Classic Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe tastes like a cozy slice of pumpkin pie collided with a soft chocolate chip cookie in the best way possible. This recipe works well for busy bakers who want a fall dessert in about 35 minutes from start to finish. I baked a batch at 10 p.m. once and ate three on the couch while “taste testing,” so you’re in good company.
Why You Should Try This Classic Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies bake up soft, thick, and cake-like with melty chocolate in every bite. Warm spices and pumpkin puree give them that classic fall flavor, while the chocolate chips keep them from tasting like straight-up pumpkin bread.
You mix everything in one bowl, so cleanup stays easy. The dough does not need chill time, which means you can go from craving to cookie plate pretty fast.
“These Classic Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies came out soft, cozy, and loaded with chocolate, and my family devoured the whole batch in one night. ★★★★★”
Ingredients You’ll Need
Dry ingredients
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- Use a standard unbleached all-purpose like King Arthur or Gold Medal.
- Spoon and level the flour so the cookies stay soft and not dry.
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
You can swap the individual spices for 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice if that sits in your pantry. Just keep the salt and baking soda as written.
Wet ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- Use real butter, not margarine, for best flavor.
- If you only have salted butter, use 1/4 teaspoon salt instead of 1/2 teaspoon.
- 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- Use Libby’s or another pure pumpkin brand.
- Blot the pumpkin with paper towels if it looks very watery.
Mix-ins
- 1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips
- Use chips or chunks; both work well.
- Mini chips give more chocolate in every bite.
- Optional: 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans or walnuts
Optional toppings
- Extra chocolate chips for pressing on top before baking
- A light sprinkle of flaky sea salt right after baking
Equipment
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium bowl
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
- Cookie scoop or tablespoon
- Cooling rack
Tips & Tricks
- Blot the pumpkin with paper towels so excess moisture does not make the cookies gummy.
- Melt the butter, then let it cool until just warm so it does not scramble the egg-like structure from the pumpkin.
- Whisk the dry ingredients together before you add them so the spices and baking soda distribute evenly.
- Do not overmix once you add the flour; stir just until no dry streaks remain.
- Use a cookie scoop for even sizes so all cookies bake at the same rate.
- Press a few extra chocolate chips on top of each dough ball before baking for bakery-style looks.
- Bake until the edges look set and the tops look dry; the centers should still feel soft.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for at least 5 to 10 minutes so they firm up.
- If the dough looks too sticky to scoop, chill it for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Use pumpkin puree at room temperature so it mixes smoothly with the melted butter and sugars.
How to Make Classic Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients
Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and salt to a medium bowl. Whisk until everything looks evenly combined and the spices no longer streak through the flour. Set the bowl aside.
Step 2: Combine butter, sugars, and pumpkin
Add the melted, slightly cooled butter to a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the brown sugar and granulated sugar until the mixture looks smooth and glossy. Add the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract, then whisk until the mixture looks uniform and creamy.
Step 3: Bring the dough together
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula until the flour just disappears and no dry pockets remain. Fold in the chocolate chips and nuts if you use them, and scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl so everything mixes evenly.
Step 4: Portion the cookie dough
Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Scoop heaping tablespoon portions of dough and place them on the sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. Gently flatten the tops with your fingers or the back of the scoop, since these cookies do not spread much.
Step 5: Bake the cookies
Heat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Once hot, place one baking sheet in the center of the oven. Bake 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges look set and the tops look dry and slightly puffed.
Step 6: Cool and finish
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and set it on a cooling rack. Press a few extra chocolate chips into the tops while the cookies still feel warm, and sprinkle a tiny pinch of flaky salt if you like that sweet-salty contrast. Let the cookies cool on the sheet for 5 to 10 minutes, then move them to the rack to cool completely.
What to Serve with Classic Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
These cookies taste amazing with a cold glass of milk or a mug of hot chocolate. Kids love them in lunchboxes, and they pack well for school events or office treats. You can serve them on a dessert platter with sliced apples, caramel dip, and a batch of snickerdoodles. They also pair nicely with a simple cup of coffee or hot tea for an afternoon snack.
Storage Options
- Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.
- Keep them in the fridge for up to 1 week if your kitchen stays warm and you want them to last longer.
- Freeze baked cookies in a freezer bag with the air pressed out for up to 2 months.
- Freeze unbaked dough balls on a tray, then move them to a freezer bag and bake from frozen at 350°F, adding 1 to 2 extra minutes.
- Warm leftover cookies in the microwave for 8 to 10 seconds or in a 300°F oven for 4 to 5 minutes for that fresh-baked texture.
Classic Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and salt until the spices are evenly distributed. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the melted, slightly cooled butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth and glossy.
- Add the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture and whisk until the mixture looks uniform and creamy.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir gently with a spatula just until no dry streaks of flour remain, taking care not to overmix.
- Fold in the chocolate chips and nuts, if using, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl so everything is evenly combined. If the dough seems very sticky, chill for 20 to 30 minutes to firm slightly.
- Scoop heaping tablespoon portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. Gently flatten the tops with your fingers or the back of the scoop, as the cookies will not spread much while baking.
- Bake one sheet at a time in the center of the oven for 11 to 13 minutes, or until the edges look set and the tops appear dry and slightly puffed while the centers are still soft.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and place it on a cooling rack. Immediately press a few extra chocolate chips into the tops of the warm cookies and sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt if desired.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes to firm up, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before serving or storing.
Notes
Approximate per cookie (1 of 24): 150 calories; fat 7 g; saturated fat 4 g; carbohydrates 21 g; fiber 1 g; sugars 13 g; protein 2 g; sodium 95 mg. Values will vary based on exact ingredients, chocolate and nut choices, and portion size.