Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies that are soft and chewy - not cakey. Packed with warm pumpkin flavor and melty chocolate chips.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Snapshot
What it is: Chewy pumpkin cookies with warm spices and chocolate chips.
Why it works: We blot the moisture out of the pumpkin puree so the dough isn't wet and the cookies are not cakey.
How to make it: Mix melted butter with the sugar and blotted pumpkin, then add eggs and vanilla and sift in the dry ingredients.
Most pumpkin cookies bake up thick, puffy, and more like little cakes than proper cookies. With so much water in pumpkin, it's hard to get that classic chewy texture you'd expect from a chocolate chip cookie.
This recipe fixes that by removing the excess moisture from the pumpkin purée before it goes into the dough. This one simple step makes cookies with all the warm pumpkin flavour, without compromising on the gooey texture and crisp edges.
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Why Pumpkin Cookies Turn Cakey (And How To Fix It)
Pumpkin is almost 90% water, so when you add it to cookie dough, it creates steam in the oven and makes the cookies turn out puffy and cakey.
The key to stopping this from happening is blotting the pumpkin puree with paper towels to remove excess moisture before adding it to the dough. This means you get all of the pumpkin flavor in a cookie dough that bakes up like classic chewy cookies with crisp edges and soft centres.
I use this same technique in a lot of my pumpkin dessert recipes.
Ingredients
This recipe is an adaptation of my homemade pumpkin cookie recipe. See the variations section for more ways to customize the ingredients.
- Pumpkin Puree - Make sure you use canned pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling.
- Unsalted Butter - This cookie recipe uses the melted butter method to make them extra chewy.
- White Sugar - Granulated sugar (caster sugar) helps the cookies to spread and gives them crispy edges.
- Light Brown Sugar - Brown sugar adds a deeper, caramelized flavor and makes them more chewy.
- 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.
- Vanilla - A high-quality vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste will create a well-rounded flavor.
- Flour - All-purpose flour (plain 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.
- Spices - I like to use ground cinnamon and ginger, but you can use any blend of warm spices you like - try ground nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice.
- Chocolate Chips - Use your favorite chocolate chips. I used milk chocolate, but semi-sweet or dark would work well too.
See the recipe card for the full recipe and measurements in both cups and grams (though I always recommend using a kitchen scale for best results).
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
Unlike most pumpkin cookie recipes that behave more like cake batter, this dough is structured to bake up like a classic cookie dough, which gives that beautiful bakery-style cookie texture.
Blot The Pumpkin (Don't Skip This Step)
Lay the pumpkin purée out on a plate and gently press it with a paper towel to soak up the extra moisture.
Continue blotting with fresh towels to absorb as much moisture as possible until the purée looks dry and slightly crumbly rather than watery and soft.
Important: Measure or weigh the amount of puree you need for the recipe AFTER blotting it.
Wet Ingredients
In a large bowl, mix 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 just until smooth. Scrape down the sides of the bowl.
Dry Ingredients
In a separate bowl, sift the dry ingredients together. Then add them to the batter and mix until it comes together into a soft dough. Be careful not to overmix here.
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.
Tips For Chewy Pumpkin 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 - This is the most important step. Removing excess moisture is what stops the cookies from turning cakey and gives them a chewy texture.
- Use Both Sugars - White sugar helps make crisp edges, and brown sugar adds depth and moisture to make the soft center.
- Separate The Egg - Using just the yolk (not the whole egg) helps keep the cookies rich and chewy without adding extra moisture.
- Chill the Dough - With melted butter cookie dough, chilling is essential. It firms up the butter so the cookies don't spread too much in the oven.
- Don't Overmix - Mix just until combined to keep the cookies tender, not dense or tough.
Easy Variations
You can easily customize these chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies to make them even tastier next time!
- Switch the Chocolate - Use milk, white, or dark chocolate - or a mix, depending on what you like best.
- Add a Glaze - Drizzle with a simple powdered sugar icing or cream cheese glaze for extra sweetness.
- Swap Spices - Pumpkin has a subtle natural flavor, so the spices you choose really bring it to life. Swap or add nutmeg, cloves, or pumpkin spice to suit your taste.
- Add Nuts - Replace some of the chocolate chips with chopped pecans or walnuts for some extra crunch and nutty flavor.
Storage
Store your homemade 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 freezing, so you can bake straight from frozen (just add an extra 1-2 minutes onto the baking time and watch for them to look set and golden).
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.
Show Me Your Bakes!
If you make this recipe, please tag @bonni_bakery on Instagram or send me a photo - I love seeing all your creations.
Want your bake featured on the blog? You can also upload a photo here.
More Pumpkin Dessert Recipes
Looking for other pumpkin recipes for fall? Try these:
Recipe
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 80 g (⅓ cup) Pumpkin Puree
- 113 g (1 stick) Unsalted Butter melted
- 100 g (½ cup) Granulated Sugar (Caster Sugar)
- 110 g (½½ cup) Light Brown Sugar
- 1 Egg Yolk room temperature
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 180 g (1½ cups) All-purpose Flour (Plain Flour)
- 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)
- 130 g (¾ cup) Chocolate Chips
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. Note: Measure/weigh your pumpkin puree AFTER blotting the liquid out.80 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 (½½ cup) Light Brown Sugar
- Add the egg yolk and vanilla extract, and mix them in.1 Egg Yolk, 1 tsp 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 tsp Baking Soda, ½ tsp Baking Powder, ½ tsp Salt, ½ tsp Ground Cinnamon, ½ tsp Ground Ginger
- Add in the chocolate chips and mix until evenly dispersed.130 g (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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