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.
Can these be made gluten free by substituting gluten free flour? This recipe looks delicious, but I have to eat gluten free.
I’m so sorry I’ve never tested these with gluten free flour and am not very experienced with gluten free baking to be honest. Wish I could be of more help
I made these today using a real baking pumpkin vs. canned and they took way longer to cook than indicated in recipe. They still didn’t come out anywhere near as good as the ones I made last year which is disappointing since it had so many steps.
Sorry these weren’t what you were hoping for!
These cookies were easy to make and absolutely delicious! The recipe has great tips to making the cookies come out perfectly. I loved the tip to place more chocolate chips on top straight out of the oven so they look even more appetizing! The cookies turned out great and so did the picture I took of them!
I am so happy to hear this Sara! Thanks so much for your comment! 🙂
I have made many pumpkin cookie recipes over the years and none compare to this incredible recipe! Officially a family staple for years to come
Yay! I am so happy to hear this Carly! Thanks for your comment! 🙂
So good! I halved the recipe because all the cookies in my house get eaten whether there are a lot or only a few, lol. But I kept the pumpkin to 1/3, and added 1/4 cup flour (to the halved amount) to make up for the extra wet ingredient. I’m a no-fuss baker so I didn’t
shape or chill the dough or anything, just plopped it down. Baked for 11 mins and they’re so yummy! I’m sure the consistency is more “cakey”? than what a cookie should be, but everyone loved them anyway! If I need more than 12 cookies I’ll follow the recipe as written. ?
So happy to hear these were a hit! Thanks Laura 🙂
Can we use gluten free all purpose flour instead? I imagine needing more baking soda
I’m sorry I’ve never tested this recipe with gluten free flour and am not familiar enough to give recommendations.
I made these for my husband to take to work a couple years ago and I frequently was asked when I’d send him to work with more! I’m so excited fall is back around and it is time to whip these up again. Honestly the best cookies I’ve ever had!
So happy to hear these were the best cookies you’ve ever had! 🙂 Makes my day!! Thanks for the comment and review!
Made these they were good. But they did not spread very much. Easy but time consuming!
So glad you enjoyed! Thanks Bernie!
Amazing cookies! I couldn’t stop eating them. 1/4 cup butter and 1/4 cup coconut oil mix was fine too! Can we freeze the cookies? How long can we leave in the freezer?
So happy to hear you enjoyed!! I would recommend freezing the dough (rolled into balls first and stored in an airtight bag), not the actual cookies (I’ve found freezing the baked cookies loses texture/flavor). Freeze dough balls for up to 1 month! 🙂
Omg these cookies are delicious!!! The perfect combination of pumpkin, spices & of course chocolate! I don’t mind my cookies cakey, so after chilling the dough for an hour I formed single sized balls on cookie sheets (12 /sheet) and baked them for 12 minutes each. I think they turned out perfectly!! So happy I came across this recipe, thanks! 🙂
So happy you enjoyed these cookies! Thanks for the comment Heather 🙂