Skip to content 
You know those desserts that disappear before you even find a plate? That’s these cookies. They’re fall in a bite—warm spice, melty chocolate, and a pumpkin-soft center that doesn’t taste like a candle store.
The dough comes together fast, bakes faster, and makes your kitchen smell like you meant to plan ahead. Make a batch and watch your group chat suddenly remember your address.
What Makes This Special
Most pumpkin cookies taste cakey and bland. Not these.
We dial the moisture and fat so you get chewy middles with lightly crisp edges, plus just enough spice to make the chocolate pop instead of hiding it.
The secret duo: blotted pumpkin puree and a mix of brown + granulated sugar. That combo keeps the dough sturdy, the crumb tender, and the flavor deep. Oh, and a splash of vanilla with espresso powder?
It amplifies chocolate without tasting like coffee. You’ll feel clever. Because you are.
What You’ll Need (Ingredients)
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1/2 cup (120 g) pumpkin puree, blotted dry with paper towels (measure after blotting)
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup (135 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg yolk (no white)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg (freshly grated if possible)
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cloves (optional but bold)
- 1/2 teaspoon instant espresso powder (optional, boosts chocolate)
- 1 1/4 cups (210 g) semisweet chocolate chips or chunks
- Flaky sea salt, for topping (optional but elite)
How to Make It – Instructions
- Prep the pumpkin: Spread pumpkin puree on a few layers of paper towel.Top with another towel and press gently to remove excess water. You’ll lose some weight; that’s the point.
- Heat the butter: Melt butter until just liquid, then let it cool 5–7 minutes. Warm, not hot.If it’s sizzling, your dough will be greasy and you’ll cry. Figuratively.
- Whisk the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until glossy, about 30 seconds. Whisk in blotted pumpkin, egg yolk, and vanilla until smooth.
- Combine the dry: In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and espresso powder.
- Bring it together: Add dry ingredients to wet.Stir with a spatula just until no streaks of flour remain. Fold in chocolate chips. Dough will be slightly sticky but scoopable.
- Chill: Cover and refrigerate 30–45 minutes.This hydrates the flour and keeps cookies thick. Skip this and you’ll get pumpkin pancakes (sad).
- Preheat: Heat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line 2 baking sheets with parchment.
- Scoop: Use a 2-tablespoon scoop to portion dough, spacing 2 inches apart.Press a few extra chips on top for bakery energy.
- Bake: 10–12 minutes, until edges are set and centers look slightly underdone. They’ll finish on the sheet—trust the process.
- Finish: Tap the pan once on the counter to settle. If you want perfect circles, scoot with a round cutter while warm.Sprinkle flaky salt if using. Cool 10 minutes on the sheet, then move to a rack.
Keeping It Fresh
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temp for 3–4 days. Slip in a slice of bread to keep them soft (the bread takes the hit).
For longer storage, freeze baked cookies up to 2 months; thaw at room temp or warm 2–3 minutes in a 300°F oven.
Want fresh-baked on demand? Scoop raw dough, freeze on a tray until solid, then bag. Bake from frozen at 350°F, adding 1–2 minutes.
Instant flex, zero hassle, IMO.
Benefits of This Recipe
- Balanced texture: Chewy middles, lightly crisp edges, no cakey sadness.
- Max flavor: Warm spices + espresso powder = chocolate loud and proud.
- Streamlined steps: Melted butter, one egg yolk, zero mixers required.
- Reliable spread: Blotted pumpkin keeps cookies from going fluffy muffin-mode.
- Make-ahead friendly: Dough and baked cookies both freeze like champs.
Don’t Make These Errors
- Using unblotted pumpkin: Extra water means puffy, cakey, meh cookies. Blot it like you mean it.
- Hot butter in the dough: Melted is good; scorching is not. Hot butter melts sugar weirdly and wrecks structure.
- Overmixing: Stir until combined.Overworking develops gluten and steals tenderness.
- Overbaking: Pull when centers look a touch underdone. They set as they cool. Dry cookies are a crime.
- Too much spice: Pumpkin loves spice, yes, but heavy-handed cloves can overpower the chocolate.Keep it balanced.
Alternatives
- Gluten-free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend with xanthan gum. Chill 45–60 minutes for best structure.
- Dairy-free: Swap butter for refined coconut oil or vegan butter; use dairy-free chocolate chips. Expect slightly less spread—press dough mounds gently before baking.
- Whole wheat twist: Replace 1/2 cup of the flour with white whole wheat.Chewier, nuttier, still excellent.
- Chocolate options: Try half semisweet, half dark chunks. Or add 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans for texture.
- Maple vibe: Replace 2 tablespoons granulated sugar with pure maple syrup and reduce pumpkin by 1 tablespoon to offset moisture.
- Less sweet: Drop granulated sugar by 2 tablespoons and add a pinch more salt. The flavor still pops.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Baking Sheets
- Parchment Paper
- Cookie Scoop
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree blotted dry with paper towels
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar packed
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
Dry Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/8 tsp ground nutmeg freshly grated if possible
- 1/8 tsp ground cloves optional
- 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder optional
- 1 1/4 cups semisweet chocolate chips or chunks
- flaky sea salt for topping, optional
Instructions
- Spread pumpkin puree on paper towels, top with another, and press gently to blot excess moisture.
- Melt butter until liquid, then let cool for 5–7 minutes.
- Whisk together butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until glossy. Whisk in pumpkin, egg yolk, and vanilla.
- In another bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, spices, and espresso powder.
- Combine dry and wet ingredients. Stir just until combined. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Chill dough in refrigerator for 30–45 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line baking sheets with parchment.
- Scoop 2-tablespoon portions of dough, place 2 inches apart. Add extra chips on top if desired.
- Bake 10–12 minutes until edges are set and centers look slightly underdone. Tap pan gently to settle.
- Sprinkle flaky salt if using. Cool 10 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer to rack.
Notes
FAQ
Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pumpkin puree?
No.
Pumpkin pie filling has sugar and spices already mixed in, which will throw off sweetness, moisture, and the spice balance. Use plain pumpkin puree only.
Do I really need to chill the dough?
Yes if you want thickness and chew. Chilling hydrates flour and firms the butter so the cookies spread predictably.
If you’re in a rush, chill at least 20 minutes in the freezer as a compromise.
Why just the egg yolk?
The yolk adds fat and richness without extra water from the white. That means a denser, chewier cookie instead of cake-town. It also helps emulsify the dough for better texture.
My cookies didn’t spread—what happened?
Likely too much flour or over-chilled dough.
Fluff and spoon your flour into the cup, then level. If the dough is very firm, let portions sit on the tray 10 minutes before baking and press slightly.
Can I make them bigger?
Absolutely. Use a 3-tablespoon scoop and bake 12–14 minutes.
Look for set edges and glossy centers. Bigger cookies keep their gooey middle longer (not mad about it).
How do I keep them soft for days?
Store airtight with a slice of bread or a brown sugar saver. Rewarm in a low oven for a few minutes to re-soften the centers.
Microwave works in a pinch, FYI.
Can I reduce the sugar?
Within reason. You can cut total sugar by about 1/4 cup without wrecking texture. Any more and you’ll lose chew, spread, and caramelization.
Balance with a touch more vanilla and salt.
What if I don’t have espresso powder?
Skip it or sub an equal amount of instant coffee, finely ground. It won’t taste like coffee; it just makes the chocolate taste more chocolatey. Subtle but effective.
In Conclusion
These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies hit the fall flavor checklist without sacrificing texture.
They’re easy, fast, and engineered for max chew, rich chocolate, and just-right spice. Make them once and you’ll start buying pumpkin puree in bulk. Consider yourself warned—and preheat the oven already.
