Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies are the best ever! These cookies are soft and chewy with crisp edges instead of typical cake-like pumpkin cookies.
author’s note
These Disappear Faster Than I Can Bake Them!
I’ve made more batches of pumpkin cookies than I can count. And while I love a good fluffy pumpkin cookie, this year I really wanted to channel the texture and flavors of a classic chewy chocolate chip cookie with pumpkin flavor.
So I pulled out a can of pumpkin, melted some butter, and got to work testing. After a few rounds of tweaking, I landed on exactly what I hoped for: cookies that are chewy in the center, crisp at the edges, and filled with melty chocolate chips.
They’ve quickly become a family favorite, and now they’re the pumpkin cookies I’ll be making on repeat every fall.
Ingredients In Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
| Ingredient | Tips & Swaps |
|---|---|
| Butter | Let it cool before mixing or the cookies can turn greasy. |
| Pumpkin Purée | Use 100% pure pumpkin (like Libby’s). Avoid pumpkin pie mix since it contains added sugar and spices. |
| Spices | You can use pumpkin pie spice if that’s what you have on hand. |
| Egg Yolk | Using only the yolk (not the whole egg) keeps the cookies chewy instead of cakey. |
| Chocolate Chips | Semi-sweet works best here, but milk or dark chocolate are also delicious. |
Featured Comment
“I found your recipe a few years ago (2017)
– Jo
and have been making them ever since. My
Kids and Grandkids ask for these on a
regular basis. These are in my top 5 favorite
cookies to make. I have been baking cookies
for over 65 years! Every time I share them
everyone asks for the recipe. One of the best
cookies ever!”
How To Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Melt butter & cool: Start with melted butter for chewy cookies.
- Mix wet ingredients: Combine butter, sugars, pumpkin, yolk, and vanilla.
- Add dry ingredients: Stir in flour, spices, soda, and salt.
- Fold in chocolate chips: Mix just until combined.
- Chill & bake: Refrigerate the dough, then shape into balls, bake, and top with extra chips.
Tips For Success
- Chill twice: Once after mixing and once after shaping into dough balls. This prevents spreading.
- Measure flour correctly: Spoon & level to avoid using too much flour.
- Use pure pumpkin: Brands vary in water content. Libby’s is thick and consistent.
- Shape dough tall: This creates those chewy centers with crisp edges.
- No baking powder needed: These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies without baking powder rise perfectly with just baking soda.
Storage
Storing Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Cool cookies completely before storing.
- Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days.
- For longer storage, freeze dough balls on a sheet, then transfer to a freezer bag and freeze up to 3 months.
- Bake frozen dough balls directly, adding 1-3 minutes to bake time, or thaw in the fridge first.
More Pumpkin Recipes:
Desserts
Pumpkin Cake Recipe (BEST EVER!)
Desserts
Cake Mix Pumpkin Cookies
Desserts
Pumpkin Cupcake Recipe
Shakes And Smoothies
Pumpkin Protein Shake
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Video
Equipment
- Sheet pan (15" x 10") lined
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
- 1 large egg yolk discard whites or save for another recipe
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup pumpkin
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon allspice
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1-1/2 cups flour
- 2/3 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a large, microwave-safe bowl, melt butter. Let butter stand until cooled to room temperature. Hot butter will melt the sugars and make greasy cookies.
- Add both sugars to the room-temperature melted butter. Stir with a wooden spoon until smooth. Add in the large egg yolk, vanilla extract, and canned pumpkin. Make sure the pumpkin isn’t watery; dab off excess moisture with a paper towel if it is. Stir until ingredients are combined.
- Add salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, ground allspice, and baking soda. Stir until spices are well incorporated.
- Spoon and level (see note 1) to measure flour and add to the bowl. Add chocolate chips. Gently stir to form a dough. It will seem dry at first, but continue to stir until you have a thick and sticky dough. Cover the bowl tightly and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a sheet pan with parchment paper. Measure 1-1/2 tablespoons (or 30 grams) of dough per cookie ball. Roll the balls so they are taller rather than wider. Place 6 cookie dough balls on the sheet pan and place in the freezer for 8 minutes. Remove and bake for 8–11 minutes or until no longer glossy on top. I like them best at 9 minutes; slightly underbaking will yield super-soft and chewy cookies. Remove from the oven and let cookies stand on the sheet pan for 5 minutes. If desired, press a few more chocolate chips into the tops of the cookies.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These were amazing! I had made the “cake” ones the last few years. While I’d say those are more pumpkin-y, these are a more well rounded fall flavor due to the spices. I am making a second batch today after I roast up the porch pumpkins 🙂 Thanks for sharing this recipe!
So thrilled to hear these were a hit! 🙂 Thanks for the comment Jen 🙂
These cookies are absolutely delicious!!! I used coconut oil in place of butter and dairy free chocolate chips to make them suitable for a friend! They turned out chewy like you described! We enjoyed them so much I am making another batch tonight!
I’m so thrilled to hear that! 🙂 Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a comment Kylie 🙂
I made these today and they are prefect! A new Go To recipe! I will be doubling or tripling next time though since it ONLY makes two dozen ?
Haha 🙂 Yes, ONLY making two dozen is definitely a fault of this recipe 😉 Thank you so much Bethany! I’m thrilled you enjoyed these!
These look so great! Do you have any idea how long these could stay fresh? And how I could possibly ship them? Thank you, excited to try these!!
Thank you so much! I think these are best eaten by 3-4 days. I really have no idea on shipping these; I’ve never tried that. Wish I could be of more help, but hopefully someone else can chime in! 🙂
I made these when I got a pumpkin at a market, seeing how it is August and I have been waiting months to make something with pumpkin, I couldnt wait! But, because it is August, and its too hot to turn on my oven, I decided to make the batter the night before and freeze the balls of dough to pop in the oven early the next morning on one of the colder mornings of the week. I had to cook them for 5 minutes more, and they didnt quite spread like the picture, but they taste great! If you want them to spread out, I dont recommend baking from frozen. Happy that I now have some leftover dough balls in the freezer for when Im craving for more pumpkin cookies! Thanks for the recipe!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed these cookies. Thank you for the comment Ashley! 🙂
You put frozen cookie dough into the oven to bake? Frozen dough is very different from chilled dough. Typically you don’t have to chill a drop cookie recipe, but to actually freeze it.. not surprised they didn’t cook in the middle. It’s the first time I’ve ever heard of baking a frozen cookie dough.
Could I form the cookies and then refridgerate overnight and bake the cookies the next morning? Or would that make it too chilled and affect the baking?
That should work great! Cover them tightly and note that you might need to bake a minute or two longer. Enjoy 🙂
Hi Chelsea,
I loved these just as much as your chewy pumpkin oatmeal cookies, they are awesome! Not too spicey which is perfect for me, and awesomely chewy. Thanks for another great cookie recipe!!!
Robin
Hey Robin! So great to hear! I’m so happy you tried out these cookies too! Thank you 🙂
These look so perfect I wish I had one right now. Going to have to find some time to make these this week!
Thanks Samantha! 🙂
I love that this is a “non-cakey” recipe. I do love the cakey kind but I would love to try some that aren’t! I will have to try! Thanks!
These look amazing. And kudos to the ” exactly complete” intructions in the recipe! Nice, no mistaking that huh? =) Can’t wait to try them. I love pumpkin, and chocolate, yay!
Haha exactly 🙂 🙂 Thanks so much Lori!! I hope you LOVE these!