Fall baking · Small-batch comfort
Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies bring together warm spice, golden pumpkin dough and generous pockets of chocolate. This egg-free version uses a short chill to keep the cookies thick, with soft centers and lightly set edges.
What makes these pumpkin cookies different?
Pumpkin supplies moisture, so this dough does not need an egg. Blotting the purée removes some excess water, while melted butter and brown sugar give a richer bite. Expect a tender pumpkin cookie rather than the crisp texture of a classic chocolate chip cookie.
Use plain pumpkin purée, not sweetened pumpkin pie filling. Measure flour by weight when possible; scooping flour straight from the bag can pack in too much and leave the dough dry.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Makes: about 18 cookies · Total: about 70 minutes for two batches, plus cooling · Oven: 350°F / 175°C, conventional
Ingredients
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- ½ cup packed (100 g) light brown sugar
- ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (80 g) plain pumpkin purée
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¾ cups (210 g) all-purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- ¾ cup (130 g) semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Blot the pumpkin. Measure the purée, spread it on a plate and gently press with paper towels to absorb surface moisture. Keep the remaining thick purée.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Whisk the cooled butter with both sugars. Stir in the pumpkin and vanilla until evenly combined.
- Make the dough. In a separate bowl, whisk the flour, spice, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Fold into the wet mixture just until no dry flour remains. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Chill and prepare. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 350°F / 175°C and line two baking sheets with parchment.
- Scoop and bake. Divide into 18 portions, about 2 tablespoons each. Place 2 inches apart and flatten slightly. Bake one sheet at a time for 11–13 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers look soft but no longer wet.
- Cool. Leave on the sheet for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack. The cookies firm as they cool; let the second sheet cool before reusing it.
Tips for soft pumpkin chocolate chip cookies
Cool the melted butter before mixing: hot butter makes the dough greasy and melts the chips. Do not add extra flour simply because the freshly mixed dough feels soft; chill it first. If your first cookie spreads too much, chill the remaining dough another 15 minutes.
Storage and make-ahead
Keep cooled cookies airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Freeze portioned dough on a tray before bagging it. Bake frozen portions with an extra 1–2 minutes, checking the centers rather than relying only on the timer.
Recipe photographs are AI-generated illustrations. Baking time varies by oven and portion size.
