese glaze. For something extra, stir in a little maple syrup or sprinkle chopped pecans on top for crunch and flavor - this topping goes perfectly with my pumpkin donuts.
- Pumpkin Cream Cheese Cookies - Turn these into stuffed cookies by adding a creamy cheesecake filling in the center. For detailed steps, see my pumpkin cheesecake cookie recipe.
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Sandwich Cookies - Make a cookie sandwich by spreading cream cheese frosting between two pumpkin cookies. Their soft, tender texture makes them perfect for biting into without falling apart.
- Spice Variations - Pumpkin has a gentle, natural flavor, so the spices you add really bring the cookies to life. Feel free to experiment with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, or cloves to create your own signature spice blend and make these cookies uniquely yours.
How To Store
Store your delicious chocolate chip pumpkin cookies in an airtight container or cookie jar at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Make-Ahead & Freezing Tips
These pumpkin cookies can be prepared in advance and kept in the fridge for up to 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. I recommend scooping the pumpkin chocolate chip cookie dough into balls before storing it in a freezer bag.
That way, when you're ready to bake, you can place the frozen or chilled dough balls directly onto prepared baking sheets and bake. If baking from frozen, add a minute or two to the baking time and watch for the cookies to look set and golden.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie FAQ
If you have a question about this pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe that isn't answered here, please write it in the comment section, and I will get back to you as soon as I can.
Personally, I think milk and white chocolate chips go equally as nicely with pumpkin cookies. Both add a sweet and creamy touch to the cookies, which contrasts beautifully with the pumpkin spice flavor. You can also use dark chocolate chips.
Yes! For the best results, freeze the cookie dough before baking. Scoop it into balls first, then freeze. When you're ready to bake, place the frozen dough balls on a sheet and add an extra minute or two to the baking time, watching for visual cues that the cookies are done.
My trick to avoiding soggy pumpkin cookies is blotting the pumpkin puree before using it in your baking. Use paper towels to remove as much moisture as you can from the puree, using fresh sheets as you go.
More Pumpkin Dessert Recipes
Looking for other pumpkin recipes for fall? Try these:
Recipe
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 81 ⅔ g (⅓ cup) Pumpkin Puree 80g
- 113 g (1 stick) Unsalted Butter 113g (melted)
- 100 g (½ cup) Granulated Sugar 100g
- 110 g (½ cup) Light Brown Sugar 110g
- 1 Large Egg Yolk (room temperature)
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 180 g (1½ cups) All-purpose Flour 180g
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon (or pumpkin pie spice)
- ½ teaspoon Ground Ginger (or pumpkin pie spice)
- ¾ cup Chocolate Chips 128g
Equipment
- Wooden Spoon or rubber spatula
Instructions
- Spread the pumpkin puree out on a plate and use a paper towel to blot the excess liquid out of it. This is important to stop the moisture from making the cookie dough too sticky and soft. Repeat with fresh paper towels until there is barely any liquid coming off of it and it looks flaky, rather than watery and mushy.81 ⅔ g (⅓ cup) Pumpkin Puree
- Add the melted butter, both sugars, and blotted pumpkin puree to a large bowl and whisk together just until combined. You can use a stand mixer on low speed if you prefer, but it is not necessary.113 g (1 stick) Unsalted Butter, 100 g (½ cup) Granulated Sugar, 110 g (½ cup) Light Brown Sugar
- Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract, and mix them in.1 Large Egg Yolk, 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Sift the dry ingredients into a separate bowl, including the spices. Mix them together, then add them to the cookie dough and stir just until a soft dough forms and there are no more lumps of flour.180 g (1½ cups) All-purpose Flour, ½ teaspoon Baking Soda, ½ teaspoon Baking Powder, ½ teaspoon Salt, ½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon, ½ teaspoon Ground Ginger
- Add in the chocolate chips and mix until evenly dispersed.¾ cup Chocolate Chips
- Scoop or roll the dough into small balls - about 2 inches wide and lay them on a cookie sheet. Chill the cookie dough balls for 1 hour to let the butter firm up.
- Once the cookie dough has chilled, preheat the oven to 350°F / 180°'C (160° fan-assisted).
- Bake the pumpkin cookies for 10-14 minutes until they are golden brown and baked all over.If you like a slightly more crunchy cookie, give them an extra minute or two after they look ready.
- Remove from the oven and let them sit on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before moving to a wire rack to cool completely.
Hi, I'm Jules!
I'm a Scottish ex-bakery owner sharing my tried and true dessert recipes and expert tips to help you whip up impressive desserts at home.
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