This Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe is my forever fall favorite! They’re soft and chewy with crisp edges, not cakey or muffin-like.
author’s note
My Forever Favorite Pumpkin Cookie
Growing up, my mom made pumpkin cookies all the time in the fall, and they were always one of my favorite treats. Hers were the big, puffy, cake-like kind, and even though we called them cookies, I always thought of them more like muffin tops. I still love those to this day!
BUT, I’ll almost always choose a traditional cookie over any other treat. Give me crisp edges, a soft gooey center, and a really good chew throughout. That was exactly the texture I wanted for this recipe.
I spent weeks testing and tweaking this pumpkin chocolate chip cookies recipe until I finally got that classic chewy cookie texture while still keeping plenty of pumpkin and warm spice flavor. They’ve become my favorite pumpkin cookies, and I come back to this recipe over and over every fall. I hope you love them too!
And if I can make one suggestion, use a kitchen scale instead of measuring cups. It’s so much more accurate and honestly faster. Just pop your bowl on the scale and add everything right in. It takes out the guesswork and helps you get that perfect chewy texture every time. I hope you love these cookies as much as we do!
Ingredients In Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
| Ingredient | Let’s Chat About It |
|---|---|
| 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 | I LOVE milk chocolate with pumpkin, but any kind works! Use your favorite, whether that’s semi-sweet, dark, or even white chocolate. |
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 This Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
- 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, and bake!
Chelsea’s Tips
My Top Tips For Success
- Use good canned pumpkin: I have found Libby’s to be the most consistent and to deliver the best texture.
- Shape them tall: Roll dough balls slightly taller than wide to help create thick, chewy centers.
- Don’t overcrowd the pan: Bake just 6 cookies at a time so they have plenty of room to cook and spread evenly.
- Finish Them Off: Press a few extra chocolate chips into the tops right after baking. A sprinkle of sea salt is also a great finishing touch!
Storage
This pumpkin chocolate chip cookies recipe is best enjoyed the same day they are made. The moisture from the pumpkin softens the cookies and makes them gooier as they sit.
Instead of storing baked cookies, freeze the dough balls on a sheet pan for 1 hour, then transfer to a freezer bag. Bake straight from frozen, adding 1–3 minutes to the bake time.
More Pumpkin Recipes:
Desserts
Pumpkin Cake Recipe (BEST EVER!)
Desserts
Pumpkin Cupcake Recipe
Desserts
Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
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 see note 1
- 2/3 cup chocolate chips
- Flaky sea salt optional, for topping
Instructions
- TIP: If you have a food scale, I highly recommend switching this recipe card to METRIC and using the exact gram measurements for the butter, sugars, pumpkin, flour, and chocolate chips. Measuring spoons work perfectly for the spices, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, melt the butter. Let it cool completely to room temperature before continuing. (Hot butter can melt the sugars and make the cookies greasy.)
- Add both sugars to the room-temperature melted butter. Whisk briskly until combined. Add in the large egg yolk, vanilla extract, and pumpkin. Whisk briskly until smooth and emulsified.
- Add salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground cloves, ground nutmeg, ground allspice, and baking soda. Whisk until combined.
- Add flour and gently stir through. Add chocolate chips. Gently stir through until you have a thick and sticky dough. Scrape edges with a spatula if needed. 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 (weigh: 30 grams) of dough per cookie ball. Roll the balls so they are slightly taller rather than wider. Place 6 cookie dough balls on the sheet pan and place in the freezer for 5 minutes. Remove and bake for 8–11 minutes or until no longer glossy on top. Remove from the oven and, if desired, press a few more chocolate chips into the tops of the cookies and a small sprinkle of sea salt. Let cookies stand on the sheet pan for 5-10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
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 🙂