Sweet and delicious, these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies celebrate all the tasty flavors of fall. Perfect for beginners, this recipe uses pumpkin puree and semi-sweet chocolate chips for a fun twist on an old favorite. One recipe makes about 3 dozen cookies.
Pie is great, but one of my favorite ways to use pureed pumpkin is in these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. Packed with all my favorite fall flavors (plus chocolate!) these cookies are a hit every time I make them.
What I love most about this cookie dough is that it freezes beautifully, so I can shape and store the dough in the freezer, then just pull out a few at a time to bake when I have a craving.
Super soft and chewy, these pumpkin cookies are bound to be one of your new favorite fall treats!
Cookie baking supplies
When it comes to baking the perfect cookie, having the right tools on hand is almost as important as the ingredients themselves! Here are my must-have supplies for cookie baking:Nonstick cookie sheet – Available in a variety of sizes, nonstick cookie sheets are a must for getting soft, chewy cookies that don’t spread. While some recipes direct you to grease or cover your sheet with parchment paper, this recipe works best on an ungreased nonstick pan. Not greasing the pan allows your cookies to grip to it as they bake, preventing spreading and allowing your cookies to rise up instead of out.
Cookie scoop – Bake uniform cookies with this stainless steel cookie scoop. Having cookies that are all the same size while baking prevents over or underbaking and allows for even heat distribution.
Really Big Spatula – Clear your pan of cookies in no time with the Really Big Spatula. Flexible and easy to use, this oversized spatula is great for scooping your pans clean (I also use mine for making pancakes).
How to prevent cookies from sticking to the pan
The secret to no-stick cookies is proper baking and cooling time. As soon as your cookies are done, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool on the pan for 5 minutes. This allows the cookies to set and release from the pan.
If the cookies are in the oven for too long, the bottoms may burn, which can cause sticking. If you’re using an aluminum pan or a pan without a nonstick coating, grease your pan with non-stick vegetable spray or line it with parchment paper before baking your cookies.
What to do with leftover pumpkin
If you’re using a 15 oz. can of pureed pumpkin, you should have about 1¼ cups of pumpkin left over. While you can always make another batch of cookies, you can also check out these other recipes that use pureed pumpkin!
I recommend the Pumpkin Cream Cheese Muffins, which uses exactly 1¼ cups of pumpkin puree! Plus, they’re filled with all the tasty fall vibes!
If you have a four-legged friend, you can make some homemade treats with this Peanut Butter Dog Treat recipe.
Check out a few of our other favorite recipes in our collection of 12 Easy Pumpkin Desserts Using Canned Pumpkin.
How to store leftover pumpkin
Store the extra pumpkin puree in a plastic bag or an airtight container in the refrigerator. If you don’t plan on using it within 5 days, you can freeze it and use it when you’re ready
How to store pumpkin chocolate chip cookies
After baking, make sure your pumpkin cookies are completely cooled before storing. Place them in an airtight container or bag and keep them at room temperature.
You can also freeze baked cookies for several months. Wrap them in plastic wrap, then aluminum foil. Place them in the freezer until ready to eat.
To defrost, remove the cookies from the foil and plastic wrap and lay them flat on a sheet at room temperature until defrosted.
How to freeze cookie dough
If you’re not ready to bake these cookies right away, you can freeze the raw cookie dough by shaping it into balls, then placing it in a freezer bag. Stored this way, your dough should last several months.
This is a great tip for those with smaller families! Just prep and freeze your dough, then bake one or two cookies at a time.
How to bake frozen cookie dough
When you’re ready to bake, place the frozen cookie dough balls on an ungreased nonstick baking sheet and bake straight from the freezer. Keep in mind that it may take 2 to 3 minutes longer to finish baking.How to keep cookies fresh
After baking and cooling, store your cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for about 3 days. If you’re planning to keep these cookies longer than that, you can store them in the freezer to help them maintain their freshness.Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 2 ¼ cups All-Purpose Flour
- 2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 cup Unsalted Butter 2 sticks cut into 1/2 inch slices
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar
- ½ cup Dark Brown Sugar Firmly Packed
- ½ cup Canned Pumpkin Puree *
- 1 ¾ cup Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips Divided
Instructions
How to make pumpkin pie spice
- If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice on hand, you can easily make your own out of a few spice cabinet staples. To substitute the 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice, use 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/4 teaspoon ground clove and 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg.
- If you don’t like a particular spice or flavor, feel free to cut back on that spice and increase another to suit your taste. The spices will not alter the texture or bake of the finished cookies.
How to make pumpkin chocolate chip cookies
- To begin, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt. Using a fork or a whisk, stir all the dry ingredients until fully incorporated. Set aside.
- In a large microwave-safe bowl, microwave the butter at half (50%) power for 30 seconds. Continue microwaving at 30-second intervals until the butter is completely melted.Set it aside to cool slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Once the butter has slightly cooled, add the granulated sugar, brown sugar and pumpkin puree to the melted butter. Use a whisk to thoroughly combine all the ingredients.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, stirring until all the flour mixture disappears and everything is incorporated and happy!
- Using a rubber spatula or spoon, fold in 1½ cups of chocolate chips. We’ll use the rest of the chocolate as garnish!
- At this point, the dough will look soft, but that’s okay! Place it in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes, or until it’s firm enough to scoop.
- Using a cookie scoop or spoon, place round tablespoons of dough onto an ungreased nonstick cookie sheet, spacing about 2 in. apart.
- Using your hand, slightly flatten each cookie, then place a few extra chocolate chips on each one (more chocolate for the win!).
- Bake your cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are light golden brown. Let your cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes before removing them and letting them cool completely on a cooling grid.Enjoy warm, cooled or dipped in your favorite hot beverage!
Notes
Have you tried this tasty pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe? If so, we want to see it! Share a picture of your cookies on Instagram or Facebook and tag us @wiltoncakes. Happy baking!
Can I substitute canned pumpkin puree to fresh pumpkin?
We haven’t tried it ourselves but I don’t see why not. Let us know how it turns out!
Why on earth not give fresh pureed pumpkin as an option? The stores are full of pie pumpkins at this time of year, and the taste is so superior to canned pumpkin that it’s like night and day,
will these be crisp or chewy?
Hi Patricia – These cookies are soft and chewy. Let us know how they turn out!
Too oily, please review this recipe