A seasonal spin on a classic cookie. These soft and chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are the perfect addition to any autumn table!
I love fall for a few reasons, but pumpkin is at the top of my list.
Pumpkin is such a versatile ingredient. It’s loaded with vitamin C and freezes well, and if you aren’t familiar with working with whole pumpkins, you can always start with a canned variety.
This pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe is a great place to start if you’ve never worked with pumpkin. It’s rooted in a traditional chocolate chip cookie recipe that I’ve tweaked to fit my family’s tastes!
What’s even better? You can freeze the cookie dough and enjoy it all autumn long!
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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Ingredients
Print out the recipe card at the end of this blog post!
For this cookie recipe you will need the following:
All-Purpose Flour
Baking Soda
Salt
Cinnamon
Pumpkin Pie Spice
Butter
White Sugar
Brown Sugar
Pumpkin Puree
Chocolate Chips
How to Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Over medium-low heat, melt your butter. For a more nuttier flavor, consider browning your butter. If you do decide to use brown butter, be sure your butter doesn’t boil too rapidly! You could create clarified butter, which is butter with the solids removed.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
In another bowl, combine both sugars and pumpkin puree. If you are using canned pumpkin, be sure to use pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling is usually presweetened and filled with spices. We don’t want that conflict with the other sweeteners and spices in this recipe!
In the stand mixer, combine your wet ingredients with your flour mixture. Mix.
Remove your melted butter from the heat and let the butter cool. When the butter has cooled slightly, add it to your stand mixer.
Fold in your semi-sweet chocolate chips when your cookie batter has cooled. If you add the chocolate chips too soon, they will melt!
Refrigerate the pumpkin chocolate chip cookie dough for 30 minutes to an hour. Do not skip this step! It’s necessary because the batter will be somewhat loose because of the butter.
After your dough has been refrigerated, you can use a cookie scoop to space your cookies out onto your prepared baking sheets. I like to make 1-inch dough balls (or about 2 tablespoons) and space them two to three inches apart.
Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 12 minutes. When the cookies are out of the oven, wait a minute or two before transferring to a cooling rack.
Once the cookies are cool, transfer them to an airtight container and store them at room temperature for about a week.
I love doubling this recipe and freezing half of the batter. Why dirty the kitchen twice? I know I’m going to want to make these cookies again!
These freeze well as balls in a single layer on a cookie sheet or freezer-safe plate. Freeze for about an hour (or overnight if you’re a busy mom like I am) and transfer to a gallon-size plastic bag labeled with the baking instructions and date.
For long-term freezer storage, vacuum seal your cookies to reduce oxygen exposure.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe Substitutions
I love subbing chocolate chunks for chocolate chips any day of the week. Chocolate chunks work perfectly in this recipe!
In a pinch, I’ve also subbed white chocolate chips for traditional chocolate chips. My kids loved both variations! Dark chocolate may add another depth of flavor. You have options if you’re partial to a particular kind of chocolate!
I do tend to lean toward using cleaner ingredients in my kitchen, so you’ll notice this recipe doesn’t include vegetable oil. That doesn’t mean you can’t use it! Vegetable oil shouldn’t impact the texture or taste of the best pumpkin cookies you’ll ever make.
Browned butter is popular in baking, and gives a nuttier flavor to cookies. As the butter browns, the flavor intensifies and is said to elevate the flavor of the cookies.
Browned butter is not necessary in this cookie recipe, but if you are looking for that depth of flavor, simply heat your butter over medium-low heat until your butter is brown. Stir frequently so your butter doesn’t burn!
Vanilla extract can also be substituted in this recipe. It’s not uncommon for me to use maple syrup in lieu of vanilla extract.
I use my stand mixer for this recipe, but a handheld electric mixer would also do the trick! If you have little ones who like to help in the kitchen, feel free to rely on a silicone spatula or metal spoon. A little elbow grease will get these cookies mixed just as well as electricity does!
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More Fall Fun Recipes
Pumpkin is truly only socially acceptable to consume in the fall months. Do you agree? Comment on this blog post and let me know!
The one con to cooking with canned pumpkin, though, is that you don’t always use a whole can of pumpkin for any one recipe. If you’re looking for ways to use leftover pumpkin, try my pumpkin coffee creamer! I like to make it in a mason jar, shake it up, and add it to my coffee as is.
I’m not a pro at making a pumpkin spice latte, but my pumpkin coffee creamer is a frugal way to make one at home.
If you want a more savory dish, try my pumpkin butternut squash pasta sauce! This Aldi dupe is creamy and a bit spicy. It warms you right up in the colder winter months!
More Fall Season Favorites
These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are the perfect thing to bring to a family outing this fall!
Since it’s pumpkin season, bring them to a pumpkin patch picnic! If you go on a hayride or attend a fall festival, I promise that these cookies pair perfectly with a warm cup of hot chocolate. The cakey texture makes them perfect for dunking!
If you don’t like braving the fall chill, consider hosting a movie night or playing board games as a family.
For even more fall-themed family activity ideas, check out Free or Cheap Fall Family Activities.
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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Printable Recipe Card
These cookies are the perfect way to welcome fall. A deliciously warm twist on a classic chocolate chip cookie, these fall-inspired cookies are warm, gooey, and begging to be made this autumn!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
These cookies are the perfect way to welcome fall. A deliciously warm twist on a classic chocolate chip cookie, these fall-inspired cookies are warm, gooey, and begging to be made this autumn!
Ingredients
- 2 1/4 C All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Tsp Baking Soda
- 1/2 Tsp Salt
- 1 1/2 Tsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
- 2 Sticks Butter, Melted
- 1/2 C White Sugar
- 1 C Brown Sugar, Packed
- 1/2 C Pumpkin Puree
- 1/2 C Chocolate Chips*
Instructions
Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
Over medium-low heat, melt your butter.
In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice.
In another bowl, combine both sugars and pumpkin puree.
In the stand mixer, combine your wet ingredients with your flour mixture. Mix.
Remove your melted butter from the heat and let the butter cool. When the butter has cooled slightly, add it to your stand mixer.
Fold in your semi-sweet chocolate chips when your cookie batter has cooled. If you add the chocolate chips too soon, they will melt!
Refrigerate the pumpkin chocolate chip cookie dough for 30 minutes to an hour. Do not skip this step!**
After your dough has been refrigerated, scoop 1 inch dough balls onto your prepared baking sheets. space dough balls 2 to 3 inches apart.
Bake at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 to 12 minutes. When the cookies are out of the oven, wait a minute or two before transferring to a cooling rack.
Once the cookies are cool, transfer them to an airtight container and store them at room temperature for about a week.
Notes
*You can easily substitute an entire bar of chocolate, chopped.
**This step is necessary because the batter will be somewhat loose because of the butter.
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