Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies – Soft, Chewy & Filled With Warm Fall Flavor

🎉 Introduction

These Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies are the ultimate fall treat — soft, chewy, warmly spiced, and bursting with melty chocolate chips. Unlike cakey pumpkin cookies, this recipe gives you a perfectly tender, rich cookie with real chew thanks to a few key techniques that keep excess moisture in check.

Every bite tastes like autumn: cozy pumpkin, cinnamon, vanilla, and smooth chocolate. They’re perfect for fall baking, Thanksgiving dessert boards, holiday gifting, or any time you crave a seasonal cookie that feels like a warm sweater in cookie form.

🧰 Equipment Needed

• Mixing bowls
• Whisk or electric mixer
• Rubber spatula
• Cookie scoop
• Baking sheets
• Parchment paper
• Cooling rack

🛒 Ingredients

• ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ginger (optional)
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Optional: ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts

👩‍🍳 Directions

Step 1: Prepare the Dough Base

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
Line baking sheets with parchment.

In a mixing bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for 2 minutes until creamy.

Mix in vanilla extract.

Step 2: Remove Moisture from Pumpkin (Key Step!)

Spread the pumpkin purée on a paper towel.
Gently blot for 10–15 seconds to remove excess moisture.
This prevents cakey cookies.

Mix the blotted pumpkin into the butter mixture.

Step 3: Add Dry Ingredients

In another bowl, whisk:

• flour
• baking soda
• salt
• cinnamon
• nutmeg
• ginger (if using)

Add to the wet ingredients and mix until a soft dough forms.

Fold in chocolate chips (and nuts if using).

Chill dough 20–30 minutes to keep cookies thick and chewy.

Step 4: Scoop & Bake

Scoop dough into 1½ tablespoon balls.
Place 2 inches apart on baking sheets.

Bake 10–12 minutes, until edges are set and centers look slightly soft.

Let cool on sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

🍽️ Servings & Timing

• Yield: 18–22 cookies
• Prep Time: 10 minutes
• Chill Time: 20 minutes
• Bake Time: 10–12 minutes
• Total Time: ~40 minutes

🧊 Storage & Reheating

Room Temperature: 3–4 days
Refrigerator: Up to 1 week
Freeze Dough Balls: 2 months
Freeze Baked Cookies: 1 month

Warm in the microwave for 6–8 seconds for fresh-baked softness.

🥄 Variations

1. Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Cookies – Swap chips for white chocolate.
2. Salted Dark Chocolate Version – Use dark chocolate + flaky sea salt.
3. Pumpkin S’mores Cookies – Add mini marshmallows + chocolate chunks.
4. Pecan Pumpkin Cookies – Add toasted pecans.
5. Pumpkin Espresso Cookies – Add ½ teaspoon espresso powder.
6. Extra Spiced: Increase cinnamon and nutmeg.
7. Pumpkin Oatmeal: Replace ½ cup flour with oats.
8. Chocolate Drizzle: Top with melted dark chocolate.
9. Chewy Maple Pumpkin: Add 1 tablespoon maple syrup.
10. Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 GF flour blend.

❓ 10 FAQs

1. Why blot the pumpkin?
   To remove moisture so cookies stay chewy, not cakey.
2. Can I use pumpkin pie filling?
   No — use pure pumpkin only.
3. Can I make these without chilling?
   They’ll spread more and be thinner.
4. Can I substitute butter with oil?
   Not recommended — butter gives the best texture.
5. Why are my cookies cakey?
   Too much pumpkin or overmixing.
6. Can I freeze the dough?
   Yes — freeze pre-scooped dough balls.
7. Can I make them extra soft?
   Slightly underbake and cool on the tray.
8. Can I add nuts?
   Yes — pecans or walnuts pair beautifully.
9. How do I get thicker cookies?
   Chill longer and use blotted pumpkin.
10. Can I double the recipe?
    Absolutely — great for fall baking batches.

🏁 Conclusion

These Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies are a fall must-bake: soft, chewy, warmly spiced, and loaded with melty chocolate chips. They’re cozy, comforting, and bursting with seasonal flavor in every bite.

With the perfect texture — neither cakey nor dry — and irresistible chocolate-pumpkin goodness, these cookies will quickly become your go-to autumn treat for gatherings, gifting, or simply enjoying with a cup of coffee on a crisp fall day.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies – Soft, Chewy & Filled With Warm Fall Flavor

These Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies are the ultimate fall treat — soft, chewy, warmly spiced, and bursting with melty chocolate chips. Unlike cakey pumpkin cookies, this recipe gives you a perfectly tender, rich cookie with real chew thanks to a few key techniques that keep excess moisture in check. Every bite tastes like autumn: cozy pumpkin, cinnamon, vanilla, and smooth chocolate. They’re perfect for fall baking, Thanksgiving dessert boards, holiday gifting, or any time you crave a seasonal cookie that feels like a warm sweater in cookie form.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Servings: 20 Cookies

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

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Ingredients

  

• ½ cup 113 g unsalted butter, softened
• ½ cup brown sugar
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup pumpkin purée not pumpkin pie filling
• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon ginger optional
• 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
• Optional: ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts

Get Our Best App for Daily Great Recipes 🍽️

Discover warm, delicious, home-style meals — fresh recipes added every day inside Jacky’s Kitchen.

Coming Soon

Equipment

• Mixing bowls
• Whisk or electric mixer
• Rubber spatula
• Cookie scoop
• Baking sheets
• Parchment paper
• Cooling rack

Method

 

Step 1: Prepare the Dough Base

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Line baking sheets with parchment.
3. In a mixing bowl, cream the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar for 2 minutes until creamy.
4. Mix in vanilla extract.

Step 2: Remove Moisture from Pumpkin (Key Step!)

1. Spread the pumpkin purée on a paper towel.
2. Gently blot for 10–15 seconds to remove excess moisture.
3. This prevents cakey cookies.
4. Mix the blotted pumpkin into the butter mixture.

Step 3: Add Dry Ingredients

1. In another bowl, whisk:
2. flour
3. baking soda
4. salt
5. cinnamon
6. nutmeg
7. ginger (if using)
8. Add to the wet ingredients and mix until a soft dough forms.
9. Fold in chocolate chips (and nuts if using).
10. Chill dough 20–30 minutes to keep cookies thick and chewy.

Step 4: Scoop & Bake

1. Scoop dough into 1½ tablespoon balls.
2. Place 2 inches apart on baking sheets.
3. Bake 10–12 minutes, until edges are set and centers look slightly soft.
4. Let cool on sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.

Notes

🧊 Storage & Reheating

Room Temperature: 3–4 days
Refrigerator: Up to 1 week
Freeze Dough Balls: 2 months
Freeze Baked Cookies: 1 month

Warm in the microwave for 6–8 seconds for fresh-baked softness.

🥄 Variations

Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Cookies – Swap chips for white chocolate.

Salted Dark Chocolate Version – Use dark chocolate + flaky sea salt.

Pumpkin S’mores Cookies – Add mini marshmallows + chocolate chunks.

Pecan Pumpkin Cookies – Add toasted pecans.

Pumpkin Espresso Cookies – Add ½ teaspoon espresso powder.

Extra Spiced: Increase cinnamon and nutmeg.

Pumpkin Oatmeal: Replace ½ cup flour with oats.

Chocolate Drizzle: Top with melted dark chocolate.

Chewy Maple Pumpkin: Add 1 tablespoon maple syrup.

Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 GF flour blend.

❓ 10 FAQs

Why blot the pumpkin?
To remove moisture so cookies stay chewy, not cakey.

Can I use pumpkin pie filling?
No — use pure pumpkin only.

Can I make these without chilling?
They’ll spread more and be thinner.

Can I substitute butter with oil?
Not recommended — butter gives the best texture.

Why are my cookies cakey?
Too much pumpkin or overmixing.

Can I freeze the dough?
Yes — freeze pre-scooped dough balls.

Can I make them extra soft?
Slightly underbake and cool on the tray.

Can I add nuts?
Yes — pecans or walnuts pair beautifully.

How do I get thicker cookies?
Chill longer and use blotted pumpkin.

Can I double the recipe?
Absolutely — great for fall baking batches.

🏁 Conclusion

These Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies are a fall must-bake: soft, chewy, warmly spiced, and loaded with melty chocolate chips. They’re cozy, comforting, and bursting with seasonal flavor in every bite.

With the perfect texture — neither cakey nor dry — and irresistible chocolate-pumpkin goodness, these cookies will quickly become your go-to autumn treat for gatherings, gifting, or simply enjoying with a cup of coffee on a crisp fall day.