This soft Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe makes chewy, tender cookies with the perfect combination of pumpkin, spices, and chocolate!
One of our favorite pumpkin desserts is pumpkin chocolate chip muffins, so I decided to make a cookie version. The result is a fabulous combination of chocolate chip cookies and pumpkin muffins! Although they are traditionally made in the fall, we love them year-round.
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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Ingredients
These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies have all of the basic cookie ingredients plus pumpkin puree, spices, and mini chocolate chips.
- Butter and Shortening: I like using a combination of butter and shortening in my cookie recipes. Shortening helps the cookies rise more and gives them a light texture while preventing the cookies from spreading too much. On the other hand, butter brings flavor and helps make the cookies crispy.
- Granulated Sugar and Brown Sugar: For this recipe, we used some brown sugar in addition to the granulated sugar because it adds a little extra flavor and color. If you prefer, you can choose to use only granulated sugar.
- Egg: The egg adds fat and moisture to these cookies as well as provides structure and leavening.
- Vanilla Extract: You only need to add a little vanilla extract to make a big difference in your baked goods, and be sure to use pure vanilla extract for the best results.
- Pumpkin Puree: This recipe uses canned pumpkin. Look for cans of 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. The extra pumpkin puree can be stored in the refrigerator or freezer to use for another recipe. Try making a pumpkin smoothie or pumpkin spice latte!
- Flour: The all-purpose flour provides the structure for the cookies and gives them shape and texture.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda: These are the main leaveners in this cookie recipe and help with the texture.
- Spices: These cookies have the perfect blend of ground cinnamon, salt, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves in them!
- Chocolate Chips: I used mini semi-sweet chocolate chips because they disperse evenly throughout the batter so that you get a little taste of chocolate in every bite.
How To Make Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies
Making pumpkin chocolate chip cookies is similar to making pumpkin muffins, but instead of scooping the batter into the muffin pan, you scoop it onto a cookie sheet.
Cream the Fats and Sugars: Creaming the butter and shortening with the granulated sugar and brown sugar means that you are beating them together at a medium-high speed to form a well-combined creamy mixture that is light in color and fluffy in texture.
Beat in the Egg and Vanilla: Add the egg and vanilla and continue beating until combined.
Add the Pumpkin Puree: For the remaining ingredients, you’ll want to use a low speed to stir the ingredients in rather than beat them into the mixture. Add the pumpkin puree and stir until it is combined.
Stir in the Dry Ingredients: Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves in a separate bowl before stirring them into the batter for the pumpkin cookies. This will help ensure that the leavening agents and spices are evenly dispersed throughout the batter. Then, stir in the mini chocolate chips.
Scoop the Dough Onto Baking Sheets: I prefer using a cookie dough scoop to form the cookie dough balls because it gives you even amounts of dough each time. This will help the cookies finish baking at the same time.
Bake: Bake the cookies at 350˚F for 8-10 minutes. Once you pull them out of the oven, leave them on the baking sheet for a couple of minutes so they can cool slightly and set. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Other Ways To Make Them
It’s always fun to customize your desserts! If you want to add more to these cookies, here are a few suggestions:
- Baking Chips: You can use regular semi-sweet chocolate chips instead of mini ones. Or use dark chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or white chocolate chips instead.
- Nuts: Chopped walnuts or pecans would be delicious in these cookies as well.
- Cranberries: Add a cup of dried cranberries to the cookie dough for a pop of color and flavor.
- Frosting: You could drizzle them with melted chocolate or powdered sugar glaze. Or top them with cream cheese buttercream, or a sprinkle of powdered sugar.
Make Ahead and Storage
Make Ahead: You can prepare the cookie dough ahead of time and freeze the cookie dough balls. Make the balls of dough and place them on parchment-lined trays. Place the trays in the freezer until the dough balls harden. Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag for storage. When you are ready to bake the cookies, remove the cookie dough balls and let them thaw on a baking sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes before baking.
Storage: Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the fridge for up to 7 days, or in the freezer for up to 4 weeks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can freeze them! Store them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to four weeks. Put parchment paper between the layers to prevent them from sticking together. Since these cookies have a light texture, they thaw quickly!
Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are like a combination of pumpkin muffins and chocolate chip cookies. They are light in texture, like a muffin but have the shape of a cookie.
Yes, you can omit the chocolate chips if you prefer.
Make More Pumpkin Recipes
- Every holiday dinner needs to include a homemade Pumpkin Pie!
- This delicious Pumpkin Cake is topped with cream cheese frosting.
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread is the best fall dessert!
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Bars have a tasty gingersnap crust.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Video
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup shortening
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- 1 ½ cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350˚F. Cream the butter, shortening, granulated sugar, and brown sugar.
- Add the egg and vanilla. Beat well.
- Stir in the pumpkin puree until combined.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, baking powder, salt, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves. Add to the wet ingredients. Stir to combine.
- Stir in the mini chocolate chips.
- Scoop dough with a two-tablespoon dough scoop onto parchment-lined baking sheets about 2 inches apart.
- Bake at 350˚F for 8-10 minutes.
- Cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
One: Storage
Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the fridge for up to 7 days, or in the freezer for up to 4 weeks.Two: Freezer
Make the balls of dough and place them on parchment-lined trays. Place the trays in the freezer until the dough balls harden. Then, transfer them to a freezer-safe bag for storage. When you are ready to bake the cookies, remove the cookie dough balls and let them thaw on a baking sheet at room temperature for 20 minutes before baking.Three: Variations
- Baking Chips: You can use regular semi-sweet chocolate chips instead of mini ones. Or use dark chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or white chocolate chips instead.
- Nuts: Chopped walnuts or pecans would be delicious in these cookies as well.
- Cranberries: Add a cup of dried cranberries to the cookie dough for a pop of color and flavor.
- Frosting: You could drizzle them with melted chocolate or powdered sugar glaze. Or top them with cream cheese buttercream, or a sprinkle of powdered sugar.
Anita says
Yum! These are perfect!