Pumpkin and chocolate are a better pair than they sound. The pumpkin keeps these cookies soft and tender, the spice tastes like fall, and the chocolate chips add pockets of richness. This is the cookie to bake when the first cold weekend arrives, and it comes together in one bowl with pantry staples and a can of pumpkin.
Makes: about 24 cookies. Prep: 15 minutes, plus 30 minutes chilling. Bake: 12 to 14 minutes per tray.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ cup (113 g) butter, softened
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) packed brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (170 g) pure pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1½ cups (255 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Spread the pumpkin purée on a few layers of paper towel and blot the top with another towel to remove excess moisture.
- Whisk the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg in a medium bowl.
- In a large bowl, beat the butter with both sugars for about 2 minutes, until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla, then the blotted pumpkin.
- Add the dry ingredients and stir just until no streaks of flour remain. Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Cover and chill the dough for 30 minutes. This thickens it so the cookies hold their shape.
- Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Scoop the dough into rounded 2-tablespoon mounds, spacing them about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers look just barely dry. They will firm up as they cool.
- Cool on the tray for 5 minutes, then move to a wire rack.
Why these cookies come out soft, not soggy
Pumpkin purée is mostly water, and extra water is what turns cookie dough puffy and wet. Blotting the purée, chilling the dough and using a modest amount of pumpkin keeps the texture soft and cake-like without turning it gummy. These are a softer, more tender cookie than a classic chewy one. If you want that style instead, try our soft chewy chocolate chip cookies.
Pumpkin purée vs. pumpkin pie filling
Check the can. Pure pumpkin purée contains only pumpkin. Pumpkin pie filling is already sweetened and spiced, so it throws off the balance of a recipe like this one. If you only have filling, skip this recipe rather than guessing at adjustments. If you have a fresh pumpkin or a roasted squash, you can purée it and drain it in a fine strainer, and our roasted butternut squash soup shows how to roast squash until it is deeply sweet.
Tips for better pumpkin cookies
- Weigh your flour. Too much flour makes them dry, too little makes them spread. A scale removes the guesswork, as we explain in measuring cups vs. grams.
- Use a cookie scoop. Even-sized cookies bake evenly.
- Do not overbake. Pull them when the centers look set but not browned. If your batch flattens, see why cookies spread too much.
- Test one first. Bake a single cookie before the whole tray, especially if your pumpkin was wetter than usual.
More pumpkin and apple desserts for fall
Once you have a can of pumpkin open, these quick recipes use the rest. Each one is a short, reliable version of a classic.
Pumpkin dump cake
This is the easiest fall dessert there is. Whisk one 15-ounce can of pumpkin purée with one 12-ounce can of evaporated milk, 3 eggs, 1 cup (200 g) sugar, 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice and ½ teaspoon salt. Pour it into a greased 9×13-inch pan. Sprinkle one box of dry yellow cake mix evenly over the top, without stirring. Drizzle 1 cup (2 sticks, 225 g) melted butter over the cake mix, covering as much dry powder as you can, and add ½ cup chopped pecans if you like. Bake at 350°F (175°C) for 50 to 55 minutes, until the top is golden and a knife in the center comes out clean. Cool for at least 30 minutes, since it sets as it cools. If you buy cake mix in bulk for this, here is how to store boxed cake mix long term.
Pumpkin cheesecake bars
Mix 1½ cups (150 g) graham cracker crumbs with 5 tablespoons melted butter and 2 tablespoons sugar. Press into a lined 9×9-inch pan and bake at 325°F (165°C) for 8 minutes. Beat 16 ounces (450 g) softened cream cheese with ½ cup (100 g) sugar until smooth, then beat in ½ cup pumpkin purée, 2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla and 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice. Pour over the crust and bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the edges are set and the center barely jiggles. Cool to room temperature, then chill for at least 4 hours before cutting. Use cream cheese at room temperature, or you will get lumps.
Pumpkin coffee cake with streusel
For the streusel, rub 4 tablespoons cold butter into ½ cup (63 g) flour, ½ cup packed brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon until crumbly. For the cake, whisk 2 cups (250 g) flour, 1½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt and 1½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice. Beat ½ cup (113 g) softened butter with ¾ cup (150 g) sugar, then beat in 2 eggs, 1 cup (245 g) pumpkin purée, ½ cup sour cream and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in the dry ingredients until just combined. Spread in a greased 9-inch square pan, cover with the streusel and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 45 to 50 minutes. A toothpick should come out clean.
Apple pie cookies
Cook 2 medium apples, peeled and diced small, in 1 tablespoon butter with 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon for about 5 minutes, until just tender. Cool completely. Beat ½ cup (113 g) softened butter with ¾ cup packed brown sugar, then beat in 1 egg and 1 teaspoon vanilla. Stir in 1¾ cups (220 g) flour, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Fold in the cooled apples, chill for 30 minutes, then bake rounded tablespoons at 350°F (175°C) for 11 to 13 minutes. Pre-cooking the apples keeps them from releasing water into the dough. For a different apple cookie, try our soft apple oat cookies.
Apple cider donuts (baked)
Simmer 1 cup apple cider in a small pan for 15 to 20 minutes, until reduced to about ¼ cup. Cool it. Whisk 2 cups (250 g) flour, 1½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon nutmeg. In another bowl, mix ¼ cup (57 g) melted butter, ¾ cup packed brown sugar, 1 egg, ½ cup buttermilk and the reduced cider. Combine just until mixed, spoon into a greased donut pan and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10 to 12 minutes. Brush the warm donuts with melted butter and roll in cinnamon sugar. Reducing the cider concentrates the flavor so it actually tastes like cider. Looking for more ways to use the season’s fruit? Browse what to make with fresh apples.
Storing and freezing
Keep the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days. Because they are moist, put parchment between layers so they do not stick. To freeze, scoop the dough, freeze the mounds on a tray, then bag them and bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes. More on this in our guide to freezer-friendly meals. Anything with cream cheese, such as the cheesecake bars, should stay refrigerated.
Common questions
Why are my pumpkin cookies cakey? That is normal for pumpkin. If you want less cake, blot the purée well and chill the dough, and do not add extra flour.
Can I use white chocolate or butterscotch chips? Yes. Both work, and white chocolate chips are especially good with the spices. Our guide to pairing with chocolate has more ideas.
Can I make the dough ahead? Yes. It keeps in the fridge for up to three days.
