Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe (Soft & Chewy)

If you want a fall cookie that’s tender, spiced, and loaded with melty chocolate, this pumpkin chocolate chip cookies recipe is the one to bake this season. Pumpkin purée gives these cookies a soft, cake-like bite, while cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves round out the classic autumn flavor. For a proven chewy-texture technique, check out Sally’s Baking Addiction’s pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, which popularized blotting the pumpkin and skipping the egg for extra chewiness.

What Makes These Cookies Special

Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies sit at the intersection of a spiced pumpkin cookie and a classic chocolate chip cookie. The pumpkin purée adds moisture and a subtle earthy sweetness, while warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves build the cozy fall flavor everyone associates with the season.

Most versions of this cookie turn out soft and cakey rather than thin and crisp, because pumpkin naturally holds a lot of water. Bakers who want a chewier bite often use tricks like blotting the pumpkin with a paper towel, using melted butter instead of creamed butter, or skipping the egg entirely since pumpkin can perform a similar binding role.

These cookies work well for lunchboxes, fall parties, holiday cookie trays, and casual weeknight baking. They’re also highly adaptable: swap in white chocolate and dried cranberries for a “holiday” version, add pecans for crunch, or finish with a cream cheese glaze for a more dessert-like presentation.

Key Benefits:

• Ready in about 20–25 minutes total.
• No mixer required for most versions.
• Naturally soft, cake-like texture.
• Easily adapted to chewy, gluten-free, or holiday variations.
• Freezes well as both dough and baked cookies.
• Great make-ahead option for parties or gifting.

🍳 Equipment You’ll Need

• Large mixing bowl — for combining wet and dry ingredients.
• Medium cookie scoop — creates evenly sized cookies for consistent baking.
• Parchment-lined baking sheets — prevents sticking and promotes even browning.
• Wire cooling rack — lets air circulate so the cookies don’t turn soggy underneath.
• Paper towels — useful for blotting excess moisture from pumpkin purée if you want a chewier texture.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe (Soft & Chewy)

Recipe by Marco Benilli

0.0 from 0 votes

Course: DessertCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy

Servings

24

cookies

Prep time

10

minutes

Cooking time

12

minutes

Calories

175

kcal

Total time

22

minutes

Soft, spiced pumpkin chocolate chip cookies made with pumpkin purée, cinnamon, nutmeg, and melty chocolate chips. Easy to bake with tips for a chewier texture and holiday variations.

Ingredients

• 🎃 Cookie Dough:

• 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour

• 2 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp baking soda

• 1½ tsp ground cinnamon

• ½ tsp ground nutmeg

• ¼ tsp ground ginger

• ⅛ tsp ground cloves

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ cup (120ml) neutral-flavoured vegetable oil, or ½ cup melted unsalted butter for extra chew

• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar

• 1 large egg, optional (omit for a denser, chewier cookie)

• 1 cup (240g) pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling, blotted with paper towels for a chewier texture

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1½ cups (260g) semi-sweet chocolate chips

• ✨ Optional Add-Ins:

• ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts

• ½ cup white chocolate chips and ½ cup dried cranberries, for a holiday version

• ¼ cup butterscotch chips, for a triple-chip version

• ½ tsp orange zest

• Extra chocolate chips for topping

• A pinch of flaky sea salt

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and salt.
• If aiming for a chewier cookie, press the pumpkin purée between paper towels to remove excess moisture before measuring.
• In a large bowl, whisk together the oil (or melted butter) and granulated sugar.
• Add the pumpkin purée and vanilla extract, and the egg if using. Whisk until smooth.
• Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.
• Stir gently until just combined. Do not overmix.
• Fold in the chocolate chips and any optional nuts or flavourings.
• Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie.
• Press a few extra chocolate chips onto the tops if desired.
• Bake for 11–13 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centres look puffed and soft.
• Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
• Transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Sprinkle with flaky sea salt before serving, if desired.

Recipe Video

Notes

• Use plain pumpkin purée rather than pumpkin pie filling, which already contains sugar and spices.
• Blotting the pumpkin and skipping the egg both help create a chewier, less cakey cookie.
• Do not overmix once the flour is added; overmixing can make the cookies dense.
• For evenly sized cookies, use a medium cookie scoop.
• Space cookies about 2 inches apart so they spread and bake evenly.
• Remove the cookies when the edges are set but the centres still look slightly soft; they firm up while cooling.
• Do not refrigerate leftovers — room-temperature storage keeps them softer for longer.

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Variations

The Classic Soft & Cakey version is the easiest starting point for beginners, while the Chewy Style is worth trying if you’ve found pumpkin cookies too soft or cake-like in the past. The Holiday White Chocolate variation is especially popular around Thanksgiving and Christmas.

What To Serve With Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

These cookies pair naturally with other fall bakes and warm beverages.

🍽️ Food Pairings

• Pumpkin cookies (plain) — serve alongside our Pumpkin Cookies Recipe for a two-way pumpkin cookie tray.
• Pumpkin bread — pair with our Pumpkin Bread Recipe for a full pumpkin dessert spread.
• Zucchini bread — our Zucchini Bread Recipe rounds out a fall baking table.
• Chocolate zucchini bread — try our Chocolate Zucchini Bread for a richer chocolate pairing.
• Peach crisp — our Peach Crisp Recipe adds a warm fruit contrast.
• Cherry cake — our Cherry Cake brings color and variety to a dessert table.
• Watergate salad — our Watergate Salad Recipe offers a cool, creamy contrast at a potluck.

☕ Beverage Pairings

• Coffee — cuts through the sweetness of the chocolate chips.
• Chai tea — echoes the cinnamon and clove notes in the dough.
• Apple cider — a classic autumn pairing with pumpkin desserts.
• Cold milk — a simple, kid-friendly match for warm cookies.

Expert Tips for Perfect Cookies

✅ Blot the pumpkin for a chewier cookie — pressing pumpkin purée with paper towels removes excess moisture while keeping the flavor, which helps prevent overly cakey texture.

✅ Use melted butter instead of creamed butter — this technique, borrowed from classic chewy chocolate chip cookies, adds chewiness.

✅ Skip the egg for a denser bite — pumpkin can replace the egg’s binding and moisture role, resulting in a chewier crumb.

✅ Let the cookies cool before judging texture — both chewiness and flavor improve as the cookies sit on the rack.

✅ Don’t overmix the dough — stir just until the flour disappears to avoid dense, tough cookies.

✅ Use room-temperature pumpkin purée — this helps the dough come together more evenly.

✅ Space cookies about 2 inches apart — this allows for even spreading and browning.

Storage Instructions

Make-Ahead Tip

Roll the dough into balls, freeze them on a parchment-lined tray until firm, then transfer to a freezer bag. When ready to bake, place the frozen dough directly on a lined baking sheet — no thawing required — and add a couple of extra minutes to the bake time.

🎃 Variation Quick Reference

Nutrition Per Serving

Approximate values for one cookie, based on a yield of 24 cookies with semi-sweet chocolate chips. Add-ins such as nuts, glaze, or extra chocolate will change these values.

Frequently Asked Questions

❓ Why are pumpkin chocolate chip cookies so soft and cakey?

Pumpkin purée contains a lot of water, so unless it’s blotted or the recipe is adjusted, the cookies bake up soft and cake-like rather than thin and chewy.

❓ How do I make these cookies chewier instead of cakey?

Blot the pumpkin purée with paper towels to remove moisture, use melted butter instead of creamed butter, and consider omitting the egg since pumpkin can provide similar binding.

❓ Can I freeze pumpkin chocolate chip cookies?

Yes. Freeze baked cookies in a single layer until solid, then store them in an airtight freezer bag with parchment between layers for up to 3 months. Cookie dough can also be frozen the same way.

❓ Should I refrigerate pumpkin chocolate chip cookies?

No. Refrigeration tends to dry out pumpkin cookies and make them less tender; room-temperature storage in an airtight container is preferred.

❓ Can I substitute pumpkin pie spice for the individual spices?

Yes. If you don’t have separate spices on hand, pumpkin pie spice can replace the cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves in most recipes.

❓ Can I make a holiday version of this cookie?

Yes. Replace the chocolate chips with white chocolate chips and add dried cranberries for a festive twist suited to Thanksgiving or Christmas baking.

❓ Can I bake frozen cookie dough directly from the freezer?

Yes. Place the frozen dough balls on a lined baking sheet and bake according to the recipe instructions, adding a couple of extra minutes to account for the frozen state.

❓ Can I make these cookies gluten-free?

Yes. Substitute a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend for the all-purpose flour. The texture will be slightly different but still enjoyable.