Soft Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Irresistible Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Autumn’s golden light sets the perfect backdrop for these irresistible chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies that dance with warm spices and rich flavor.

The kitchen fills with an enchanting aroma as these delectable treats emerge from the oven, promising pure comfort in every bite.

Soft, tender, and packed with seasonal charm, these cookies blend classic pumpkin sweetness with decadent chocolate morsels.

Each cookie offers a delightful balance of textures that melts in your mouth and sparks joy with every nibble.

The recipe celebrates the essence of fall, combining simple ingredients into a nostalgic dessert that feels like a warm embrace.

Generations of bakers have perfected this classic autumn indulgence, and now you can craft these magical cookies in your own kitchen.

Grab your mixing bowl and let the baking adventure begin—these cookies are about to become your new fall favorite.

Quick Recipe Overview

Prep Time: 20 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes

Calories: 180 kcal

Servings: 22

Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Ingredients

For Fats and Sweeteners:
  • Unsalted Butter: Browned butter provides a rich, nutty depth that elevates the cookie's flavor profile, enhancing the overall complexity of the dessert.
  • Brown Sugar, Granulated Sugar: These sweeteners create a perfect moisture balance and contribute to the chewy texture and caramel-like undertones.
For Binding and Moisture:
  • Egg Yolks: Provide structure, richness, and contribute to the cookie's soft, tender crumb.
  • Pumpkin Puree: Adds moisture, subtle earthy sweetness, and creates a unique texture while reducing fat content.
  • Vanilla Extract: Amplifies the warmth of spices and rounds out the flavor complexity.
For Dry Ingredients and Add-Ins:
  • All-Purpose Flour: Creates the cookie's foundational structure and ensures a perfect chewy consistency.
  • Pumpkin Spice: Brings warming autumnal notes and complements the pumpkin's natural flavor.
  • Baking Soda: Helps the cookies rise and spread evenly, creating a light, tender texture.
  • Sea Salt: Balances sweetness and intensifies the overall flavor profile.
  • Chocolate Chips: Introduces pockets of melty richness and provides delightful textural contrast.

Kitchen Tools to Bake Chewy Pumpkin Cookies

  • Large stainless steel pan: Perfect for browning butter evenly without burning.
  • Glass measuring bowl: Ideal for cooling and monitoring browned butter temperature.
  • Paper towels: Essential for removing excess moisture from pumpkin puree.
  • Whisk: Great for mixing butter, sugars, and combining wet ingredients smoothly.
  • 3-tablespoon cookie scoop: Ensures consistent cookie size and easy portioning.
  • Baking trays: Lined with parchment paper for easy cookie removal.
  • Wire rack: Helps cookies cool completely without getting soggy.
  • Large round cookie cutter (optional): Creates perfectly circular cookie edges.

How to Make Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • Butter Browning Preparation

Create a rich, nutty base by carefully melting butter in a stainless steel pan. Watch for foaming and crackling, stirring to prevent burning. Once brown bits form and a delightful aroma emerges, transfer to a bowl and chill until cool and liquid.

  • Pumpkin Moisture Removal

Spread pumpkin puree on a plate, using paper towels to gently press out excess liquid. Continue dabbing until puree feels dry and compact.

  • Sweet Base Mixing

Combine cooled browned butter with sugars, whisking vigorously for one minute until the mixture resembles damp sand. Add egg yolks, vanilla, and dried pumpkin puree, blending thoroughly.

  • Dry Ingredient Integration

Softly fold flour, pumpkin spice, baking soda, sea salt, and chocolate chips into the wet mixture until just combined.

  • Cookie Shaping

Scoop dough using a cookie scoop, rolling each portion between palms. Arrange on prepared baking trays, leaving space between each cookie. Optional: Press extra chocolate chunks on top for dramatic melting effect.

  • Baking Magic

Bake one tray at a time in a preheated oven. Look for golden brown edges and slightly underbaked centers. Use a cookie cutter to shape edges if desired.

  • Cooling and Storage

Allow cookies to cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for several days, or freeze dough for future baking adventures.

  • Enhance the cookie's depth of flavor by carefully browning butter, which creates a rich, nutty undertone that elevates the entire recipe.
  • Pat the pumpkin puree thoroughly with paper towels to remove excess liquid, ensuring your cookies maintain a perfectly chewy texture without becoming soggy.
  • Customize your cookies by pressing extra chocolate chunks on top before baking for dramatic pools of melted chocolate and a more indulgent appearance.
  • Prepare cookie dough balls in advance and refrigerate or freeze them, allowing you to enjoy fresh-baked cookies whenever a craving strikes without full preparation time.
  • Use a large round cookie cutter immediately after baking to reshape edges, creating picture-perfect circular cookies with professional-looking symmetry and crisp borders.

Serving Ideas for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

  • Cozy Autumn Dessert Plate: Serve these cookies alongside a warm mug of spiced apple cider or pumpkin latte for a quintessential fall treat that warms the soul.
  • Decadent Ice Cream Sandwich: Create an indulgent dessert by sandwiching a scoop of vanilla bean or cinnamon ice cream between two cooled pumpkin chocolate chip cookies for a creamy, rich experience.
  • Gifting Charm: Package these cookies in a cute mason jar or vintage tin with a autumn-themed ribbon, making them a perfect homemade gift for friends, teachers, or neighbors during the holiday season.
  • Party Platter Perfection: Arrange the cookies on a rustic wooden board with some whole chocolate chunks, cinnamon sticks, and small decorative pumpkins for an Instagram-worthy dessert display that will impress guests at fall gatherings.

Storage Tips for Chewy Cookies

  • Cookie Fridge Strategy: Store these delectable treats in an airtight container, layering between parchment paper to prevent sticking and maintain maximum chewiness.
  • Freezer Friend Technique: Wrap unbaked cookie dough balls tightly in plastic wrap, then place in a freezer-safe bag. These can rest comfortably frozen for up to 3 months, ready for spontaneous baking adventures.
  • Room Temperature Magic: Keep baked cookies at ambient temperature for 2-3 days, ensuring they remain soft and irresistible. A small slice of bread in the container helps retain moisture and freshness.
  • Make-Ahead Brilliance: Prepare cookie dough up to 48 hours before baking, storing it covered in the refrigerator. This resting period allows flavors to develop, creating even more depth in your pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.
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Soft Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Soft Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe


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4.9 from 34 reviews

  • Total Time: 1 hour 30 minutes
  • Yield: 22 1x

Description

Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies deliver autumn’s warmest comfort in one delectable bite. Spiced dough studded with rich chocolate creates a perfect seasonal treat you’ll crave again and again.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup (227 g / 8 oz) cold unsalted butter
  • 1 cup (240 ml / 8 fl oz) finely chopped chocolate bar or chocolate chips
  • ⅔ cup (160 ml / 5.4 fl oz) Libby’s pumpkin puree, room temperature
  • ½ cup (100 g / 3.5 oz) granulated sugar
  • ½ cup (110 g / 3.9 oz) light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
  • 2 tsps vanilla extract
  • 1⅔ cup + 1 tbsp (220 g / 7.8 oz) all-purpose flour
  • tsps pumpkin spice
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • ½ tsp fine sea salt

Instructions

  1. Caramelize Butter: Melt butter in a stainless steel pan, swirling until it turns golden-brown with rich, nutty notes. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until cool and liquid.
  2. Prepare Pumpkin: Drain excess moisture from pumpkin puree using paper towels, pressing gently to achieve a drier consistency.
  3. Create Dough Base: Whisk cooled browned butter with sugars for one minute until texture resembles damp sand. Mix in egg yolks, vanilla, and pumpkin puree until smooth.
  4. Combine Dry Ingredients: Fold flour, pumpkin spice, baking soda, sea salt, and chocolate chips into the wet mixture, minimizing stirring to preserve tender crumb.
  5. Shape Cookies: Scoop dough using a 3-tablespoon measure, rolling into uniform balls. Place on parchment-lined baking sheets with ample spacing. Optional: Garnish with extra chocolate chunks.
  6. Bake to Perfection: Preheat oven to 350°F. Bake cookies 9-13 minutes, targeting golden-brown edges with slightly soft centers. Use a cookie cutter to refine circular shape if desired.
  7. Cooling and Storage: Let cookies cool completely on a wire rack. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. For longer preservation, refrigerate or freeze dough balls, thawing before baking.

Notes

  • Optimize Moisture Control: Carefully remove excess liquid from pumpkin puree using paper towels to prevent soggy cookies and ensure a perfect chewy texture.
  • Master Brown Butter Technique: Watch butter carefully while browning, swirling occasionally to develop rich, nutty flavors without burning, which elevates the cookie’s depth.
  • Strategic Chocolate Distribution: Add extra chocolate chunks on top of each dough ball to create intense chocolate pockets and improve visual appeal.
  • Precision Cooling Method: Allow cookies to cool completely on a wire rack to maintain their chewy structure and prevent them from becoming overly crisp or falling apart.
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Category: Desserts, Snacks
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 22
  • Calories: 180
  • Sugar: 10 g
  • Sodium: 90 mg
  • Fat: 9 g
  • Saturated Fat: 5 g
  • Unsaturated Fat: 4 g
  • Trans Fat: 0 g
  • Carbohydrates: 23 g
  • Fiber: 1 g
  • Protein: 2 g
  • Cholesterol: 35 mg
Sophie Martin

Sophie Martin

Co-Founder & Content Creator

Expertise

  • Nutrition and Healthy Eating
  • Creating Balanced Recipes
  • Meal Planning
  • Food Safety
  • Teaching About Nutrition

Education

Stellenbosch University, South Africa

  • Degree: Bachelor of Science in Human Nutrition
  • Focus: Studying how food affects health, learning about balanced diets, and understanding the nutritional needs of different people.

South African Chefs Academy, Cape Town

  • Program: Professional Culinary Arts Diploma
  • Focus: Practical cooking skills, focusing on healthy meal preparation and understanding various cooking methods.

Sophie Martin is the nutrition brain and feel-good foodie at Good Tasting Meals. With a degree in Human Nutrition from Stellenbosch University and chef training from the South African Chefs Academy, Sophie brings balance to the table, literally. She loves creating meals that are easy to make, great to eat, and good for your body too.

Her recipes are made for everyday living, with a little flair and a lot of heart. Sophie’s not here to count calories, she’s here to show you how fresh, simple food can fit into your life, taste amazing, and still be nourishing.

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