Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are easy to make with crisp edges, with a soft, chewy center! With a few tips, you can create bakery-quality cookies!

Overhead image of the Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
chelsea

author’s note

The Only Pumpkin Cookie Recipe You’ll Ever Need!

Don’t get me wrong, I love a traditional puffy pumpkin cookie, but in my opinion, those recipes produce more of a thin, round cake than a crisp, chewy cookie.

The goal for these cookies was to create an actual cookie with a crisp bottom and edges and a soft, chewy interior. No cakey consistency here!

These cookies are perfection: thin and crispy with the ideal soft and chewy center. So, if you’ve been searching for a pumpkin cookie that isn’t cakey, this is your recipe!

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Process shots-- images of the wet ingredients being mixed together

Ingredients

IngredientTip / Swap
Unsalted butterUse room-temperature butter for the best creaming.
Brown sugarLight brown sugar gives chewiness. Dark brown adds a deeper molasses note.
Pumpkin pureeUse 100% canned pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling). If it seems overly wet, pat it with paper towels first.
Egg yolkCreates richness without adding too much moisture. Save the white for meringues.
Quick oatsEssential for the chewy bite. Avoid swapping with old-fashioned oats.
SpicesCinnamon and nutmeg bring warmth. Add pumpkin pie spice if you want more punch.
Chocolate chipsA mix of semi-sweet and dark chips adds depth. White chocolate also pairs nicely.
Process shots of Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies-- images of the dry ingredients being added to the wet and it all being mixed together

How To Make Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

  1. Prep: Preheat the oven and line a baking sheet.
  2. Cream: Beat room-temperature butter and sugars until creamy.
  3. Mix: Add pumpkin, egg yolk, and vanilla; mix well.
  4. Combine: Stir in spices, baking agents, oats, and flour; fold in chocolate chips.
  5. Chill: Refrigerate dough for about an hour. Don’t rush this!
  6. Shape: Roll into large balls and place on the baking sheet. Bake and enjoy!

Quick Tip

Chill the dough twice: first after mixing, and again after rolling into balls. This prevents the dough from being too soft initially and too warm after rolling. Cold dough balls in a hot oven create the perfect cookie texture. 

Process shots-- images of the chocolate chips being added to the dough and the dough balls being rolled out

Storage

While most cookies taste best fresh from the oven, these taste even better at room temperature and have a richer pumpkin flavor the next day. Leave them not covered on a plate to keep them dry.

After baking, let them cool on a wire rack to stop the bottoms from getting soggy.

Use Leftover Pumpkin In One Of These:

5 from 18 votes

Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies are easy to whip up with crisp edges, a soft, chewy center, and plenty of chocolate. With tips to guarantee bakery-quality cookies, they’ll be your go-to fall treat!
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 14 minutes
Chilling Time: 1 hour
Total Time: 1 hour 39 minutes
Servings: 18 cookies

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Equipment

Ingredients

  • 12 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature, see note 1
  • 1 cup light brown sugar lightly packed
  • 1/2 cup granulated sugar
  • 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons canned pumpkin not pumpkin pie filling
  • 1 large egg yolk discard or save the whites for another recipe
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice see note 2
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1-1/2 cups quick oats see note 3
  • 1-1/2 cups flour
  • 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons miniature semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 1/2 cup milk chocolate chips or dark chocolate chips

Instructions 

  • Add room-temperature butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar to a stand mixer with a whisk attachment. Beat until creamy, scraping the sides as needed. Add pumpkin, egg yolk, and vanilla, and mix to incorporate.
  • Add cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and quick oats to the mixture. Beat until combined. Add flour and mix until no streaks remain, then fold in both chocolate chips and mix.
  • Cover and place the bowl of dough in the fridge for 1 hour.
  • Roll chilled dough into large, 3-tablespoon balls or 58 grams (see note 4). Roll to be taller instead of wider and place on a parchment-lined tray. Batter should make 18–20 cookies. Chill dough balls in the fridge for 15–20 minutes. While dough balls are chilling, preheat oven to 350℉. Line a large sheet pan with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat.
  • Add only 6 dough balls to a sheet pan at a time, spacing them out well. Bake 12–15 minutes or until lightly browned at the edges and slightly gooey in the center. These cookies are best slightly underbaked! Right out of the oven, bang the sheet pan on the counter a few times to flatten the cookies slightly.
  • Optionally, right after banging the pan, quickly press cookie edges inward with the back of a spoon, then press a few extra chocolate chips on top.
  • Let cookies rest on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Repeat this process to bake all cookies. These cookies taste best at room temperature and even better the next day—the pumpkin flavor has intensified by then!

Recipe Notes

Note 1: It’s really important that the butter is at room temperature to cream with the sugars properly. Melted butter won’t trap air effectively. It’s also important to have room-temperature eggs, which allows them to trap air and disperse more evenly into the batter. Leave these ingredients out at room temperature for 45 minutes to an hour.
Note 2: Pumpkin pie spice can be found among other spices in the grocery store, or you can make your own pumpkin pie spice!
Note 3: Although it would make sense that any oats would work, they aren’t interchangeable here. Quick oats act more like flour since they are smaller, denser, and more compact.
Note 4: Cookies work best at this size. While you may want smaller cookies, know that the texture is not the same. The sweet spot for this recipe is exactly 58 grams (3 packed tablespoons) of dough. Big, I know, but totally perfect for ensuring crisp edges and soft, chewy center!
Storage: Most cookies are the best right out of the oven, but these are best at room temperature—and even better (with a much more pronounced pumpkin flavor) the next day! I actually don’t cover these cookies—just leave them on a plate at room temperature—this keeps them from becoming too moist and losing texture. After baking the cookies, let them cool completely on a wire rack (this will keep the bottoms from getting soggy from the steam).

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 273kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 33mg | Sodium: 145mg | Potassium: 121mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 1544IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 35mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

  • Chill twice: After mixing and again after rolling into balls. Cold dough bakes best.
  • Pan bang: Drop the tray on the counter right after baking to flatten and keep cookies chewy.
  • Shape edges: Use a spoon to push edges in right out of the oven.
  • Go big: Larger dough balls give you a chewy middle with crisp edges.
  • Next-day: Let them sit overnight uncovered so the pumpkin flavor gets stronger.
  • Silicone baking mats: For even baking + no burnt bottoms.
  • Cookie scoop: Ensures consistent size for chewy texture.
  • Food scale: Accurate measuring = perfect results.

Meet Chelsea


Hello, and welcome to Chelseaโ€™s Messy Apron! Iโ€™m Chelsea, the recipe developer, food photographer, and writer behind the site. Iโ€™m passionate about creating simple, reliable, and delicious recipes that anyone can make.

Thanks for stopping byโ€”I hope you find something delicious to make!

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5 from 18 votes

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52 Comments

  1. Sarah says:

    5 stars
    I made these today and they were so so good!!! I cut the brown sugar in half, so one cup for both sugars total. And I used vegan butter, but everything else was the same. They didnโ€™t spread as much as I thought they would, but Iโ€™m sure thatโ€™s due to the lower sugar content. Still had a great texture and taste, these are a new staple for us!

    1. Chelsea says:

      Delish! I am so happy you were able to make these work with your preferences! Thanks so much for your comment Sarah! ๐Ÿ™‚