Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

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These Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies are such an easy fall cookie recipe! Soft, chewy, and studded with chocolate chips, they’re everything I love about classic chocolate chip cookies with a tasty pumpkin spice twist.

If you’re looking for more easy cookie recipes to make this fall/winter, check out these snickerdoodles, these peanut butter cookies, or these soft and chewy sugar cookies!

Why I Love This Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Want to know what’s even better than a soft chocolate chip cookie made from scratch? A soft homemade chocolate chip cookie that’s full of spiced pumpkin flavor! Come fall, I make batch after batch of these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. Here’s why I think they’ll be super popular at your house too:

  • Soft and chewy. You’ll find that a lot of homemade pumpkin cookies come out cakey, but not these! I didn’t stop tweaking the recipe until they achieved the perfect soft texture every time.
  • Rich and moist. Not only does the pureed pumpkin help to provide that drool-worthy, decadent taste, but it also acts a lot like a leavening agent and keeps your cookies moist.
  • Cozy and comforting. The classic medley of warm fall spices in these cookies (i.e. cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, etc.) will make your kitchen smell AMAZING.
Pumpkin chocolate chip cookie ingredients on a marble countertop.

What You’ll Need

These chocolate chip pumpkin cookies require only a few staple ingredients. Here’s a list of what to have on hand. You’ll find a printable list along with the full recipe details in the recipe card down below.

  • Unsalted butter – Make sure to melt this before you begin. If you’d prefer to use salted butter, just leave out the additional salt that comes later in the ingredients.
  • Sugar – This recipe calls for both granulated sugar and brown sugar.
  • Vanilla extract – Pure vanilla extract works best, rather than imitation vanilla.
  • Pumpkin puree – Canned is best. Also, make sure you’re using 100% pumpkin puree and NOT pumpkin pie filling. They both come in cans, but they aren’t the same thing!
  • All-purpose flour
  • Spices – Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger are used for the perfect spice flavor. You can replace the individual spices with pumpkin pie spice, but I prefer adding my own spice blend for the BEST taste.
  • Baking soda and salt – Feel free to use sea salt, kosher salt, etc.
  • Chocolate chips – I generally use semi-sweet chocolate chips, but you can use milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or even white chocolate chips.
A stack of four pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, with the top cookie broken into two halves.

How to Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I went through six or seven versions of this recipe before I got to the perfect one. And it was 100% worth it. I am in love with the final product! These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are super easy to prepare. Follow these steps, and remember to scroll to the recipe card below the post for printable instructions.

  • Mix the dry and wet ingredients separately. First, whisk the flour and dry ingredients together in a bowl. In a separate bowl, cream the butter and sugars together with the remaining wet ingredients.
  • Combine. Add the dry ingredients to the wet batter and mix to form the pumpkin cookie dough. Lastly, fold in the chocolate chips.
  • Chill. Place the dough into the fridge to chill for at least 1 hour, or overnight.
  • Shape the cookies. Scoop the cookie dough into balls and place them onto a lined cookie sheet, pressing gently on each cookie. Place a few extra chocolate chips on top of each cookie before baking.
  • Bake. Bake the cookies at 350ºF for 10-15 minutes, or until they just look fully baked. They should not look underbaked. Afterward, let the cookies cool on the cookie sheet for a few minutes before moving them to a wire rack.

Recipe Tips

  • Use canned pumpkin puree. Fresh pumpkin puree would work in these cookies, but it tends to hold a lot of extra moisture. If you’d like to use fresh pumpkin puree anyway, I recommend patting it dry with paper towels first to draw out the excess liquid.
  • Don’t skimp on the chill time. The cookie dough needs to chill for at least 30 minutes before it’s rolled into balls. This helps it stick together better.
  • Don’t overmeasure. Incorrectly measured ingredients, like flour, can lead to dry, crumbly cookies instead of soft, chewy ones. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup (don’t scoop from the bag) to avoid packing too much in.
  • Avoid overbaking the cookies. Take your cookies out of the oven once the edges are firm, even if the centers still look a little raw. As they rest on the cookie sheet, they’ll finish baking.
  • Try freezing the dough. If desired, you can store your balls of cookie dough in the freezer for up to 2 months. Wrap each one in plastic wrap and keep them in a freezer-safe container. Bake the cookies straight from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the cooking time.
A scattered pile of pumpkin chocolate chip cookies on marble countertop.

Easy Variation Ideas

As is the case with regular chocolate chip cookies, you can fold any mix-ins you’d like into the dough for these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. Just be sure not to over-mix it in the process. I also sometimes like to frost these cookies (my tangy cream cheese frosting goes great with the pumpkin spice!) or add a sprinkle of sea salt for a sweet-savory contrast. Here are some more easy ideas:

  • Add nuts. Chopped pecans or walnuts would both be great choices. For extra sweetness, try candied pecans.
  • Dried fruit. I recommend dried cranberries or dried apricots in these pumpkin cookies.
  • More mix-ins. In place of (or in addition to) chocolate chips, fill these cookies with cinnamon chips, mini marshmallows, or toffee bits.
  • Another frosting. Top these cookies with chocolate frosting or vanilla buttercream.
Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies scattered around on marble countertop.

How to Store Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • Storing. Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies can be stored at room temperature. Just keep them in a single layer in an airtight container and enjoy them within 4 days.
  • Freezing. These cookies freeze well in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. They may look a little different after they’re thawed, but they’ll taste the same! Be sure to defrost the cookies on the counter the night before you plan to eat them.

More Pumpkin Cookie Recipes

You can’t have too many easy pumpkin cookie recipes on hand! You’ll fall in love with each of the following treats at first bite.

Print
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A scattered pile of pumpkin chocolate chip cookies on marble countertop.
Recipe

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • Author: Lindsay
  • Prep Time: 1 hour
  • Chill Time: 1 hour
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 2 hours 10 minutes
  • Yield: 25-30
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Description

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies are super soft, chewy, and studded with melty chocolate chips. They’re filled with warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg for a taste of fall in every bite!


Ingredients

  • 2 1/3 cups (303g) all purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
  • 3/4 teaspoon nutmeg
  • 1/4 teaspoon cloves
  • 1/4 teaspoon ginger
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup (168g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 3/4 cup (168g) packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 cup (52g) sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3/4 cup + 2 tablespoons (203g) pumpkin puree
  • 1 cup (169g) chocolate chips, plus 1/4 cup (42g) for on top

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350°F (176°C). Line a cookie sheet with a silicone baking mat (or parchment paper) and set aside.
  2. Combine the flour, spices, baking soda and salt in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.
  3. In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter, brown sugar and sugar together until well combined.
  4. Add the vanilla extract and pumpkin puree and whisk until well combined.
  5. Add the dry ingredients and fold together with a spatula until well combined.
  6. Fold in the chocolate chips, reserving the extra ¼ cup for later.
  7. Refrigerate the cookie dough for at least an hour or overnight. They get even more dense and chewy the longer they are refrigerated.
  8. Make balls of 2 tablespoons of cookie dough and place onto the prepared cookie sheet. Press the cookies down to about the thickness you want them to be, they won’t spread a lot.
  9. Use the remaining chocolate chips to place a few extras on top of each cookie before baking.
  10. Bake for 10-15 minutes or until they just look fully baked. They should not look under baked.
  11. Remove the cookies from the oven and allow to cool for 5-10 minutes on the cookie sheet, then move the cookies to a cooling rack to finish cooling.
  12. Once cool, serve or store in an airtight container. Because of the moisture from the pumpkin in these cookies, they get even better the next day and stay good for at least 5-7 days.

Notes

  • To store. Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies can be stored at room temperature. Just keep them in a single layer in an airtight container and enjoy them within 4 days.
  • To freeze. These cookies freeze well in a freezer-safe container for up to 2 months. Their appearance may change slightly after they’re thawed, but they’ll taste the same! Be sure to set them on the counter the night before you plan to eat them.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 Cookie
  • Calories: 126
  • Sugar: 9.2 g
  • Sodium: 48.7 mg
  • Fat: 6 g
  • Carbohydrates: 17.5 g
  • Protein: 1.5 g
  • Cholesterol: 11.4 mg

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9 Comments
  1. Chloe

    I Love this recipe so much! I want to try making it again with less sugar so that you can taste the pumpkin and spices better, but these cookies are absolutely mouthwatering!






  2. Sandy

    I’ve got your pumpkin layer cake out of the oven and cooling now. I was looking at these cookies, using just the right amount of pumpkin purée to finish the can. 

    Can you please explain why you melt the butter instead of creaming it at room temperature with the sugars. 

    1. Lindsay

      It just creates a different resulting texture. In this case, it should give you a more dense and less cakey cookie.

  3. Erin

    Do you have any recipes for how to make pumpkin purée? I live in Australia and they don’t have it at any of the stores I’ve gone to! Just pumpkin soup 🙁 

    1. Lindsay

      I don’t actually. I’m sure you could find one online though. I imagine you would cook the pumpkin and puree it.

  4. Isabelle

    These were so good! The ones I made tasted wonderful, but definitely didn’t look as beautiful as yours, but great recipe. I’ll just have to perfect it ;).

Lindsay
About Lindsay

I’m the baker, recipe developer and photographer behind Life, Love and Sugar. I love sharing trusted recipes with helpful tips to give you great results.

Scripture I’m Loving

“Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.” Matthew 11:28-29