Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are soft and chewy pumpkin cookies filled with nutty brown butter, cozy warming spices and lots of melty chocolate chips. These chocolate chip pumpkin cookies are easy to make and have a quick chill time. Make these chewy pumpkin chocolate cookies whenever you want a classic cookie with the perfect flavor twist for fall.
Jump to:
Why Should You Make This Recipe
There are few things I love more than a soft, chewy and cozy chocolate chip cookie with a fun flavor twist. My Cream Cheese Chocolate Chip Cookies, Chocolate Chip Pecan Cookies, Caramel Chocolate Chip Cookies and Biscoff Butter Cookies are just a few chocolate chip cookie recipes I love from the blog. I am so excited to add these chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. They may just be my new favorite cookie!
- Layers of flavors and textures. From the soft and chewy pumpkin cookie dough filled with nutty brown butter and warm spices to the pockets of melty chocolate chips, these pumpkin cookies with chocolate chips are a flavorful delight for fall.
- Easy to make. These chocolate chip pumpkin cookies can be made in 2 bowls using a whisk and spoon or flexible spatula. Simply make and cool the brown butter, mix the dough, chill while the oven preheats, scoop, bake and enjoy.
Ingredients
This recipe for pumpkin chocolate chip cookies requires only a handful of simple ingredients to make and you probably already have them in your pantry and fridge. Here’s what you’ll need.
- Dry Ingredients: Gather all purpose flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt.
- Wet Ingredients: Gather unsalted butter, light brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg yolks, vanilla extract and semi sweet chocolate chips.
Substitutions
These chewy chocolate chip cookies with pumpkin are as easy to make as they are delicious. Here are my recommended substitutions to make these chewy cookies with chocolate and pumpkin if you need them.
- All purpose flour: Make these cookies, gluten free by using a good 1-1 gluten free flour. I recommend using the one from Bob’s Red Mill. Measure based off weight (240 g) rather than cup for cup.
- Baking Soda: The final texture will be more fluffy and cake like than chewy, but it is possible to use a double acting baking powder in place of the baking soda. Use 2 teaspoons baking powder in place of the baking soda.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: Feel free to use your preferred pumpkin pie spice or mix ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon and ginger with ¼ teaspoon all spice or cloves and ¼ nutmeg until well combined. Use in place of the pumpkin spice in these pumpkin chocolate cookies.
- Granulated Sugar and Light Brown Sugar: Maple sugar would also work well to make these cookies with soft pumpkin and chocolate chip cookies refined sugar free.
- Brown Butter: Vegan butter or plant based can also be used in place of regular unsalted butter. The best option to brown a plant based butter is to use Miyokos Plant Butter.
- Egg Yolks: This recipe has not been tested without egg yolks. The yolks give these cookies a richness and chewiness.
- Vanilla Extract: This is more for background flavor and nicely enhances the flavors of the other ingredients.
- Canned Pumpkin Puree: Make sure to use canned pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling.
- Chocolate Chips: Feel free to use any combination (or just one) kind of chocolate chips or bars. Dark chocolate chips would be really delicious.
Variation
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies with Melted Butter: If you prefer to skip browning the butter, use ¾ cup (185 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled in the fridge for about 15 minutes.
How To Make
Learn how to make pumpkin chocolate chip cookies in a few easy steps.
- In a sauce pan or pot, melt the butter on low heat until the butter to begins to foam. Once it starts to foam, whisk or stir the liquid butter frequently. Once the foam has subsided, the butter should have some brown, lightly toasted bits floating at the bottom. Pour the brown butter in a heat safe bowl to cool for about 15 - 20 minutes to room temperature. Then transfer the browned butter to the fridge for an additional 15 minutes.
- Place a layer of paper towels on a large mesh strainer or on a large plate. Spread a full 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree on the paper towels. Top with another layer of paper towels. After 5 minutes, gather the paper towels and squeeze as much of the liquid as possible from the pumpkin puree. Repeat 1 - 2 more times as needed. There should be about ½ cup (130 g) pumpkin puree left.
- In a mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt until well combined.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the cooled browned butter, sugar and light brown sugar until well combined. Whisk in the egg yolks and vanilla extract and pumpkin puree until smooth and well combined. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Gently fold in the chocolate chips until well combined. Cover the cookie dough and transfer to the fridge to chill for 30 - 60 minutes while the oven preheats.
5. Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C) for about 20 - 30 minutes before baking the cookies. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a medium cookie scoop (2 tablespoons, 30 ml), scoop the cookie dough into balls and place them onto the lined baking sheet about 3 inches apart. Bake for 9 -11 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are set and are a light golden brown. Cool the chewy chocolate chip pumpkin spiced cookies on the baking sheet for 10 minutes.
How To Store, Make Ahead, Freeze and Thaw
- Make Ahead: Prepare the pumpkin chocolate chip dough to the chilling step. Store the cookie dough covered in the fridge for 2 - 3 days. For longer cookie dough storage, transfer to the freezer.
- Store: Place the baked chocolate chips and chewy pumpkin cookies in an airtight container. Store at room temperature for up to one week. Cookies taste best when enjoyed within the first 2 - 3 days.
- Freeze Baked Cookies: Make sure the chewy chocolate chip pumpkin cookies are completely cooled to room temperature. Individually wrap each cookie in plastic wrap and place in a ziplock bag. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Freeze Cookie Dough: Scoop the cookie dough into balls and place on a lined baking sheet or large plate. Flash freeze in the freezer for 20 minutes. Remove the cookie dough balls and transfer to an air tight, freezer safe container for up to 2 months.
- Thaw: Transfer the pumpkin with chocolate chips cookies to room temperature until thawed. Warm the thawed cookies in the microwave for 15 - 20 seconds for a “fresh from the oven” taste.
M’s Expert Tips
- Allow extra time to brown and cool the butter. Browning the butter makes these the best pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. With that said, browning butter takes about 15 minutes and another 30 - 40 minutes total to cool the butter to warm and then to chill in the fridge.
- Use room temperature butter for more cake like cookies. If you prefer more soft, fluffy and cake like cookies, use cool room temperature butter instead of melted butter. Cream the butter and sugars on medium speed for 2 - 3 minutes. Follow the rest of the recipe as written.
- Remove excess water from the pumpkin puree. To keep these cookies chewy and not overly cakey, it is important to remove as much of the water from the pumpkin puree as possible.
- Measure the flour properly. I highly recommend using a food scale to get perfectly measured ingredients every time.
- Don’t overmix the batter. Always use the lowest speed on your electric mixer or mix in the dry ingredients by hand. Make sure to mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined.
- Slightly under-bake the cookies. For pumpkin cookies that are soft and chewy for days, the secret is to bake them until the edges are set and lightly golden brown. The centers may look slightly underbaked, but should be puffed in the center.
- Give your cookies a “cookie scoot.” Within the first minute of removing the cookies from the oven, use a large biscuit cutter (wider than the cookies) to help shape any cookies back into a more round shape. Place the cutter over the cookies so the edges of the cookie are inside the cookie/ biscuit cutter. In a circular motion, gently nudge the edges back into a round shape.
FAQs
This can happen when too much flour is used or if too much liquid is left in the pumpkin puree. Make sure to measure the flour for the most accurate results. The pumpkin puree should reduce down to measure ½ cup after the excess water has been removed.
This can happen if the butter was too warm when mixed into the sugars. Make sure to cool the butter at room temperature for 20 - 30 minutes and then chill in the fridge for another 15 - 20 minutes before using in the recipe.
I find that a medium cookie scoop, with about 2 tablespoons of cookie dough makes the perfect cookie. However, you can make a small (1 tablespoon) cookie if you like. Bake this size cookie for 7 - 9 minutes. For a larger cookie, use a large cookie scoop (3 tablespoons, 45 ml) and bake for 13 - 15 minutes.
Other Pumpkin Cookie Recipes to Try
If you try this Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! - M
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Equipment
- 1 small pot or sauce pan (for browning butter)
- 1 whisk and flexible spatula or spoon
- 1 medium (2 tablespoon, 30 ml) cookie scoop optional
- 2 baking sheets
- 2 sheets parchment paper
Ingredients
- 1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
- 15 oz. canned pumpkin
- 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¾ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1¼ cup (250 g) light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (170 g) chocolate chips, plus more for topping
Instructions
- In a sauce pan or pot, melt the butter on low heat until the butter to begins to foam. The butter will begin to smell nutty and very fragrant. Once it starts to foam, whisk or stir the liquid butter frequently. Once the foam has subsided, the butter should have some brown, lightly toasted bits floating at the bottom. Pour the brown butter in a heat safe bowl to cool for about 15 - 20 minutes to room temperature. Then transfer the browned butter to the fridge for an additional 15 minutes.1 cup (226 g) unsalted butter
- Place a layer of paper towels on a large mesh strainer or on a large plate. Spread a full 15 oz. can of pumpkin puree on the paper towels. Top with another layer of paper towels. After 5 minutes, gather the paper towels and squeeze as much of the liquid as possible from the pumpkin puree. Repeat 1 - 2 more times as needed. There should be about ½ cup (130 g) pumpkin puree left.15 oz. canned pumpkin
- In a mixing bowl whisk together the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt until well combined.2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, ¾ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the cooled browned butter, sugar and light brown sugar until well combined. Whisk in the egg yolks and vanilla extract and pumpkin puree until smooth and well combined. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Gently fold in the chocolate chips until well combined.1¼ cup (250 g) light brown sugar, ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar, 2 large egg yolks, room temperature, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract , 1 cup (170 g) chocolate chips, plus more for topping
- Cover the cookie dough and transfer to the fridge to chill for 30 - 60 minutes while the oven preheats.Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C) for about 30 minutes before baking the cookies. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a medium cookie scoop (2 tablespoons, 30 ml), scoop the cookie dough into balls and place them onto the lined baking sheet about 3 inches apart. Top with more chocolate chips.
- Bake at 375 F (190 C) for 9 -11 minutes or until the edges of the cookies are set and are a light golden brown. The center of the cookies will be slightly puffed up. Reshape any cookies using a biscuit or cookie cutter slightly wider than the cookie. In a circular motion, gently nudge the edges back into a round shape.
- Cool the chewy chocolate chip pumpkin spiced cookies on the baking sheet for 10 minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely to room temperature and enjoy.
Erika says
Can I make the cookie dough one day in advance and bake the next day?
Megan says
Hi Erika, you can make the cookie dough in advance and bake the next day. Just make sure to let the cookie dough sit out at room temperature for about 15 - 20 minutes before baking (while the oven preheats). Please let me know how they turn out for you!