Soft Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
These soft pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are buttery, chewy, and packed with melty chocolate chips. With pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spices, they are full of cozy fall flavors. And they’re so easy to make, with no eggs or mixer needed!
The pumpkin keeps the cookies soft and moist, while the butter adds richness. They are warmly spiced and full of chocolate chips. Wonderful with tea or coffee, and a great little fall treat for the lunch box.
Have leftover pumpkin puree? Browse my pumpkin recipes for more ideas.
Love baking with chocolate chips? Try my chocolate chip shortbread cookies, chocolate chip scones, eggless chocolate chip cake, and zucchini chocolate chip muffins.
Jump toHideShow
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Soft and chewy texture. These eggless pumpkin cookies are thick, with slightly crisp edges and soft, chewy centers.
- Full of fall flavors. Pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice make these the cozy cookies you’ll want to make all season.
- Easy to make. No fancy equipment or complicated steps. You just need 2 bowls, a whisk, and a spatula to make the dough.
- No eggs needed. Pumpkin puree adds moisture and helps bind the dough, so you don’t need any eggs.
- Great for sharing. Pack the chocolate chip pumpkin cookies in lunchboxes, bring them to a get-together, or keep a stash for afternoon snacks.
Recipe Ingredients
Flour: All-purpose flour gives these cookies a soft and tender texture. You can also use buckwheat flour to make gluten-free pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.
Pumpkin puree: Use store-bought or homemade pumpkin puree. We need thick pumpkin puree; otherwise, the cookies will be more cakey than chewy. Blot the extra moisture from the puree using paper towels. The measurement given in the recipe card is after blotting.
If using canned, make sure it’s 100% pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling. I have lots of tips on how to make homemade pumpkin puree in my easy pumpkin bread post.
Sugar: We use a mix of light brown sugar and white granulated sugar. Brown sugar keeps them moist and gives a caramel-like flavor, while the white sugar helps the cookies get a crisp, golden edge.
Butter: We use melted butter in this pumpkin cookie recipe. It adds richness and a wonderful buttery flavor. Let it cool slightly before mixing with other ingredients.
Pumpkin pie spice: Adds those warm, cozy flavors. It’s a mix of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. You can use store-bought pumpkin spice or make your own as I did for my pumpkin pie spiced almonds.
Chocolate chips: I love using dark chocolate chips (55-60%) to balance the sweetness of the cookies. You can also use chopped dark chocolate.
Baking powder and baking soda: Help cookies rise and give them their soft texture.
Vanilla extract: Helps round out the flavors beautifully. Use store-bought or homemade vanilla extract.
Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavors.
Please see the recipe card below for full information about the ingredients and quantities.
How To Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Recipe Video
Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1: In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin spice, and salt.
Step 2: In another small bowl, whisk together the melted and cooled butter, brown sugar, and white sugar.
Step 3: Add the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract. Mix well.
Step 4: Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until no dry flour is visible.
Step 5: Fold in the chocolate chips.
Step 6: Chill the dough in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes.
Step 7: Scoop the dough using a 1.5” cookie scoop, roll into balls, and flatten slightly. Place on the prepared cookie tray, leaving some space between the cookies.
Step 8: Bake at 180 C / 350 F for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are slightly set and golden. Top with extra chocolate chips if you wish. The cookies will be very soft, so allow them to cool on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. The cookies will firm up as they cool.
Top Tips
- Use a weighing scale to measure the ingredients for the most accurate and consistent results.
- Blot the pumpkin puree with paper towels to remove extra moisture.
- Don’t overmix the dough. Once you add wet ingredients to the flour, mix just until combined.
- Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. You can also refrigerate the dough for up to 1 day. Chilling makes the dough easier to handle, prevents the cookies from spreading too much, and improves the flavors.
- Flatten the cookies slightly before baking, as they don’t spread much on their own.
- Don’t overbake the cookies. Chocolate chip pumpkin cookies look slightly underdone when you take them out of the oven. But they firm up as they cool.
- Cool the cookies completely before storing them in an airtight container.
How To Store
Store the completely cooled pumpkin chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. You can also refrigerate these cookies. They stay well in the refrigerator for up to a week. Bring to room temperature before eating.
Freeze baked cookies: You can freeze the chocolate chip pumpkin cookies in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature.
Freeze unbaked cookie dough: Freeze the dough balls on a tray. Once frozen, transfer to a freezer-friendly bag and keep for up to 1 month. Bake straight from the freezer, adding an extra minute to the baking time.
Recipe FAQs
Can I use canned pumpkin puree?
Yes. Make sure it's 100% pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling. Blot extra moisture with paper towels before measuring.
Why are my pumpkin cookies cakey instead of chewy?
Pumpkin puree adds a lot of moisture to the dough, giving these cookies a cake-like texture rather than a chewy texture. Blot it or squeeze it well, and don’t overmix the dough when the wet ingredients are added.
Can I make the cookie dough ahead of time?
Yes, you can prepare the dough ahead and refrigerate it for up to 24 hours. If the dough is too firm to scoop, let it sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften it up.
More Recipes You'll Love
Recipe
Soft Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups All-purpose flour
- 1/2 tsp Baking powder
- 1/4 tsp Baking soda
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1.5 tsp Pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 cup Butter, melted and slightly cooled.
- 1/2 cup Granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup Brown sugar
- 1/2 cup Pumpkin puree, after blotting. Blot the puree with paper towels to remove extra moisture.
- 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup Dark chocolate chips 55%
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180 C / 350 F. Line your baking tray with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.1 3/4 cups All-purpose flour, 1/2 tsp Baking powder, 1/4 tsp Baking soda, 1/4 tsp Salt, 1.5 tsp Pumpkin pie spice
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the melted butter and both sugars. 1/2 cup Butter, melted and slightly cooled, 1/2 cup Granulated sugar, 1/4 cup Brown sugar
- Add the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract. Mix well.1/2 cup Pumpkin puree, after blotting, 1 tsp Vanilla extract
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until no dry flour is visible.
- Fold in the chocolate chips and refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes.1/2 cup Dark chocolate chips 55%
- Scoop out the dough using a 1.5" cookie scoop, roll into balls, and flatten slightly.Place on the prepared tray, leaving some space between the cookies.
- Bake at 180 C/ 350 F for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are slightly set and golden. Top with extra chocolate chips if you wish. The cookies will be very soft, so allow them to cool on the tray for 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
- Cool completely and store in an airtight container. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Use a weighing scale to measure the ingredients for the most accurate and consistent results.
- Blot the pumpkin puree with paper towels to remove extra moisture.
- Don’t overmix the dough. Once you add wet ingredients to the flour, mix just until combined.
- Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes. You can also refrigerate the dough for up to 1 day. Chilling makes the dough easier to handle, prevents the cookies from spreading too much, and improves the flavors.
- Flatten the cookies slightly before baking, as they don’t spread much on their own.
- Don’t overbake the cookies. Chocolate chip pumpkin cookies look slightly underdone when you take them out of the oven. But they firm up as they cool.
- Cool the cookies completely before storing them in an airtight container.
Gosh! They look amazing Natasha and so healthy too. I always make and freeze puree at home.
Natasha Author
Aw thanks Taruna! Pumpkin puree is a really good thing to keep handy..very useful in so many recipes., desi or non Indian. 🙂