Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies offer an irresistible blend of warm autumn spices and gooey chocolate chips, capturing the cozy essence of the season in every bite. This delightful recipe invites you on a culinary journey where soft, moist pumpkin cookie dough meets sweet, melting chocolate—creating a comforting treat that’s as easy to bake as it is to savor. Whether you’re whipping these up for family gatherings, holiday parties, or a quiet evening with a cup of tea, these cookies bring warmth, flavor, and a touch of nostalgia to your kitchen in just a few simple steps.
Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Seasonal comfort: Pumpkin and fall spices blend to evoke cozy, nostalgic flavors.
- Simple and reliable: Easy-to-follow measurements and canned pumpkin ensure consistency.
- Soft, moist texture: Thanks to oil and pumpkin, the cookies stay tender and cake-like.
- Chocolatey delight: Plenty of semi-sweet chips add melty sweetness in every bite.
- Tailor-made for you: Adjust the spice intensity or switch up the mix-ins based on your personal preferences.
Ingredients
Here’s a list of everything you’ll need to make these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies:
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour (measured by spooning into the cup, then leveling off)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- 1½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground ginger
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp ground cloves
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (110 g) packed light‑brown sugar
- ½ cup (120 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240 g) canned pumpkin puree
- 1½ cups (255 g) semi‑sweet chocolate chips
Step‑by‑Step: How to Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Preheat & prep: Heat your oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Line baking sheets with silicone liners or parchment paper.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt for around 20 seconds. Set aside.
- Blend sugars & oil: In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and oil until smooth and fully blended.
- Add wet ingredients: Beat in the egg and vanilla until smooth, then blend in the pumpkin puree.
- Combine with dry: With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour‑spice mixture, mixing just until nearly combined—don’t overmix. Scrape down the bowl as needed; the dough will be quite wet.
- Incorporate chocolate chips: Gently incorporate the chocolate chips using a rubber spatula, ensuring they’re evenly spread throughout the batter.
- Portion the dough: Drop cookie dough by 2 Tbsp portions (using a medium scoop or two spoons) onto prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Bake: Bake until the edges are firm and the centers look slightly underdone—typically between 11 and 13 minutes at 350 °F.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes before carefully moving them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Store: Once cooled, store in a single layer in an airtight container. Letting them rest a few hours helps them soften and reach peak texture.
Helpful Tips
- Perfectly moist texture: The combination of oil and pumpkin helps keep these cookies soft and tender.
- Don’t overdo the baking: Take the cookies out of the oven when the centers appear just set—they’ll firm up perfectly as they cool.
- Uniform cookies: Use a cookie scoop for consistent sizing and even baking.
- Flavor boost: Toast chocolate chips lightly before folding in for a toasty note.
- Spice balance: Tweak spice amounts to taste—add more cinnamon or cloves for extra warmth.
Substitutions And Variations
- Pumpkin spice swap: For convenience, substitute the listed spices with 2½ teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice.
- Spice boost: If you love strong flavors, try increasing the cinnamon to 2 tsp.
- Flavorful oils: For a different taste, replace vegetable oil with melted coconut oil, which may add a subtle coconut note.
- Different chips or mix‑ins: Swap semi‑sweet chips with dark chocolate, white chocolate, butterscotch chips, or even chopped nuts or dried fruit.
- Gluten‑free twist: Substitute the all‑purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten‑free flour blend and see how they turn out!
Storage Instructions
- Room temperature: Store cooled cookies in a single layer in an airtight container; they’ll stay soft and chewy for about 3–4 days.
- Refrigeration: If your kitchen is warm, you can refrigerate them—just let them come to room temperature before serving to restore tenderness.
- Freezing: To freeze, flash‑freeze individual cookies on a tray until firm, then transfer to a sealed freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm slightly before enjoying.
Nutritional Information
(Approximate per cookie, based on 24 cookies total; adjust as needed)
- Calories: ~120–130 kcal
- Fat: ~6–7 g (mostly from oil and chocolate)
- Carbohydrates: ~17 g (including sugars)
- Protein: ~1.5 g
- Fiber: ~1 g (depending on flour and pumpkin)
- Notes: These are indulgent, soft cookies—perfect for an occasional cozy treat. For lighter versions, try swapping half the sugar with a lighter alternative or using dark chocolate to reduce sweetness.
Serving Suggestions
- Just‑baked, warm with melted chocolate—perfect with a cold glass of milk or pumpkin-spiced latte.
- Stack on a dessert platter for holiday or cozy afternoon tea gatherings.
- Serve alongside vanilla ice cream for a quick, delightful dessert sandwich.
- Pack in school lunches or bring as a thoughtful homemade gift during autumn festivities.
Frequently Asked Questions About Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
How do I know when the cookies are done? Bake until the edges are firm and the centers look slightly underdone—typically between 11 and 13 minutes at 350 °F. They’ll continue to firm up as they cool, resulting in the perfect soft texture.
Can I make dough ahead of time? Absolutely! Chill the dough in the fridge for up to 24 hours before baking. Add a minute or two of baking time if baking straight from cold, or let dough soften briefly at room temp before scooping.
Why are the cookies wet or underdone in the middle? These cookies are meant to be moist and soft—if underdone, it might mean they were withdrawn too early or the oven runs cool. Try baking 1–2 minutes longer or calibrating your oven temp for consistent results.
Can I make these without a stand mixer? Yes, use a bowl and sturdy wooden spoon or whisk. Mixing may take longer, especially when combining the sugars and oil—but it’s totally doable by hand.
Can I swap ingredients for dietary needs? Yes—use a gluten‑free flour blend for GF baking, coconut oil for a dairy‑free alternative, or half‑sugar recipes if you want to reduce sweetness.
Conclusion
Thank you so much for baking along with me—it truly warms my heart to share these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies with you. I hope you find these cookies as comforting and delicious as I do: soft, flavorful, and just sweet enough to satisfy. Baking them is easy and rewarding—perfect for when you’re craving something cozy without any fuss. From my kitchen to yours, I’m cheering you on—may your oven fill the air with warmth, may every bite bring a smile, and may you feel part of our wonderful, food-loving community. Happy baking, and enjoy every delightful, autumnal, chocolatey bite!
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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Total Time: 27 minutes
- Yield: 24 cookies 1x
Description
Soft, moist, and filled with warm spices and chocolate chips, these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies are a cozy fall favorite.
Ingredients
2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
2 tsp baking powder
¾ tsp baking soda
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground ginger
½ tsp ground nutmeg
⅛ tsp ground cloves
½ tsp salt
½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
½ cup (110g) light brown sugar
½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil
1 large egg
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 cup (240g) canned pumpkin puree
1½ cups (255g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat & prep: Heat your oven to 350 °F (175 °C). Line baking sheets with silicone liners or parchment paper.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and salt for around 20 seconds. Set aside.
- Blend sugars & oil: In the bowl of a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, mix together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, and oil until smooth and fully blended.
- Add wet ingredients: Beat in the egg and vanilla until smooth, then blend in the pumpkin puree.
- Combine with dry: With the mixer on low, gradually add the flour‑spice mixture, mixing just until nearly combined—don’t overmix. Scrape down the bowl as needed; the dough will be quite wet.
- Incorporate chocolate chips: Gently incorporate the chocolate chips using a rubber spatula, ensuring they’re evenly spread throughout the batter.
- Portion the dough: Drop cookie dough by 2 Tbsp portions (using a medium scoop or two spoons) onto prepared baking sheets, spacing about 2 inches apart.
- Bake: Bake until the edges are firm and the centers look slightly underdone—typically between 11 and 13 minutes at 350 °F.
- Cool: Allow the cookies to sit on the baking sheet for a few minutes before carefully moving them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
- Store: Once cooled, store in a single layer in an airtight container. Letting them rest a few hours helps them soften and reach peak texture.
Notes
Use canned pumpkin for consistent moisture. Substitute 2½ tsp pumpkin pie spice for listed spices if preferred. Cookies taste best a few hours after baking when the texture fully sets.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 125
- Sugar: 10g
- Carbohydrates: 17g
- Protein: 1.5g