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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies with spiced dough and rich, dark chocolate chip puddles throughout. Blotted-dry pumpkin helps the cookies spread less while baking into golden, caramelized edges.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Servings: 30 servings
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 160
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 2.25 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp salt
Wet ingredients
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter softened
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar packed
  • 0.67 cup pumpkin puree blotted as dry as possible
  • 1 egg yolk not the whole egg
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
Mix-ins and topping
  • 1.5 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 0.1 tsp flaky sea salt for topping

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and bake
  1. Preheat oven to 375F and line baking sheets with parchment. Make sure the sheets are ready so the dough can go in right after mixing.
  2. Blot pumpkin puree between many layers of paper towels until very dry. Look for less visible liquid so the cookies spread and bake with a thicker shape.
  3. Whisk all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl. Continue until the spices are evenly distributed.
  4. Beat softened unsalted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy. The mixture should look lighter in color and hold soft peaks.
  5. Add blotted pumpkin puree, egg yolk, and vanilla extract to the butter mixture. Mix until smooth and orange-gold throughout with no streaks.
  6. Fold in the flour mixture and stop as soon as no dry streaks remain. Keep the dough thick so it bakes tender rather than tough.
  7. Fold in dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips. You should see dark chocolate chips evenly dotted through the dough.
  8. Scoop dough into 2-tablespoon rounds and place on the baking sheets. Leave space between each mound for spreading.
  9. Bake at 375F for 11-13 minutes until edges are golden. Watch for caramelized, set edges while centers still look slightly soft.
  10. Sprinkle cookies with flaky sea salt, then cool on the pan for 5 minutes. The tops will look lightly speckled and the cookies will finish setting as they cool.

Notes

Pro tip: blotting pumpkin puree until very dry is the key step that helps the cookies spread less and develop crisp, caramelized edges. Store airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days or refrigerate for up to 5 days; freezer yes—freeze baked cookies airtight for up to 2 months and thaw at room temperature. For a gluten-free swap, use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend that includes xanthan gum (results may vary slightly).