NOT Cakey Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

About These Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Are you looking for pumpkin chocolate chip cookies that are NOT cakey, and instead have the crisp-on-the-outside, chewy-in-the-center texture of your favorite chocolate chip cookies? Well, look no further—this pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe is IT! This cookie recipe is officially one of my favorite fall baking recipes on Hummingbird High.

Why?

In fact, with their pools of melted chocolate and flaky sea salt, these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies LOOK like traditional chocolate chip cookies. But don’t be fooled—it is a cookie recipe with pumpkin puree, and loaded with lots of pumpkin spice and cinnamon flavor!

For more desserts with pumpkin puree, check out Hummingbird High‘s pumpkin recipes!

@hummingbirdhigh i HATE cakey cookies okay #pumpkinseason #chocolatechipcookies ♬ The Great British Bake Off – Tom Howe

Ingredients and Substitutions

Now that I’ve convinced you to make pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, here’s everything you need for the recipe:

Shopping List for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the exact ingredient amounts and quantities:

• all-purpose flour
• pumpkin spice
• ground cinnamon
• baking powder
• baking soda
• kosher salt
• unsalted butter
• brown sugar
• granulated sugar
• large eggs
• canned pumpkin puree
• pure vanilla extract
• dark chocolate (between 60% to 70% cacao), from whole fèves or a high-quality chocolate bar

And let’s talk about some key ingredients and any potential substitutions:

How To Make The Recipe

Here are the basic steps to make pumpkin chocolate chip cookies from scratch:

1. Prep the ingredients for the recipe. (Prep Time: 5 to 10 minutes)
   The prep process for these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies is easy! All you need to do is measure out the ingredients beforehand. That’s it! If you’re using whole fèves like I recommended, there’s no need to chop them up beforehand. As a result, your prep time will only be about 5 minutes. However, if you’re chopping up chocolate for the recipe, your prep time will be 10 minutes.
   
   
2. Then, make the cookie dough. (Work Time: 5 minutes)
   The dough comes together really quickly. First, mix the dry ingredients in a small bowl. Then, mix the melted butter, sugars, egg yolk, pumpkin, and vanilla in a medium bowl. Mix in the dry ingredients to this mixture, then the chocolate. That’s it!
   
   
3. Next, assemble the cookies. (Work Time: 5 minutes)
   The fastest and easiest way to make picture-perfect cookies is to invest in a cookie dough scoop. These handy tools scoop the dough into dough balls that bake into perfect cookie circles every time. In general, I use a 3-Tablespoon or 4-Tablespoon sized cookie dough scoops to make my cookie recipes. Doing so makes perfect 3- to 3.5-inch wide cookies.
   
   
4. Finally, bake the cookies. (Bake Time: 10 minutes)
   The pumpkin chocolate chip cookies need 10 minutes in the oven. When done, the edges should be set. However, the centers will still look a little soft. That’s normal! In fact, that’s the secret to a perfect cookie with a chewy center.

Recipe Troubleshooting and FAQ

Help! My pumpkin chocolate chip cookie dough was really soft and hard to scoop. What did I do wrong?

This pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe uses melted butter to make the cookie dough. If your melted butter was still too hot when you mixed it with the other ingredients, your dough will come out overly soft and hard to scoop.

But no worries! This issue is also easy to fix. Simply stick the bowl of dough, uncovered, in the refrigerator for 10 to 15 minutes to firm up the dough. That’s it.

And to prevent this issue from happening in the future, I recommend prepping the butter as your first step in the recipe. That is, measuring it out, then melting it (I like to do so in a microwave or in a small saucepan over medium-low heat). Once it’s melted, set it aside on a wire rack while you prep the other ingredients. Doing so will allow it to cool slightly, just in time for when you need to add it to the rest of the dough.

I also recommend being super careful when melting your butter. If you’re using a microwave, melt the butter in short 10- to 15-second bursts to prevent it from getting overly hot. The butter shouldn’t sizzle, crackle, or pop in anyway.

Can you freeze pumpkin chocolate chip cookies?

You can freeze pumpkin chocolate chip cookies in the following ways:

1. Freeze the UNBAKED pumpkin chocolate chip cookie dough.
   Follow the recipe instructions to make the cookie dough and scoop them out into cookie dough balls. Place the cookie dough balls in a small sheet pan. Cover the pan with plastic wrap and freeze for at least 1 hour, or until the cookie dough balls are frozen solid. Transfer the cookie dough balls to a zip-top bag and freeze for up to 1 year.
   
   To bake the frozen cookie dough balls, line sheet pans with parchment paper and position the cookie dough balls at least 3 inches apart on the sheet pans. Then, follow the recipe instructions to preheat the oven. Bake for 12 to 14 minutes, or until the edges have set but the centers are still gooey.
   
   
2. Freeze the BAKED pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.
   Individually wrap any leftover chocolate chip cookies in two layers of plastic wrap, then a layer of aluminum foil. The aluminum foil will prevent the cookies from absorbing any other flavors or odors in the freezer. When ready to serve, transfer to the refrigerator to chill overnight. Rewarm in the microwave or in the oven at 350°F for 5 minutes before serving.