These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies combine the warm, sweet, and spiced flavors of fall pumpkin with pops of chocolaty flavor in every soft, chewy bite. They’re the perfect fall treat, and they’re ready in just about 20 minutes!
When it comes to fall desserts, I always think of pumpkin. There’s something about the flavor of pumpkin combined with the warming spices of pumpkin spice that makes my heart as happy as my belly.
My childhood was full of delicious, easy pumpkin desserts, and I brought that tradition to my own family life when I had kids. I never let a little thing like living in California, where fall is basically just a milder summer, stop me from busting out those tasty treats!
Now, I’ve added another delicious pumpkin flavor to my fall rotation, and I think you’re going to love it. These pumpkin cookies are full of classic fall flavor, and they’re so soft and tender. They’re also loaded with mini chocolate chips, a fantastic flavor combination. You’ll be hooked after one bite!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Simple Ingredients: These cookies use basic baking ingredients found in any kitchen or grocery store.
- Super Easy: This is a simple cookie recipe that only requires a few steps and less than 30 minutes from start to finish.
- Classic Fall Flavor: The combination of pumpkin puree, pumpkin pie spice, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves packs these cookies with the delicious flavors of fall.
- Customizable: You can easily tweak this recipe to change the flavor and texture.
- Great for Meal Prep: These cookies are great for making double batches and freezing some for later.
Ingredients
You can find a full list of ingredients and their exact quantities in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Variations
- Sweet Potato Cookies: Use sweet potato puree in place of pumpkin puree to make another delicious fall cookie.
- Chocolate Chips: Milk, semi-sweet, and dark chocolate chips all work well in this recipe.
- Add Nuts: Chopped walnuts and pecans add crunch and an earthy flavor that pairs well with the pumpkin and chocolate in the cookies.
- Cinnamon Pumpkin Cookies: Use cinnamon baking chips in place of chocolate chips for a cinnamon version of the cookies.
How to Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Whisk the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
Beat the butter and sugars in a large bowl until creamy. Then, add the remaining wet ingredients and beat until combined.
Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet, beating after each addition until just combined. Then, fold in the chocolate chips.
Drop by rounded teaspoons onto a prepared baking sheet and bake at 400°F until golden on the edges. Cool on the sheet for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips
- Be very careful to buy pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. They are usually next to or close to one another, making it easy to grab the wrong one.
- Bring the butter and egg to room temperature for better emulsification and to reduce the amount of mixing needed.
- Mix your batter until the ingredients are just combined to avoid excess gluten production and ensure soft, tender cookies. Overmixing creates tough cookies.
- Fold your chocolate chips into the dough, rather than using a mixing motion. This also helps reduce excess gluten and promotes soft cookies.
- Always use fresh leaveners for your baked goods. Old or expired baking soda and baking powder often won’t work, leaving your cookies flat.
- Your cookies will be a little raw in the center when you remove them from the oven. That’s okay! The heat from the baking pan will finish baking them to perfection.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies FAQ
Adding more moisture or fat in the form of eggs or corn syrup can make cookies softer, as can adding cream of tartar. In addition, removing cookies slightly before they’re fully baked and letting the heat from the baking sheet finish the baking process helps ensure the cookies are soft.
Dry cookies are usually the result of using too much flour or baking the cookies for too long. Loosely spoon your flour into your measuring cup to ensure you don’t compact the flour and use too much. It’s also important to remove your cookies when the edges are golden but the centers are still underdone. This allows the heat from the baking sheet to finish baking them.
Yes, you can. These are freezer-friendly and will last for up to 3 months in the freezer. It’s best to store them in an airtight, freezer-safe container in single layers separated by wax paper.
More Delicious Pumpkin Recipes
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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 ¾ cup all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon cream of tartar
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon cloves
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup light brown sugar
- ½ cup pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
- 10 ounces mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cream of tartar, baking soda, salt, and spices until well combined.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat the butter and both sugars together until creamy.
- Add in pumpkin purée, egg, and yolk. Beat until well combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and beat after each addition.
- Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Drop dough by rounded tablespoon onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 8 minutes. Let cookies sit on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
Notes
- Store at room temperature for up to a week in an airtight container.
- Place cookies in single layers with wax paper between each layer in an airtight, freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months.
- Bring the cookies to room temperature before serving.
- Be very careful to buy pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. They are usually next to or close to one another, making it easy to grab the wrong one.
- Bring the butter and egg to room temperature for better emulsification and to reduce the amount of mixing needed.
- Mix your batter until the ingredients are just combined to avoid excess gluten production and ensure soft, tender cookies. Overmixing creates tough cookies.
- Fold your chocolate chips into the dough, rather than using a mixing motion. This also helps reduce excess gluten and promotes soft cookies.
- Always use fresh leaveners for your baked goods. Old or expired baking soda and baking powder often won’t work, leaving your cookies flat.
- Your cookies will be a little raw in the center when you remove them from the oven. That’s okay! The heat from the baking pan will finish baking them to perfection.
Nutrition
I made these and they turned out soft and fluffy. The pumpkin and chocolate go so well together.
I made these last night, and we loved them. They’re an instant fall classic!
This flavor combo is perfect, and the cookies were so soft. We loved these!