Name: Soft & Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Prep time: 45 min
Cook time: 12 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 24 cookies
Ingredients: 1 cup cold unsalted butter; 2/3 cup Libby's Pumpkin Puree, room temperature; 1/2 cup granulated sugar; 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed; 2 large egg yolks, room temperature; 2 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1 2/3 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour; 2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin spice; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt; 1 cup finely chopped chocolate bar or chocolate chips

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies are more than just a seasonal treat; they are a delightful symphony of autumn’s finest flavors and the timeless comfort of a classic cookie. Imagine a perfectly soft, chewy cookie, infused with the warm, inviting spices of pumpkin pie, and generously studded with rich, melty chocolate chips. It’s a combination that captures the very essence of cozy fall evenings and festive gatherings. While the classic chocolate chip cookie has graced American tables for generations, a beloved staple in countless homes, the clever addition of pumpkin elevates it into a seasonal masterpiece, offering a unique moisture and subtle, earthy spice that makes each bite utterly irresistible.

Why These Cookies Are Unforgettable

People simply adore these cookies for their incredible tender texture, the harmonious blend of wholesome pumpkin and intensely sweet chocolate, and the sheer convenience of whipping up a batch to fill your home with an intoxicating aroma. There’s a certain magic in baking these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, transforming simple ingredients into pure joy, perfect for sharing with loved ones or savoring all by yourself. They truly embody the warmth and spirit of the season in every delightful mouthful, bringing a smile to anyone who tries them.

Ingredients:

For the Dry Ingredients:
- 2 ½ cups (300g) all-purpose flour. I always prefer to weigh my flour for precision in baking; it really makes a difference in the final texture of your Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.
- 2 teaspoons baking powder. This will give our cookies a lovely lift.
- 1 teaspoon baking soda. Working with the acidity of the pumpkin, this helps with spread and tenderness.
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon. Essential for that warm, autumnal flavor.
- 1 teaspoon ground ginger. Adds a subtle, zesty kick that complements the pumpkin beautifully.
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg. Another classic spice that pairs wonderfully with pumpkin.
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves. Just a hint to deepen the spice profile without overpowering.
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt. A touch of salt is vital to balance the sweetness and enhance all the other flavors.
For the Wet Ingredients:
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature. This is crucial for proper creaming.
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar. For sweetness and a touch of crispness on the edges.
- 1 cup (200g) packed light brown sugar. This contributes to the chewiness and depth of flavor in our Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.
- 1 large egg, also at room temperature. Room temperature eggs emulsify better with the other wet ingredients.
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract. Don’t skimp on good vanilla; it makes everything taste better!
- 1 cup (240g) pumpkin puree. Make sure it’s 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which has added spices and sugar. I often make my own, but canned works perfectly fine!

For the Mix-Ins:
- 1 ½ cups (255g) semi-sweet chocolate chips. You can use milk chocolate, dark chocolate, or even a mix if you prefer. I love the classic semi-sweet in these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Preparing Our Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Whisk Our Dry Ingredients: In a medium-sized bowl, let’s combine all of our dry ingredients: the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves, and fine sea salt. I like to use a whisk and really get in there, mixing them together thoroughly for about 30 seconds. This step is more important than you might think, as it ensures that our leavening agents and spices are evenly distributed throughout the dough. Nobody wants a cookie with a concentrated pocket of baking soda, right? Setting this aside for a moment.
Creaming Butter and Sugars: Now, for the heart of our cookie dough! In a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, we’re going to cream together our softened unsalted butter with both the granulated sugar and the light brown sugar. I typically use my electric mixer for this on medium speed. You’ll want to beat this mixture for a good 2 to 3 minutes, perhaps even 4, until it transforms into a light, fluffy, and noticeably pale yellow consistency. This creaming process is absolutely crucial because it incorporates air into the butter and sugar, creating tiny air pockets that will expand during baking, contributing significantly to the soft and chewy texture of our Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. Don’t forget to pause and scrape down the sides of the bowl once or twice to make sure everything is evenly combined.
Adding the Wet Goodness: Once your butter and sugars are beautifully creamed, it’s time to introduce our remaining wet ingredients. Add the room temperature large egg and the pure vanilla extract to the creamed mixture. Continue to beat on medium speed for another minute, until these are fully incorporated. The mixture might look a little curdled at first, but keep going, it will come together. Next, add the star of the show: the pure pumpkin puree. This is where the magic really begins for our Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies! Mix on low speed, just until the pumpkin is fully combined. Be careful not to overmix here; we just want everything homogenous and smooth. The mixture will be wonderfully moist and a gorgeous orange hue.

Combining Wet and Dry: Now for the delicate dance of bringing it all together. With your mixer on the lowest speed, or even by hand if you prefer a gentler approach, gradually add your whisked dry ingredients to the wet mixture. I usually add it in two or three batches, allowing each addition to just barely combine before adding the next. The key here is to mix only until the flour streaks have just disappeared. Overmixing the dough is the enemy of tender cookies! Overworking the gluten in the flour can lead to tough, dense cookies, and we’re aiming for soft, pillowy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, aren’t we? Once you see no more dry streaks, stop mixing immediately.
Folding in the Chocolate Chips: Finally, it’s time for the delicious chocolate chips! Gently fold them into the dough using a sturdy spatula. I like to make sure they are evenly distributed throughout the dough so every bite of our Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies is packed with chocolatey goodness. You can be quite generous here; after all, what’s a chocolate chip cookie without plenty of chips?
Chilling (Optional, but Recommended!): If you have the time and patience, I highly recommend chilling your cookie dough for at least 30 minutes, or even up to 24 hours. This step helps the flavors meld, the flour to fully hydrate, and prevents the cookies from spreading too much during baking, resulting in a thicker, chewier cookie. If you’re in a hurry, you can skip this, but for the absolute best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, a little chill time goes a long way. If chilling for longer, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap.

Baking Those Perfect Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Preheating Our Oven and Preparing Baking Sheets: About 15-20 minutes before you’re ready to bake, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). While the oven heats up, line a couple of large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This step is really important to prevent sticking and ensures even baking, plus it makes for super easy cleanup! I always bake one tray at a time for optimal results.
Scooping the Dough: Now for the fun part – forming our cookies! Using a medium cookie scoop (about 1.5 to 2 tablespoons) or two spoons, drop rounded balls of cookie dough onto your prepared baking sheets. Make sure to leave about 2 inches of space between each cookie, as they will spread a bit. I typically fit about 12 cookies on a standard baking sheet. If your dough was chilled, it might be a bit firmer, which is great, as it helps maintain the cookie’s shape during baking.

Baking to Golden Perfection: Place one baking sheet into your preheated oven. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Now, baking times can vary slightly depending on your oven, so keep a close eye on them. You’ll know they’re ready when the edges are set and lightly golden brown, but the centers still look wonderfully soft and slightly underbaked. Resist the urge to overbake these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies! Overbaking is the quickest way to end up with dry, crumbly cookies, and we want them moist and chewy. The residual heat from the baking sheet will continue to cook them slightly as they cool.
Cooling Our Cookies: Once you pull them from the oven, let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes. They’ll be quite delicate right out of the oven, and this short cooling period allows them to set up a bit. After 5 minutes, carefully transfer the warm Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. This allows air to circulate around them, preventing the bottoms from getting soggy. It’s often hard to wait, but allowing them to cool fully allows the flavors to deepen and the texture to firm up perfectly.
Repeat and Enjoy: Continue with the remaining dough, baking in batches. Once all the cookies are baked and cooled, it’s time to enjoy the fruits of your labor! These Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies are absolutely irresistible, especially when they’re still slightly warm.

Tips for the Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Ingredient Temperature Matters!

I can’t stress this enough: make sure your butter and egg are at room temperature. This isn’t just a suggestion; it’s a critical step for proper emulsification and aeration. Room temperature butter creams beautifully with sugar, creating those essential air pockets, while a cold egg won’t incorporate as smoothly, leading to a potentially lumpy batter and a less uniform cookie texture. Plan ahead and take them out of the fridge at least 30-60 minutes before you start.

Pumpkin Puree vs. Pumpkin Pie Filling

This is a common mistake that can completely change your Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. Always use 100% pure pumpkin puree. Pumpkin pie filling is already spiced and sweetened, which will throw off the carefully balanced flavors in this recipe. Just double-check the label!
Don’t Overmix the Dough

Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet, mix only until the flour streaks disappear. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, resulting in tough, dry cookies instead of the soft and tender Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies we’re aiming for. A gentle hand with a spatula is often best for the final additions.
Chilling Your Dough for Superior Cookies

While it’s tempting to bake immediately, chilling the dough for at least 30 minutes (or even overnight) significantly improves the texture and flavor. The chilling time allows the dry ingredients to fully hydrate, preventing a cakey texture, and helps the butter firm up, leading to less spread in the oven. This results in thicker, chewier Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies with a more developed flavor. If you chill for longer than a couple of hours, you might need to let the dough sit at room temperature for 10-15 minutes before scooping, just to make it more manageable.

Different Chocolate Choices

While semi-sweet chocolate chips are a classic choice, don’t hesitate to experiment! You could use milk chocolate chips for a sweeter cookie, dark chocolate chips for a richer, more intense chocolate flavor that beautifully contrasts with the pumpkin, or even white chocolate chips for a different kind of sweetness. Mini chocolate chips are also a great option for ensuring chocolate in every single bite of your Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. You could even use chopped chocolate bars for lovely pools of melted chocolate throughout the cookie.
Storage and Freshness

Once completely cooled, store your Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-4 days. They tend to stay wonderfully soft thanks to the pumpkin puree. You can also freeze the baked cookies for up to 3 months. Just thaw them at room temperature when you’re ready for a treat. You can also freeze the unbaked cookie dough balls on a baking sheet until firm, then transfer them to a freezer-safe bag. When you’re craving fresh Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, simply bake them from frozen, adding a few extra minutes to the baking time.
Altitude Adjustments

If you live at a high altitude, you might need to make minor adjustments to this recipe. Typically, this involves slightly increasing the flour (1-2 tablespoons), slightly decreasing the leavening agents (about ¼ teaspoon less baking soda/powder), and sometimes increasing the liquid (a tablespoon more pumpkin puree if the dough seems too dry). Baking at a slightly lower temperature for a bit longer can also help. It often takes a bit of experimentation to find what works best for your specific elevation when making these or any other baked goods.

Topping with Extra Chocolate Chips

For a truly bakery-style look, reserve a handful of chocolate chips. Immediately after scooping the dough onto the baking sheet, gently press a few extra chocolate chips onto the top of each cookie dough ball. This ensures beautiful, visible chocolate chips on the surface of your finished Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Don’t Skip the Spices!

The blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves is what gives these cookies their quintessential autumnal flavor. Each spice plays its part, creating a warm, inviting aroma and taste that perfectly complements the pumpkin. Adjust to your preference, but I find this blend to be just right for these delightful Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Conclusion:

So, there you have it – my absolute favorite recipe for what I truly believe are the best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies you’ll ever bake. This isn’t just another cookie recipe; it’s an experience, a symphony of flavors and textures that perfectly captures the cozy essence of autumn while delivering a universally beloved chocolatey punch. I can’t emphasize enough how much joy these cookies bring to my kitchen and to everyone who tries them. The soft, pillowy texture, almost cake-like in its tender crumb, combined with the gentle warmth of pumpkin spice and the decadent, molten pockets of chocolate chips, creates a treat that is simply irresistible. Every bite is a delightful balance, not overly sweet, allowing the natural sweetness of the pumpkin and the rich bitterness of the chocolate to shine through beautifully. It’s a comforting hug in cookie form, a promise of warmth on a chilly day, and a perfect sweet ending to any meal.

What makes these particular Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies an absolute must-try, beyond their incredible taste and perfectly balanced texture, is their sheer versatility and the comforting, nostalgic feelings they effortlessly evoke. They’re effortlessly elegant for a holiday gathering, yet wonderfully simple and unassuming for a quiet evening at home with a good book. Imagine the inviting aroma of cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin filling your kitchen as they bake – it’s pure magic, a testament to the simple yet profound power of good, homemade baking. I’ve personally seen faces light up, even those who claim not to be “pumpkin fans,” after just one taste of these marvels. They truly have a way of converting skeptics and delighting connoisseurs alike, becoming an instant classic in any household where they’re made. The ease of preparation, coupled with the impressive results, makes this recipe a true gem that I know you’ll want to revisit again and again.

Serving Suggestions & Creative Variations to Elevate Your Cookie Experience

Now, while these cookies are absolutely perfect straight out of the oven, cooled just enough on a wire rack, and devoured with a glass of cold milk or a hot cup of coffee or tea, please don’t limit yourself to just the classic approach! Think about serving them as part of a larger dessert spread, perhaps alongside a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream, where the warm cookie can slightly melt the creamy coldness. They make incredible ice cream sandwiches – simply take two cookies and sandwich a generous scoop of your favorite ice cream (vanilla, pumpkin spice, or even coffee flavored work wonderfully) in between. For a decadent breakfast treat, try crumbling them over Greek yogurt with a drizzle of honey, or use them as a delightful topping for a warm apple crisp or a bowl of oatmeal. For an extra touch of sophistication, consider a delicate sprinkle of flaky sea salt over the warm cookies right after baking to enhance the chocolate’s depth, or a light drizzle of caramel sauce for an added layer of luscious sweetness that creates a truly gourmet experience.

And if you’re feeling adventurous and want to put your own spin on things, these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies are incredibly ripe for creative variations. Feel free to experiment with different types of chocolate chips – a delightful mix of semi-sweet and white chocolate creates a beautiful visual and flavor contrast, or go for an intense dark chocolate for a richer profile. For a textural contrast, throw in some chopped pecans, walnuts, or even macadamia nuts. Dried cranberries or cherries can add a tangy counterpoint that brightens the overall flavor, while a touch of grated orange or lemon zest can introduce a surprising burst of citrus. For an extra festive touch, a simple cream cheese glaze or a dusting of powdered sugar over the top once they’ve completely cooled can take them to a whole new level of indulgence. The possibilities are truly endless, and each tweak can make the recipe uniquely yours, reflecting your personal taste and culinary creativity.

Your Turn: Bake, Enjoy, and Share!

I genuinely hope that reading about these incredible Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies has not only tempted your taste buds but has also inspired you to preheat your oven and give this recipe a try very soon. I promise you, the effort involved is minimal, and the rewards are absolutely, deliciously worth it. There’s something incredibly satisfying and heartwarming about creating something so delightful from scratch, and these cookies are a fantastic, accessible way to spread a little happiness and comfort to yourself and your loved ones.

Once you’ve baked your batch, I would absolutely love to hear about your experience! Did you stick to the recipe exactly as written, or did you venture into some of the variations I suggested? Perhaps you came up with your own brilliant modification that you’re eager to share? Please don’t hesitate to share your thoughts, your successes, and even your charming kitchen adventures with these cookies. Snap a picture of your beautiful creations and tell me all about it in the comments section below, or share it on your social media. Your feedback, your creativity, and your stories are what make this baking community so vibrant and inspiring. Go forth, bake some magic, and let’s celebrate the pure joy of homemade treats together! Happy baking, and I can’t wait to hear from you!