These are the absolute BEST Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies that you will ever have! Chewy, moist, and loaded with Fall spices, these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies will satisfy those Fall cravings and give every other recipe a run for their money! They’re easy to make and a delicious way to bake with pumpkin and add a twist to classic chocolate chip cookies.
When it comes to classic American desserts, there are a few that immediately come to mind: apple pie, cheesecake, brownies, and best of all, chocolate chip cookies. I am a firm believer in chocolate chip cookies for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Which is exactly what happens when I make these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies – they get eaten… All day!
I mean, there’s nothing that a cookie can’t fix. Bad day? Chocolate chip cookies can fix that. Rough break up? Chocolate chip cookies will fix that too. Rainy day blues? Well, you get the point now!
It’s absolutely crucial to have the perfect recipe for your kind of cookie. Some like them chewy, some soft, and some crunchy. The Fall calls for a reinvented chocolate chip cookie that feeds into all of your best Fall cravings and then some. Hey, you might even try these and keep them going all year long. I won’t judge.
Why You’ll Love These
- Pumpkin Recipe. If you love all things pumpkin and look forward to the fall each year so you can indulge in all your pumpkin faves, then this recipe is for YOU!
- Pumpkin + Chocolate. A truly delicious combination.
- Easy Recipe. Like other chocolate chip cookie recipes, this one is perfect for all levels of bakers, even if you’ve never baked fresh cookies before!
- Great Texture. These cookies are chewy, soft, and full of chips.
Ingredients
Here’s a look at the main ingredients needed to make chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. Be sure to check the recipe card for the full list and quantities of each.
- The Base: We will be using all-purpose flour with a bit of cornstarch. This makes the cookies chewier than flour on its own.
- Leavening: Baking powder and baking soda give your pumpkin cookies a bit of rise.
- Spices: If pumpkin reminds you of fall, what spice reminds you of pumpkin? Definitely cinnamon! And a bit of nutmeg and ginger to give the cookies a more complex flavor.
- Pumpkin puree: I wanted to add an incredible hint of pumpkin flavor that wasn’t overwhelming. Subtle is always best for me. Working that bit of pumpkin into my chewy batter (I used Libby’s by the way) was just what was needed to take these babies to fall heaven.
- Butter: Use unsalted butter for the most control over the salt flavor. If you use regular butter make sure to adjust the salt you add to your cookies.
- Sugar: We will use a combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar with a larger amount of brown sugar which is what keeps these cookies soft and chewy.
- Chips: Of course, we have chocolate chips but I wanted to add another flavor to play alongside the chocolate flavor. Butterscotch chips came to the rescue. That caramel-like essence is the perfect partner in crime for chocolate, especially in pumpkin cookies.
- Eggs: You will need one egg and two egg yolks. Make sure they are at room temperature before mixing.
- Vanilla extract: Adds warmth, natural sweetness, and aroma to your pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.
How to Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
These cookies go together in just a few easy steps so let’s get started!
- Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground ginger in a bowl.
- Combine the pumpkin puree, butter, and both the granulated and brown sugar in a separate mixing bowl.
- Use an electric mixer on high speed to cream together until the mixture is light and fluffy.
- Add the eggs and beat until fully incorporated. Add in the pure vanilla extract and mix again.
- Add the flour mixture in three intervals beating using low speed after each addition until well combined.
- Add the chocolate chips and butterscotch chips and stir them into the pumpkin cookie dough.
- Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least an hour though two hours is even better.
- Scoop the cookie dough into balls about the size of a tablespoon and place on a parchment paper-lined cookie sheet. Leave about 1 ½ inches between the cookies. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. Cookies may seem undone but remove from oven.
Tips for Making the Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
I make killer chocolate chip cookies for a living. It’s kinda my thang. I love them to be soft, gooey, chewy, and perfectly buttery in flavor. I pride myself on achieving that ideal in every possible way. The technique is what makes the cookie ya’ll!
Here are a few tips that’ll take your cookies from basic homemade to that fresh out of the bakery oven quality.
- Add Cornstarch to Your Dough. This unassuming pantry item adds incredible chewiness to your cookies. Add a little cornstarch to your dough along with the dry ingredients and let it work its magic. The chewy texture is unbelievable!
- Let the Dough Chill for 24 Hours. I know, I know. It’s almost impossible to wait for your dough to chill but I promise you it’s worth it. While these cookies are absolutely delicious with minimal resting time, giving them the proper time to chill in the refrigerator overnight takes them to the next level. The result is a firmer dough that makes for more perfectly shaped and better-textured cookies.
- Play with the Chocolate You Use. With any recipe, there are ways that you can make it your own if you’d like to do so. Using the pumpkin in this recipe is already a bold choice but you can make these cookies even bolder. Cut your own chocolate chunks from your favorite bar of chocolate.
Popular Substitutions & Additions
- Make a Triple Chip Pumpkin Cookie. Replace some of the chocolate and butterscotch chips with white chocolate chips!
- Add Some Nuts. These cookies would be even better with some chopped pecans or walnuts added.
- Swap the Spices. You can use pumpkin spice blend or apple pie spices for a different combination of fall flavors.
- Crisper Cookie. Use all flour and skip the cornstarch.
What to Serve With Soft Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Take these to a fall bake sale along with these apple pie bars, apple cider cake, or this brown sugar pound cake.
- Hand them out to Halloween trick-or-treaters along with these pumpkin cupcakes and pumpkin swirl cookies.
- They bring all the fall feels to game day. Enjoy them with pizza rolls, buffalo wings, and pizza nachos.
How to Store These
Transfer your fully-cooled cookies to an airtight container. Store them a cool dry place at room temperature. If it’s warm in your kitchen you can store them in the fridge.
How long will pumpkin chocolate chip cookies last?
They will last a week on the counter at moderate temperatures. You can also store them in the fridge if you want them to last a bit longer.
Can I freeze chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies?
Yes, you can! Freeze fully baked cookies in the freezer for up to three months. Just make sure they are wrapped well.
You can also freeze the cookie dough. I like to scoop the cookie dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet and flash-freeze them. Then, transfer them to a container for storage. This way, you can easily take out exactly how many cookies you want to bake. Allow the cookie dough to thaw out in the fridge, and then bake as instructed.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can but with a little caution. Homemade puree is often more watery than canned pumpkin. Make sure your pumpkin is drained well and you may even want to squeeze it in a bit of cheesecloth before adding it to your cookie batter.
You can really use whichever you like best. I do find that dark chocolate chips make a slightly less sweet cookie while milk chocolate chips make the cookies sweeter. Semi-sweet chocolate chips make a nice balance right in the middle.
I hope you fall in love with these chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies! They’re the perfect addition to your Fall celebrations, though if you ask me, you can indulge in them any time of year! Each bite is soft, chewy, and full of chocolate and caramel goodness, who can ask for more? I hope you give them a try and discover how good they truly taste!
Chewy Cookie Recipes
If you love other chewy cookies, definitely try my Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies or Tea Cakes.
More Pumpkin Recipes
Pumpkin is such an essential flavor for the fall season that it must be worked into as many recipes as possible including this pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe. If you like it, you’ll love my other pumpkin desserts:
- S’mores Pumpkin Pie
- Pumpkin Pound Cake
- Pumpkin Cider Doughnuts
- Pumpkin Swirl Cheesecake Bars
- Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
- Pumpkin Cupcakes
- Pumpkin Lava Cakes
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Cookie Bites
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 ⅔ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 6 tablespoons pumpkin puree
- 1 cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 ½ cups packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- 2 large egg yolks at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 cup butterscotch chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and ground ginger and put aside.
- In the bowl of your mixer, add pumpkin puree and butter and both granulated and brown sugars and cream together for 3-4 minutes on high until light and fluffy.
- Next add in eggs one at a time beating until incorporated. Then add in pure vanilla extract and beat until smooth.
- Turn down your mixer to low and add in flour mixture in three intervals beating after each addition until well-combined. Lastly, stir in chocolate chips and butterscotch chips.
- Place dough in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour. Two hours is even better.
- Scoop cookie dough in balls the size of a tablespoon and place on parchment paper lined cookie sheet at least 1½ inches apart.
- Bake 10-12 minutes. Cookies may seem undone but remove from oven.
Notes
- Transfer your fully cooled cookies to an airtight container. Store them a cool dry place at room temperature for up to a week. If it’s warm in your kitchen you can store them in the fridge which will also make them last a bit longer.
- Freeze fully baked cookies in the freezer for up to three months. Just make sure they are wrapped well.
- If you want to freeze the cookie dough, scoop the cookie dough onto a parchment lined baking sheet and flash freeze them. Then transfer them to a container for storage. This way you can easily take out exactly how many cookies you want to bake. Allow the cookie dough to thaw out in the fridge and then bake as instructed.
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Can’t wait to try these! Can I chill the dough overnight?
These look LOVELY and I’ll bet your house smelled amazing 🙂
Butterscotch was my all time favorite pudding when I was growing up. I love how you snuck them in thee fall inspired beauties. So, so good.
Isn’t it wonderful?
Wow, you had me at pumpkin chocolate chip but the butterscotch seals the deal!
YES!!!! Score.
These look yummy! I have made pumpkin cookies before but they came out cake like and they didn’t come out flat when they baked in the oven. Do you have to smash them before you bake them or do they bake flat? These look like the ones I’ve been looking for to bake not the fat cakey ones.
No these actually bake just like this without having to touch the dough at all.
Oh my gosh!! I love pumpkin and your soft and chewy chocolate chop cookies are one of our favorites. So if these are based off of those, then I am sure they will be a huuuuge hit in our house!! YUM! I am excited to give them a try!!
Hooray!!