A soft and chewy chocolate chip cookie with an added surprise of pumpkin. These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are just like your favorite cookies with a hint of pumpkin spice.
Most pumpkin cookies are cake-like in texture, in part because of the additional moisture from the canned pumpkin. While I love soft pumpkin cookies, I often crave the chewiness of a perfect chocolate chip cookie.
Keeping up with my pumpkin theme, I wanted to see if I could find a way to incorporate the delicate flavor of pumpkin spice into my favorite cookies. This pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe hits all the marks. The cookies are chewy, full of chocolate, and have a subtle hint of pumpkin spice to make them perfect for fall.
Why I Don’t Use Eggs
When developing this recipe from scratch, I played around making it both with and without eggs. The pumpkin cookies with eggs had a more cake-like texture, and when I omitted them they had the ultimate chewy texture, making them the best pumpkin chocolate chip cookies I’ve ever had.
Eggs create structure in baked goods. The yolks add fat, adding flavor, and also help emulsify liquids, creating a smooth, evenly combined mix of ingredients. When you use the whole egg, like in regular chocolate chip cookies, they make the cookies tender and moist. Since these soft pumpkin chocolate chip cookies have the extra moisture from the pumpkin, you don’t need the egg in these cookies.
How To Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
This easy recipe requires chilling, so plan ahead. You will start by melting the butter in a saucepan. I love browning the butter, but it’s an extra step that’s optional. The caramel aroma from the brown butter will add a delicious flavor to the cookies. To brown the butter, keep heating the butter after it’s melted just until small golden bits start to appear at the bottom, and the butter smells nutty. The butter can burn quickly at this point, so watch it carefully. Remove from the heat and immediately pour melted butter into a large bowl. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar and whisk until well blended. I like to use dark brown sugar for these cookies since it adds extra molasses flavor, but if you only have light brown sugar that will work just as well.
Add in the pumpkin puree (100% canned pumpkin and not pumpkin pie mix) and vanilla extract, whisking until combined. Fold in the flour mixture, being careful not to overmix the dough. Finally, stir in the chocolate chips (use quality chocolate chips or chunks for the best flavor). The dough will be soft at this point. Chill it for at least 30 minutes in the refrigerator. You can leave it for longer if you prefer to make the dough ahead of time.
preheat your oven to 350ºF and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Once dough is chilled, roll it into 1.5 tablespoon-sized balls (I like to use this medium scoop) and place on the prepared baking sheets spaced 2-inches apart. The pumpkin chocolate chip cookies don’t spread a lot during baking, so slightly flatten them before baking or do this right after they come out of the oven.
Bake the chewy pumpkin cookies for about 12 minutes, until slightly set and brown at the edges. Let them cool for 10-15 on the tray, before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
These chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are fall’s version of the classic chocolate chip cookie. They are soft, chewy, chocolatey and full of pumpkin spice. If you’re ready for a break from the pumpkin bread, then give these cookies a taste!
More Pumpkin Recipes:
- 1 1/2 cups (200g) all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/2 cup (115g/1 stick) unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (50g) light or dark brown sugar (I prefer dark)
- 1/3 cup (75g) pumpkin puree
- 1 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup (130g) bittersweet or semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks
In a medium bowl whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices. Set aside.
Place butter in a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat and melt. [optional: browning the butter will give more flavor to the cookies, but it's only optional. To brown the butter, keep heating the butter after it's melted just until small golden bits start to appear at the bottom, and the butter smells nutty and delicious. Watch it carefully because the butter can burn quickly at this point]. Remove from the heat and immediately pour melted butter into a large bowl. Add granulated sugar and brown sugar and whisk until well blended. Add pumpkin puree and vanilla extract and whisk until combined. Add flour mixture and fold just until blended. Don't overmix. Fold in chocolate chips. Chill the dough for 30-60 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C. Line 2 pans with parchment paper.
Once dough is chilled, roll dough into balls, the size of 1.5 tablespoons (30g) each, and place on prepared pans 2-inches apart. The cookies won’t spread much, if at all, during baking so flatten them to desired thickness before baking.
Bake for about 12 minutes or until cookies appear set and slightly brown at the edges. The cookies will look soft and that's ok. You don't want to overbake them to keep them soft and chewy. Allow cookies to cool for 10-15 minutes in the cookie sheet, then gently transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve cookies at room temperature.
Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Cookies can also be frozen for up to 2 months. To thaw, leave them on the counter, still covered, or overnight in the fridge.
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