Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

These Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies are melt-in-your-mouth morsels of fall comfort food! Soft, chewy and studded with chocolate chips, they’ve got everything you love about classic chocolate chip cookies with a tasty pumpkin twist.

Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

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! Not only does pureed pumpkin help provide that drool-worthy taste, but it also acts a lot like a leavening agent and keeps your cookies moist.

I went through six or seven versions of these before I got the perfect one. And it was all 100% worth it – I am in love with this final recipe! All it took was some experimentation with the amount of pumpkin, flour and eggs.

Ultimately, I decided to forgo the eggs and use a little bit of baking soda instead. The pumpkin already does plenty of leavening on its own, but the pinch of baking soda gives your cookies an extra touch of lift without making them denser and adding excess moisture like an egg.

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 had the perfect texture every time. And the flavor is spot-on thanks to a classic medley of warm fall spices.

What You’ll Need

Perfect pumpkin spice cookies are only a few staple ingredients away! Here’s a list of what to have on hand:

• Unsalted Butter: Melted.
• Brown Sugar: Packed.
• Granulated Sugar: You’ll need 1/4 cup.
• Vanilla Extract: To help the pumpkin flavor stand out.
• Pumpkin Puree: Canned is best. You want pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling.
• All-Purpose Flour: Spoon the flour into your measuring cup to avoid packing too much in.
• Pumpkin Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and ginger are used for the perfect spice flavor. You could replace the nutmeg, cloves and ginger with pumpkin pie spice, but the spices are a little different and will give you a different flavor. While it may seem subtle, I truly prefer adding my own spices for the BEST flavor.
• Baking Soda: Just a touch for some extra rise and the perfect cookie texture.
• Salt: To add flavor.
• Chocolate Chips: I use semi-sweet.

How to Make Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies are super easy to prepare. Everything combines in a single bowl!

Heat Oven: Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Combine Dry Ingredients: Combine the flour, spices, baking soda and salt in a medium-sized bowl and set aside.

Combine Butter & Sugars: In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until well combined.

Add Vanilla & Pumpkin: Add the vanilla extract and pumpkin puree and whisk until well combined.

Add Dry Ingredients & Chocolate Chips: Add the flour, spices, baking soda and salt and mix together with a spatula until well combined. Stir in the chocolate chips.

Chill Dough: Refrigerate the dough for at least an hour. I recommend refrigerating overnight.

Form Cookies: Make balls of 2 tablespoons of dough and place them onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or a non-stick baking mat. Press the cookies down to about the thickness you want them to be, they won’t spread a lot. Use the remaining chocolate chips to place a few extras on top of each cookie before baking.

Bake: Bake the cookies for 10-15 minutes, or  until they just look fully baked. They should not look under baked.

Let Cool: Remove the cookies from the oven and allow them to cool for 5-10 minutes on the cookie sheet. Move them to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Tips for Success

These simple treats are great for busy weeknights when you’re craving something sweet. Be sure to check out the tips below before getting started on the recipe.

• Use Canned Pumpkin Puree: Fresh pumpkin puree would definitely 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 drying it out with a paper towel first.
• 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.
• Avoid Overcooking: 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 cook time.

Add-In Ideas

As is the case with regular chocolate chip cookies, you can fold anything you’d like into the dough – just be sure not to over-mix it in the process. You could even frost them! These ideas would all make yummy additions.

• Pecans
• Cranberries
• Cinnamon Chips
• Cream Cheese Frosting
• Walnuts
• Mini Marshmallows
• Toffee Bits
• Vanilla Buttercream
• Dried Apricots

How to Store Homemade Cookies

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.

Can I Freeze These?

Yes! 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.

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More Pumpkin Desserts to Try

Pumpkin goodies are a must-have for fall, and the following treats couldn’t be tastier! You’ll fall in love at first bite.

• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cupcakes
• Caramel Pumpkin Spice Blondie Streusel Cheesecake
• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bundt Cake
• Pumpkin Butterscotch Chip Cookies

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