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I love these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies because they have a chewy consistency, are so perfect for fall, and are super easy to make. If you have leftover pumpkin puree and chocolate chips from this recipe, I highly suggest trying my Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread.
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I don’t make promises I don’t mean, but I promise that you’ll absolutely love these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. When I make them, I can’t keep them in my house long enough! My kids beg me for these cookies as soon as the temperatures drop and the leaves change color!
These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are soft, chewy, and rich from the chocolate chips. They also have the perfect amount of pumpkin spice flavor—enough to make them super flavorful but not overpowering!
Recipe At a Glance
Cuisine Inspiration: American
Primary Cooking Method: Oven
Dietary Info: Vegetarian
Key Flavor: Vhocolaty goodness with mellow earthy pumpkin
Skill Level: Easy
Why This Is So Good
- Simple to make: This recipe is straightforward, even if you’re not a pro in the kitchen or much of a baker!
- Moist and fluffy: Thanks to the pumpkin, these cookies have a wonderfully soft and moist texture and taste totally different from regular chocolate chip cookies.
- Warm and comforting flavors: Pumpkin and chocolate bring sweetness and warmth! The hint of pumpkin spice adds a spicy touch that ties everything together. They simply taste like fall!
Ingredients to Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Canned pumpkin: This adds moisture and gives that signature pumpkin flavor. Opt for pure pumpkin puree without added spices or sugars.
- Flour: Regular, all-purpose flour is the move here! It adds structure but still keeps the cookies light.
- Baking soda: This helps the cookies rise and spread.
- Sugars: Both granulated and brown sugar goes into these pumpkin spice chocolate chip cookies! They both add moisture, but brown sugar lends a molasses-y flavor, too!
- Avocado oil: This gives the chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies a tender texture. You can replace it with another neutral oil like canola, vegetable, or grapeseed.
- Egg: This acts as a binder, holding all the ingredients together.
- Vanilla extract: Always go for pure vanilla extract for the best flavor. You can also use vanilla paste!
- Pumpkin pie spice: You can make your own if you have 5 minutes to spare!
- Salt: You’ll need just a bit to enhance all of the other flavors.
- Semisweet chocolate chips: If you’re a chocolate lover, feel free to add a bit more!
Popular Substitutions & Additions
- Swap out the chocolate chips. While the recipe calls for semisweet chocolate chips, you can use dark chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, or even butterscotch chips.
- Add nuts. Fold in chopped walnuts or pecans into the batter. You could also sprinkle pumpkin seeds on top of the unbaked cookies!
- Use a different flour. You can substitute some of the all-purpose flour for whole-wheat flour or use a gluten-free flour blend.
- Use a different squash. Swap in butternut squash puree (it’ll taste the same!).
How to Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
I love a one-bowl cookie! Not only are they easy to make, but it means I can enjoy them faster.
Tips for Making Soft Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. The cans sit right next to each other on grocery store shelves, so it’s easy to mistake them for each other. But you want to make sure the only ingredient is pumpkin puree since you’ll be adding the sugar and spices yourself!
- Remove excess liquid from the pumpkin: You can use a paper towel to blot it dry, or if there’s a lot of liquid, you can strain it using a fine-mesh strainer.
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silpmat, but don’t grease the pan. This will help the cookies bake without sticking! Greasing the pan will make the cookies spread or brown too much.
- Flatten the cookie dough ball if you want a flatter cookie. Because these cookies don’t contain butter, they don’t spread very much! Fattening them (using your hand or the bottom of a drinking glass) will help them spread more.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet first. Do this for 10 minutes before moving them onto a cooling rack. They will continue to cook on the hot baking sheet and firm up a bit!
Frequently Asked Questions
Store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature, and they will be good for around 7 days. You can also freeze them. Freeze them uncovered on a baking sheet and then transfer to freezer bags when they’re solid. Thaw them at room temperature.
Yes, you can make the dough and refrigerate overnight. The cookies will be more moist though since the dough will absorb all the moisture from the pumpkin puree.
Yes, you can substitute fresh pumpkin instead of canned pumpkin puree. But, when you make your own, it tends to have more water content. So, if you’re doing that, I recommend draining some of the liquid with a colander and then dabbing it with a paper towel to remove some moisture.
If you haven’t tried pumpkin and chocolate together before, one bite of these cookies will have you wondering why you didn’t sooner! These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies strike a fine balance between rich, chocolaty goodness and the mellow warmth of pumpkin. I just know you’ll love these cookies as much I do.
More Cookie Recipes:
- Chocolate Chip Tahini Cookies
- Apple Butter Cookies
- Pecan Snowball Cookies
- Chocolate Crinkle Cookies
- Blueberry Cookies
- Chewy Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Flourless Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Banana Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Date Cookies
- Chocolate Hazelnut Cookies
If you try this feel good Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies recipe or any other recipe on Feel Good Foodie, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and leave a comment below! It helps others who are thinking of making the recipe. We would love to hear about your experience making it. And if you snapped some shots, share it on Instagram so we can repost on Stories!
This pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe was originally published on October 28, 2019 and has recently been updated with new photography, step-by-step images, tips, and a modified recipe using a more traditional recipe. If you loved the original recipe, you can find it in the recipe card below under Notes.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Video
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar packed
- ½ cup can pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the sugars, pumpkin, oil, egg and vanilla extract until smooth.
- Transfer the dry ingredients on top of the wet ingredients and mix together with a rubber spatula. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Using a medium spring-loaded cookie scoop, scoop about 1.5 tablespoons of the cookie dough and place it on one of the prepared baking sheets, spaced at least two inches apart.
- Bake for 11-13 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. The centers should be slightly soft.
- Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool completely on the baking sheet before enjoying.
Equipment
Notes
- To make it vegan, substitute the egg for a flax egg, which is made by mixing together 1 tablespoon flaxseed with 2 tablespoons water and letting it rest for 5 minutes.
1 cup cane sugar
¼ cup avocado oil
¼ cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon milk
1 large eggs
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
2 cups white whole wheat flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
Preheat oven to 350°F and line two cookie sheets with parchment paper.
In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin, sugar, oil, applesauce, egg and vanilla extract until smooth. Dissolve the baking soda with the milk and stir into the wet ingredient mixture.
In another medium bowl, toss together the flour baking powder, ground cinnamon, and salt.
Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix together with a rubber spatula. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Use a spring-loaded cookie scoop to drop cookie dough on prepared cookie sheets.
Bake 10 minutes or until lightly brown and firm.
Allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes on the cookie sheets before transferring to a wire rack.
Nutrition
Nutrition information provided is an estimate. It will vary based on cooking method and specific ingredients used.
Made these exactly as written. I did have to keep half my batch in the oven longer since it was in the middle rack above the other batch but all good. Love how fluffy they are!
Yay, so happy you love them! Thank you!!
Just like the Feel Good Foodie Pumpkin Chocolate Chip bread, but cookie-er!! So easy to make (the kids helped), and even easier to eat. This is definitely my new go-to fall cookie recipe!
Amazing! So happy you love the recipe and that your kids got to help! Thanks, Claire!!
I am very surprised that you list canola oil or vegetable oil in what seems to be a very nice recipe. Those two oils are very inflammatory. I look for much healthier options.
I would sub avocado oil or coconut oil.
Since the studies about canola oil and vegetable oil are pretty recent, I used to use these oils in older recipes of mine. I have recently switched to using avocado oil as my neutral oil of choice for these types of recipes. I do however still use organic canola oil when making my garlic sauce since avocado oil will turn the sauce green.
Just made these and they are sooo yummy! Is it best to store at room temp or refrigerate?
Thank you so much, Carley! You can store them at room temp for up to a week.
Made these tonight. A hit with the kids and me!
That made my day to hear! Yay!
I loved them and the kids as well
So glad to hear it! Thank you!
This recipe is super easy to follow and pretty light for a treat. Strongly recommend it.
Thanks so much! I appreciate it!