What flavor says fall more than pumpkin? This recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies gives a fancy bakery touch to a traditional favorite cookie for the autumn season.
COOK + BAKE | Updated October 1, 2023
Every year, fall gets me into the mood to do some baking.
So many recipes for pumpkin, apple, and nut flavored treats that I've written down or pinned, and my taste buds crave the comforting autumn flavors. But then life gets busy and before I realize it, fall is over and I never tried making even one of those recipes. Sound familiar? #bestofintentions
I am determined that this year is going to be different and these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies did not disapoint once I finally made them. They're delicious and turn out really fancy without a lot of work. Great presentation scores high marks in my book.
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A Few Important Things to Remember As You Bake These Chocolate Chip Cookies
PROPERLY MEASURE THE FLOUR
When baking anything with flour, how you measure the ingredient determines how successfully your cookies will turn out. Too much flour will make these cookies turn out cakey and too little flour will make them spread out more than they should.
READ NEXT: How To Properly Measure Baking Ingredients
LOOK AT YOUR PUMPKIN PUREE FOR MOISTURE
I always like to bake with Libby's Pumpkin Puree (or the Aldi's alternative.) Some brands have more moisture content that others which will affect the texture and shape of your cookies. You can use fresh pie pumpkin puree, but be sure to drain all the excess moisture from it before measuring 1/3 cup.
CHILL THE DOUGH
After mixing the dough, it should be refrigerated. And then the prepared cookies need to be placed back into the refrigerator before sticking the baking sheet into the oven.
If these steps are omitted, your dough will spread too quickly and you'll end up with very flat cookies. Chocolate chip pancakes is not the look we are going for here.
FORM THE COOKIES CORRECTLY
As strange as it sounds, for every cookie that you make, you'll need to form two small balls of dough. Then stack them one on top of the other like you're building a snowman. This is how they should be formed when they are chilled and placed in the oven to bake. Do not flatten them out into a cookie shape.
The ball of dough on the bottom will spread out and bake first, and then the top ball will bake down into the bottom. You'll end up with a cookie that is chewy on inside with that layered texture on the outside.
EXTRA CHOCOLATE CHIPS ARE THE FINAL TOUCH
While completely optional, my favorite tip for chocolate chip cookies is to push more chocolate chips into the top of the cookie immediately after removing the baking sheet from the oven. This gives you that fancy, fresh-from-the-bakery look that will impress anyone you serve them to. Presentation is just as important as the taste of you food, and these cookies get an extra gold star in that department.
What You'll Need
Are you ready to start baking? Here's what you'll need.....
- unsalted butter
- granulated sugar
- light brown sugar - lightly packed
- egg yolk
- vanilla extract
- canned pumpkin puree** - NOT pumpkin pie filling which is filled with milk, sweetener and spices
- salt
- spices - this recipe is packed with ground cinnamon, ginger, cloves, nutmeg, and allspice and the amounts can be adjusted based on your taste preferences
- baking soda
- all-purpose flour
- white chocolate chips
**Since you won't be using the whole can of pumpkin for this recipe, you may want to take a look at making this Pumpkin Pie French Toast for your breakfast....so good!
How to Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
For your convenience, a full ingredients list, directions for making pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, and a printable recipe option appear further down in this article. Here is a brief overview of what you'll be needing.
STEP 1: Cut up your butter into chunks and melt it over medium heat on the stove. Watch the butter carefully and move it around in the pan often to prevent burning. WHen melted, remove the butter from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.
STEP 2: Mix Your Ingredients Together - In a large bowl, mix the granulated sugar and brown sugar and then whisk in the butter. Add the egg yok and whisk until completely combined. Then add the vanilla and canned pumpkin puree. Again, whisk until everything is combined. Add your salt and spices, then whisk in baking soda and 1/2 cup of flour. Stir in the remaining one cup of flour using a wooden spoon. The mixture will begin pulling away from the edges of the bowl when the flour is added. Finally, fold in the chocolate chips. Cover the bowl and put it in the refrigerator for at least an hour to chill.
STEP 3: When you are ready to bake your cookies, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line your baking sheet with a nonstick liner or parchment paper. Using the liner gives these cookies an evenly browned bottom and makes for easy cleanup.
STEP 4: Remove the chilled dough from the refrigerator. Roll two small balls of dough (about 1 1/2 Tablespoons total) and press one ball into the top of the other, like you are building a snowman. Leave them stacked and do not flatten into a cookie shape. Create enough to fill your baking sheet and then place it back into the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes.
STEP 5: Take the baking sheet out of the refrigerator and immediately place it into your preheated oven for 9 to 12 minutes, or until the cookies are lightly browned on the bottom. You want the cookies to be slightly under-baked to keep them soft and chewy on the inside.
STEP 6: Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately press 5 or 6 additional chocolate chips into the top of the cookie. All them to rest for 1 to 2 minutes on the baking sheet to firm up before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
What flavor says fall more than pumpkin? This recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies gives a fancy bakery touch to a traditional favorite cookie for the autumn season.
Makes about 2 dozen cookies
INGREDIENTS
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 3/4 cup light brown sugar, lightly packed
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground allspice
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup white chocolate chips
INSTRUCTIONS
STEP 1: Melt the butter over medium heat on the stove watching it carefully so that it doesn't burn. When melted, remove it from the heat and allow it to cool slightly.
STEP 2: In a large bowl, mix the granulated sugar and brown sugar together, then whisk in the butter.
STEP 3: Add the egg yolk and whisk until completely combined.
STEP 4: Add the vanilla and canned pumpkin. Whisk until combined.
STEP 5: Add the salt, cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves, and nutmeg, the whisk in the baking soda and 1/2 cup of flour. Stir in the remaining 1 cup of flour using a wooden spoon. The mixture will begin pulling away from the edges of the bowl when the flour is added. Fold in the chocolate chips.
STEP 6: Cover the mixture and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour.
STEP 7: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with a nonstick liner or parchment paper.
STEP 8: Remove the dough from the refrigerator. Roll two small balls of dough (about 1 1/2 Tablespoons total) and stack the balls one on top of the other like a snowman. Fill the baking sheet and then refrigerate for 10 to 15 minutes.
STEP 9: Immediately place the baking sheet in the oven when it is removed from the refrigerator and bake for 9 to 12 minutes or until the cookies are lightly browned on the bottom.
STEP 10: Remove the cookies from the oven and immediately press 5 or 6 additional chocolate chips into the top of the cookie (optional). Allow them to rest for 1 to 2 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
Frequently Asked Questions
Have some questions about making Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies? Here are a few frequently asked ones that may help.
WHY DID THE COOKIES TURN OUT HARD
These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies should be soft and chewy. If they are not, here are a few reasons why.
- They were baked too long. Closely monitor the cookies towards the end of their baking time to ensure you take them out when they are still soft. Slightly under-baked will result in super soft and chewy cookies.
- Your oven temperature is too hot. For many ovens, the calibration is off. An oven thermometer is always helpful in keeping track of your oven temperature for accuracy.
- You may have used too much flour. Always spoon your flour into your measuring cup and level it off rather than scooping the cup into the flour. The latter method compresses the ingredient giving your more than you should have in your cup. Flour should be light and fluffy when measured.
- Your ingredients weren't fresh. Ingredients like baking soda, butter, and eggs can be "bad" for baking even though they are still safe to eat. Brown sugar may be hard and lumpy affecting your cookies. For best results, you always want to use the freshest ingredients possible when baking.
WHY DID THE COOKIES SPREAD TOO MUCH
Again, there are a few possible reasons:
- Your dough was not chilled long enough to ensure that the melted butter in the batter had a chance to firm up again.
- The butter was too hot when you added it to the other ingredients, making the batter greasy.
- You didn't use enough flour. As mentioned about, always spoon more flour into your measuring cup than you need and use a straight edge to level it off.
HOW LONG DO THESE COOKIES STAY FRESH
These Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies are best eaten within three days. After that they begin to lose texture and flavor.
You can freeze them in an airtight container for up to three months, however, and let them come to room temperature before eating. They aren't as good as freshly baked, but it is a great way to extend the life of your baked goods.
CAN YOU FREEZE THE DOUGH
This recipe turns out great using frozen dough. Prepare the cookies as directed, but place the baking sheet filled with the dough balls into the freezer instead. Allow them to freeze solid and then transfer into an airtight container for up to three months.
They can be baked directly from the freezer if you add 1 to 3 minutes onto the baking time. Or thaw the dough in the refrigerator and follow the recipe instructions as written.
Chewy on the inside, crisp on the outside, and full of fall flavor. These Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies are a must try recipe for this year's fall baking list.
More Fall Baking Posts You Might Enjoy
VANILLA WALNUT CRESCENT COOKIES - Great year round, but especially nice in the fall when trying to escape all the pumpkin!
PUMPKIN PIE BISCOTTI
APPLE BUTTER PIE - The texture and look of a traditional pumpkin pie, but packed with apple flavor
PUMPKIN SPICE CRANBERRY MUFFINS - A perfect breakfast recipe for a fall morning
Apple Cider Pound Cake
