Satisfy your craving for pumpkin spice and chocolate chip cookies with this recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. Made with pumpkin puree and warming spices, these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies are perfectly spiced, loaded with chocolate chips, and delightfully chewy like a classic chocolate chip cookie.
Cake-Like or Chewy?
Pumpkin cookies are classified into one of two groups. A soft, cake-like cookie. Or a chewy, moist cookie.
This recipe for pumpkin chocolate chip cookies yields a chewy cookie. It has the same texture as a classic chocolate chip cookie, yet is flavored with pumpkin puree and pumpkin spice.
While these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies make a perfect treat to enjoy with a pumpkin spice latte, I say they are worth enjoying year-round!
Notes on Ingredients & Substitutions
- Pumpkin Puree: Be sure to use 100% pumpkin puree NOT pumpkin pie filling. You can use homemade pumpkin puree in place of canned pumpkin puree, but you will need to strain off excess moisture in order for it to work in this recipe. Place 1 cup of homemade pumpkin puree into a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth over a large bowl and refrigerate it for 1-3 hours. Once drained, measure out ½ cup of the pumpkin puree and proceed with the recipe.
- Sugar: These pumpkin cookies use both granulated sugar and brown sugar. The combination of the two sugars will yield a cookie that is both soft and chewy.
- Spices: I use a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, ground ginger, allspice, and cloves to create the classic pumpkin spice flavor. Feel free to replace this mixture of spices with 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice blend if you have it on hand.
- Butter: For best results, use softened, unsalted butter for these pumpkin cookies. It is crucial your butter is at room temperature before preparing the cookies so that the butter will easily cream to create a light and fluffy batter.
- Egg: Just like butter, be sure your egg is at room temperature before making your cookie batter. If you would like your cookies to be egg-free, you can replace the egg with a flax egg, by mixing together 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water and letting the mixture sit for 5 minutes before adding to the pumpkin cookie batter.
- Flour: I have made this recipe using all-purpose flour, whole white wheat flour, and a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend, all yielding delicious cookies. Use whatever flour you have on hand. For a cookie that features 100% whole grains, use whole white wheat flour (not whole wheat.) For anyone who would like to enjoy a gluten-free pumpkin chocolate chip cookie, use your favorite 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.
- Chocolate Chips: Semi-sweet, dark, milk, or even white chocolate chips all taste delicious in these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.
How To Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Place the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar into a large mixing bowl or bowl from a stand mixer. Using the paddle attachment or handheld mixer, cream together the sugars with the butter on medium speed until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add the egg, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract and mix again to combine.
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves. Whisk together to evenly incorporate everything together. Alternatively, sift the ingredients together which will ensure you prevent any clumps of baking soda or baking powder from your cookie batter.
- Add the flour mixture, along with the chocolate chips to the butter and sugar mixture and stir the mixture together until just combined. You want to be sure that there are no longer any pockets of flour in your cookie batter, but you don’t want to overwork the dough–that will lead to tough cookies.
- Cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap and chill for 30 minutes in the refrigerator. This will help the cookies to hold their shape and retain a chewy texture after baking.
- Once the cookie dough has chilled,
- Remove dough from the refrigerator. Roll the cookie dough into 1-inch balls, using about 1-½ tablespoons of cookie dough for each cookie.
- Place the balls of dough evenly spaced onto a cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Gently flatten the tops of the cookie dough balls using your hand, a spoon, or the bottom of the cup. This will help the cookies to spread out evenly as they bake.
- Bake until the edges of the cookie are just set, about 10-12 minutes.
- Remove the cookies from the oven, place the baking sheet on a cooling rack, and let the cookies sit on the baking sheet for 2-3 minutes. This will allow the cookies to finish baking and for the cookies to be easier to remove from the pan without breaking apart.
- After a couple of minutes, remove the cookies from the baking sheet and place them onto a piece of parchment paper or cooling rack, and allow them to cool fully before storing.
- Alternatively, enjoy the cookies warm with a glass of milk, homemade latte, or mulled cider. My favorite!
How to Store Cookies so they Remain Soft
Nothing beats a soft pumpkin chocolate chip cookie, so you want to ensure your cookies retain their divine texture even when stored for several days.
Once your cookies have cooled completely, place them in an airtight container with a slice of white bread and store them at room temperature for up to 5 days. The cookies will absorb moisture from the bread, keeping them soft longer. Just be sure to use plain white bread, so the cookies will not absorb any flavoring from the bread itself.
Freezing Instructions
When it comes to cookies, you can opt to freeze your cookies once baked OR freeze the cookie dough and bake from frozen for a freshly baked, warm gooey, chocolate chip cookie.
- To freeze baked cookies, bake as directed and cool completely. Freeze the cooled, baked cookies for up to 1 month in an airtight container. Defrost on the counter for a few hours or in the refrigerator overnight and then enjoy.
- To freeze cookie dough, prepare the dough as directed. Roll the cookie dough into 1-½ inch balls and place them onto a rimmed cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Place the tray into the freezer and freeze for 1 hour, or until solid. Transfer the cookie dough balls to a freezer-safe storage bag and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, bake the frozen cookie pumpkin chocolate chip cookie dough balls at 325 degrees F for 12-14 minutes, until just set.
More Pumpkin Recipes to Love
If you tried this recipe for soft and chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, I would love for you to leave a review and comment below.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Made with pumpkin puree and warming spices, these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies prove that chocolate and pumpkin are a match made in heaven.
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Servings: 30 cookies
Calories: 130kcal
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Instructions
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In a large mixing bowl or a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter and sugars on medium-high speed until light and fluffy.
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Add the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture and mix again on medium speed to incorporate.
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In a separate mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice together until combined.
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Add the flour mixture and chocolate chips into the large mixing bowl with the sugar and butter mixture. Stir the mixture together until just combined. If using a stand mixer, mix on low speed until just combined! If mixing by hand, use a wooden spoon or spatula to combine the wet and dry ingredients together.
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Cover the bowl of cookie dough with plastic wrap and chill for at least 30 minutes, or up to 24 hours.
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Once the dough is chilled, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
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Roll the dough into balls, about 1.5 Tablespoons of dough each. Place the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spaced 2 inches apart. Using the back of a spoon, very slightly flatten the tops of the dough balls. (Without doing so, the cookies may not spread evenly.)
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Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges of the cookie dough are just set and beginning to brown.
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Remove the cookies from the oven and place the baking sheets on a cooling rack. Let the cookies sit on the rack for 2-3 minutes before removing them from the baking sheet and allowing them to cool fully or enjoy warm.
Notes
Pumpkin Pie Spice: In place of the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, allspice, and cloves, use 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice blend.
Chocolate Chips: Feel free to substitute milk chocolate chips or white chocolate chips for semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Egg-Free Modification: Replace the egg with a flax egg, by mixing together 1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed with 3 tablespoons of water and letting the mixture sit for 5 minutes before adding to the pumpkin cookie batter.
Gluten-Free Modification: Use your favorite 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour.
Storage: Once your cookies have cooled completely, place them in an airtight container with a slice of white bread and store them at room temperature for up to 5 days. Alternatively, freeze the cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 month.
Freezing Cookie Dough: Prepare the dough as directed. Roll the cookie dough into 1-½ inch balls and place them onto a rimmed cookie sheet that has been lined with parchment paper. Place the tray into the freezer and freeze for 1 hour, or until solid. Transfer the cookie dough balls to a freezer-safe storage bag and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to enjoy, bake the frozen cookie pumpkin chocolate chip cookie dough balls at 325 degrees F for 12-14 minutes, until just set.
Nutrition
Calories: 130kcal | Carbohydrates: 19g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 6g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 14mg | Sodium: 61mg | Potassium: 74mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 741IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg
