Amazing Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are soft and slightly chewy instead of thick and cakey. They are the perfect pumpkin cookie!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ These really were amazing! I followed the directions exactly and they turned out perfect. Just wishing I hadn’t made half a batch…..will be making them again soon! -Carrie
5 Reasons These Cookies are Worth It
Finally! A pumpkin chocolate chip cookie isn’t super cakey. These cookies are so, so good!
- These cookies are soft and chewy with a texture reminiscent of a great chocolate chip cookie – not overly thick, fluffy, or cakey.
- They are egg-free. This helps ensure the best texture…but it also means they are a great cookie option for anyone with an egg allergy.
- The cookies stay soft for days, making them a great make-ahead treat. Try eating one (or more!) chilled…YUM!
- Each bite has plenty of pumpkin spice flavor AND chocolate, so I have a feeling, they’ll satisfy both pumpkin cookie fans and chocolate chip cookie purists.
- Keep the recipe on hand when you need to use up leftover pumpkin puree without having to commit to a full-fledged pumpkin dessert!
Notes About Ingredients
- Butter: I use salted butter. If using unsalted butter, increase the salt in the recipe by 1/2 teaspoon. Make sure the butter is softened to room temperature without being puddly and melty.
- Brown sugar: Light or dark brown sugar can be used. Lightly pack the brown sugar into the measuring cup.
- Granulated sugar:
- Pumpkin puree: The recipe was written using Libby’s brand since it’s probably the most widely available overall. If using homemade pumpkin puree or a brand, like Trader Joe’s, which tends to wetter, omit the water in the recipe. Don’t be tempted to use the full can of pumpkin (without doubling all the other ingredients) – the cookies will turn out with altered texture and flavor.
- Water: A few tablespoons of water is important for the consistency and overall texture of the cookie dough (and baked cookies). As noted above, if you are using pumpkin puree that is wetter than Libby’s brand, omit the water.
- All-purpose flour: It’s really important not to over flour the cookie dough in this recipe or you’ll end up with puffy, cakey cookies. If you don’t have a scale, fluff the flour really well, scoop in the cup and level off.
- Cinnamon + nutmeg + allspice: You can sub in 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice for the individual spices.
- Chocolate chips: I always use semi-sweet chocolate chips in this recipe, but you can sub in milk chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or dark chocolate chips.
A few other every day ingredients are used in the recipe, like salt, baking powder, baking soda, and vanilla. 👍🏼
A Few Additional Notes
- The dough is really soft. Using a cookie scoop (this is my go-to cookie scoop – aff.link) makes it easy to scoop the soft dough onto the baking sheets.
- Tap the baking sheets. Don’t skip that step in the recipe! Lightly tapping or dropping the baking sheets on the counter right after they come out of the oven helps develop that chewy, non-cakey texture.
- These cookies freeze great. Well, first of all, they also taste amazing chilled. So you can store them in the refrigerator or at room temperature. But you can also stack them between sheets of parchment or in a freezer ziploc bag and freeze them for several months.
It took me a long time to get this pumpkin chocolate chip cookie just right. But it has been a huge family favorite for over a decade now…and a serious fan favorite for many of you.
I hoard cans of pumpkin in my pantry so I can make these year round. These cookies fill any pumpkin craving, chocolate craving, or cookie craving. They are simply the best!
Amazing Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (227 g) salted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup (212 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (106 g) brown sugar
- 1 cup (227 g) pumpkin puree (see note)
- 2 tablespoons water (see note)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups (355 g) all-purpose flour (see note)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon allspice
- 1 ½ cups (255 g) chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F (see note below). Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or silicone liners.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment or using a handheld electric mixer, cream together the butter, brown sugar and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
- Add the pumpkin, water, and vanilla, and mix until combined.
- Add the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, nutmeg and allspice. Mix until combined.
- Stir in the chocolate chips. The dough will be very soft.
- Use a spoon or cookie scoop (#40 cookie scoop) to drop the cookie dough by heaping tablespoonfuls onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 10 to 11 minutes until the edges are set but the middles are still a little bit soft (add time, if needed – some readers have reported needing to bake the cookies for a few minutes longer).
- When the cookies come out of the oven, lightly tap or drop the cookie sheet on the counter (this helps develop the the thinner/chewier texture of the cookies).
- Let them cool 3 to 4 minutes on the baking sheet before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
- These cookies taste great the day of, even better the next day, and they freeze great, as well.
Notes
Pumpkin Puree: The recipe was written using Libby’s brand since it’s probably the most widely available overall. If using homemade pumpkin puree or a brand, like Trader Joe’s, which tends to wetter, omit the water in the recipe. Don’t be tempted to use the full can of pumpkin (without doubling all the other ingredients) – the cookies will turn out with altered texture and flavor.
Flour: It’s really important not to overflour the cookie dough in this recipe or you’ll end up with puffy, cakey cookies. If you don’t have a scale, fluff the flour really well, scoop in the cup and level off.
Oven Temp: If you bake a sheet of cookies and find they are too puffy, decrease the oven temperature to 325 degrees (it might be that your oven bakes hotter than mine which will make for a puffier cookie).
Serving: 1 Cookie, Calories: 138kcal, Carbohydrates: 19g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 7g, Saturated Fat: 4g, Cholesterol: 15mg, Sodium: 102mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 12g
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Recipe Source: from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe
Recipe originally posted October 2016; updated August 2026 with new photos, recipe notes, etc.
Disclaimer: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Is the recipe supposed to have an egg?
No, the recipe does not call for any eggs.
What’s the best way to store these for 2-3 days? I’m making 5 different kinds of cookies next week for my daughter’s birthday party and the plan is to make one kind of cookie per day, so I’ll need to store these for a few days. Thanks!
Probably covered in the fridge? Or you could freeze several days in advance and take out and thaw. The tops do get a bit more moist if they are made in advance, so if you stack them, make sure layers are separated by parchment paper.
Not your typical wet, shapeless pumpkin cookie. This one is soft and chewy with tons of pumpkin flavor. So easy to make in big batches.
These pumpkin cookies are my (& my family’s) new favorite! They are still soft but closer to a regular choc chip cookie than the bready type of pumpkin cookies. I used 3/4 cup sugar instead of 1 whole cup and did 1/2 cup butter + 1/2 cup coconut oil…they still turned out delicious. I also ended up cooking them closer to 16 minutes bc I did 3-4 TBSP of dough per cookie and am at high altitude (4500 ft). I’ll definitely be making these again this fall! Thank you!
I’m wanting to make these and freeze a portion. Would you just thaw them on the counter or is there a method you use to reheat from frozen?
Yes, I let them thaw on the counter – they are delicious at room temperature.
I have made these year after year and always have fantastic feedback. I love them because they aren’t cakey and are still moist and delicious!
Yes Mel these are THE ones! They came out like regular chocolate chip cookies, not the usual cake like pumpkin texture. Followed the recipe exactly with homemade pumpkin purée. Perfection..
These went flat on me and weren’t the texture I was hoping for. I have been wishing I could find a pumpkin chocolate chip cookie with the texture of a regular chocolate chip cookie. Bummer. I’ll have to just keep my pumpkin in cakes
Yum! These are dangerously addictive.