Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies 6 Powerful Tips for Perfect Chewiness
Chewy, warmly spiced Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies with melty chips in every bite. Melted butter, blotted pumpkin, and a chill step deliver bakery-level chew without cakiness.
Equipment
- Mixing bowls
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper or silicone mats
- Medium cookie scoop
- Cooling rack
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and slightly cooled
- 1/4 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 6 tbsp pumpkin puree well blotted to remove excess moisture
Dry Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice store-bought or homemade
Mix-Ins
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips plus a few extra for topping
Instructions
- Whisk melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth and lump-free. Whisk in vanilla and well-blotted pumpkin until the mixture is glossy and uniform.
- In a separate bowl, whisk flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice until evenly combined.
- Stir the wet mixture into the dry with a spatula until no dry streaks remain. Fold in chocolate chips. Dough will be soft.
- Cover and chill for at least 30 minutes or up to 3 days. Chilling is essential for chewy cookies that hold their shape.
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment or silicone mats. Scoop about 1.5 tablespoons of dough per cookie, roll into balls, place 3 inches apart, and gently flatten tops.
- Bake 11–12 minutes until edges look set and centers appear soft. If cookies did not spread enough, lightly press with the back of a spoon while warm. Press a few extra chips on top for a bakery finish, if desired.
- Cool on the sheets for at least 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack. Flavor deepens and texture becomes chewier as they cool; even better on day two.
- Storage Keep covered at room temperature up to 1 week. For longer storage, freeze baked cookies or dough balls up to 3 months. Bake frozen dough balls 1 minute longer without thawing.
Notes
Blot pumpkin puree well for less moisture and more chew. If chilling beyond 30 minutes, let dough rest at room temp 15–30 minutes before scooping. For DIY pumpkin spice, use 1/4 tsp each ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice in addition to the cinnamon. Recipe doubles easily; chill doubled dough about 45 minutes.