These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are everything you love about the classic cookie—soft and chewy (never cakey) but loaded with cozy pumpkin spice flavor. You’ll love this no-chill, no-mixer recipe for the fall season!
As a former pastry chef, I was determined to break free from the soft, cakey pumpkin cookies that dominated the bakeries. After countless hours of trial and error, I finally created the best pumpkin cookie—dense, chewy, and bursting with rich pumpkin flavor!
Inspired by my viral chewy pumpkin snickerdoodles, these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies deliver the same chewy texture with gooey centers, now studded with melty chocolate chips. Add this recipe to your fall baking list ASAP—then thank me later!
Table of Contents
Tips for Chewy Cookies
Use a kitchen scale. Baking with a scale is my #1 baking tip! If your cookies are turning out cakey or puffy, it’s almost always due to using too much flour!
Brown the butter. Browning butter reduces its water content, which helps make the cookies denser and chewier!
Blot the pumpkin. This is my (second) #1 baking tip for the best pumpkin cookies! Not removing the liquid from the puree will make your cookies more cake-like and not chewy.
Use a large cookie scoop. Cookies scooped in smaller portions will melt differently in the oven. A large 3-tbsp scoop is the key to achieving soft, gooey centers and crispy edges!
Ingredients and Substitutions
Pumpkin puree: This is not to be confused with pumpkin pie filling! For best results, make sure it is at room temperature. You won’t need the whole can, but you can use any leftovers to make pumpkin cinnamon rolls or pumpkin cheesecake cookies!
Chocolate chips: Feel free to use any semi-sweet chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, or chocolate chunks. I love using chopped chocolate or a combination!
Egg yolk: Use just the egg yolks for a chewy texture. The yolks also help bind the cookie dough without adding extra moisture!
Pumpkin pie spice: These warm and cozy spices pair perfectly with the chocolate chips, like in my chocolate chip pumpkin cake.
Recipe Instructions
Find the full ingredient measurements and instructions in the recipe card below!
Step 1: Brown the butter. After browning the butter, scrape it into a bowl or container and cool it in the fridge, stirring occasionally, until it reaches 76°F.
The image above is what it should look like once cooled!
Step 2: Blot the pumpkin. Spread the pumpkin puree onto a plate and blot with a stack of paper towels, using a new stack each time until all liquid has been absorbed.
After blotting, it should be half the amount measured and will feel like soft Play-Doh.
Step 3: Whisk together the wet ingredients. To completely emulsify the butter and sugar, whisk for exactly one minute. The mixture shouldn’t look greasy and will be pale in color, like the image above.
Step 4: Mix in the pumpkin. Whisk in the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and dried pumpkin puree until combined.
Step 5: Fold in the dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to fold in the all-purpose flour, pumpkin spice, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chips until combined. Do not over-mix!
How to Store
Room temperature: Leftover cookies should be stored in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Keep a slice of bread in the container to absorb excess moisture for maximum freshness!
Freezer: To freeze, store the baked cookies in a freezer bag with parchment paper in between layers for up to one month. Thaw them at room temperature before serving!
FAQs
No, they should be left out at room temperature.
Yes! It’s best to scoop and roll the dough first, then place it on a baking tray covered tightly with plastic wrap. Let the dough come to room temperature before baking for about 1 hour.
Not blotting the pumpkin sufficiently to remove excess moisture or using too much flour are two of the top reasons this can happen!
This can happen when the oven temperature is too low, or the flour isn’t measured correctly (and it needs more flour). Also, double-check that your butter was cooled to the proper temperature (75°F).
I have plenty of delicious pumpkin recipes you can use it for—like pumpkin bread!
Yes, first scoop and roll the cookies. Then, flash-freeze them and store them in an airtight container. Let the dough thaw at room temperature for 1-2 hours before baking.
More Chocolate Chip Cookies for Fall
If you tried this or any other recipe on my website, please let me know how it went in the comments; I love hearing from you! Also, please leave a star rating while you’re there! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can check it out!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
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, *See notes below for measuring*
- 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
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 F/180 C. Line two baking trays with parchment paper and set them aside.
- Brown the butter in a large stainless steel pan. While it cooks, it will foam, pop, and crackle—this is normal! Stand nearby, watch, and stir it occasionally so it doesn’t burn. When the bottom is covered in brown bits of butter and it smells nutty, remove the pan from the heat. You should have just under 1 cup of browned butter (184 g). Scrape the butter into a glass measuring bowl and place it in the fridge for 50-60 minutes, stirring it every 10-15 minutes until a thermometer inserted reads 75°F. The butter must be cool but still liquid!1 cup (226 g) cold unsalted butter
- Spread the pumpkin puree on a plate. Press a stack of paper towels into it and soak up the extra liquid. Then, scrape the pumpkin into a pile and re-spread it around the plate. Continue doing this, using a new stack of paper towels to keep absorbing the extra liquid, until the pumpkin feels pretty dry, like soft playdough, and now measures roughly 1/3 cup (75 grams).2/3 cup (160 g) Libby's Pumpkin Puree
- When the butter is cool, whisk in the brown sugar and granulated sugar for exactly 1 minute. It will look like pale wet sand.1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar, 1/2 cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- Whisk in the egg yolks, vanilla, and dried pumpkin puree until combined.2 (36 g) large egg yolks, 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Fold in the flour, pumpkin spice, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chips until just combined.1 2/3 cup + 1 tablespoon (220 g) all-purpose flour, 2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin spice, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 cup (125 g) finely chopped chocolate bar or chocolate chips
- Scoop the cookie dough with a 3 tbsp cookie scoop, roll them between your palms, then place them on the prepared baking trays spaced 2-3 inches apart. You will have roughly 15 cookies. For pools of melted chocolate, chop the chocolate into larger pieces and press more on top before baking!
- Bake one tray at a time for 9-13 minutes or until the edges are golden brown but the middle is slightly underbaked. Straight out of the oven, use a large round cookie cutter to scoot the edges in to make them thicker and perfectly round. Let the pan cool on a wire cooling rack completely then remove the cookies and enjoy!
- Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. You can refrigerate or freeze the cookie dough balls, just bring them to room temperature before baking. This can take about 1 hour for refrigerated dough and 2 hours for frozen dough.
Video
Notes
Tried this recipe?Leave a comment below & tag @cambreabakes on social!
Cookies are great however as a B&P person myself I followed to a tee and still lightly cakey. Honestly I don’t mind it they are delicious so light and chocolatey but I also use fresh pumpkin puree instead of Libby’s. Wonder if that has something to do with it!
Made these with gluten free flour and they turned out great! Love this recipe, perfect for fall.
Hi! Will using dark brown sugar instead of light mess with the baking chemistry too much?
It shouldn’t be a problem!