Dark Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies
With this recipe for Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies you’ll enjoy soft fluffy pumpkin cookies studded with chunks of dark chocolate – perfect for fall baking! This easy pumpkin cookie recipe is our go-to recipe for pumpkin cookies with a soft, cake-like texture
Making Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies
Allison of Some the Wiser is treating us to this Dark Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookie recipe today. I can vouch for the deliciousness of these soft pumpkin cookies because Allison shared them at the park with us this past Monday.
Pumpkin is one of my favorite parts of fall.
Today it finally feels like fall in my corner of the world. I woke up to grey skies and the sound of rain. I knew as soon as my feet hit the chilly wood floor that today was going to be a baking day.
When the temperature outside starts dropping, I start thinking of ways to invite warmth indoors.
A hot oven is at the top of my list.
Since today felt like the first real day of Autumn, with the cooler weather and the first appearance of yellow leaves in my yard, I pulled out the pumpkin recipes.
I know that there are so many fine squashes out there. Butternut, Kobocha, and Acorn are some of my favorites. But this time of year, pumpkin has a special place in my heart.
This Dark Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookie recipe is a tried and true favorite and one of our favorite cookies for the fall season.
It is a family recipe, passed along from kitchen to kitchen, that has only improved with time.
Tools Needed to Make Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies
You’ll need a few kitchen tools to prepare these delicious cookies. Here’s what I recommend having on hand before getting started:
- Measuring Cups and Measuring Spoons: to measure the ingredients.
- Medium Mixing Bowl: to combine the wet ingredients in.
- Large Mixing Bowl: to combine the dry ingredients in.
- Wire Whisk: to sift the dry ingredients together.
- Wooden Spoon or Rubber Spatula: to stir the flour mixture and wet ingredients together.
- Cookie Sheet: to bake the cookies on.
- Parchment Paper: to line the baking pan.
- Spoon or Cookie Scoop: to scoop the cookie dough balls onto the prepared baking sheets.
- Wire Rack: to cool the cookies after baking.
What’s in Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies?
This pumpkin cookie recipe uses very simple ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need to have on hand:
Wet Ingredients
- Pumpkin Puree
- Granulated Sugar
- Egg
- Butter
- Cinnamon
- Vanilla Extract
- Butter
- Vanilla Extract
Dry Ingredients
- Ground Cinnamon
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Salt
- All-Purpose Flour
- Dark Chocolate Chips
For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions to make this pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.
How to Make Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies
Here’s a quick overview of this recipe:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- Combine the wet ingredients in a mixing bowl, whisking until well blended.
- In another bowl, whisk all of the dry ingredients except the chocolate chips together.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture then stir in the pumpkin mixture. Add the chocolate chips, reserving a few, and stir until combined.
- Place balls of cookie dough on the prepared pan. Then add remaining chocolate chips to the tops of the dough balls.
- Bake the cookies, then cool on a wire rack before serving.
The above is simply a quick summary of this recipe for easy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.
Tips for Making the Best Pumpkin Cookies
Recipe Tips
- Bring the eggs to room temp: I recommend using room temperature eggs; cold eggs don’t incorporate evenly into cookie dough. Here’s how to bring eggs to room temperature in about 5 minutes.
- Use canned pumpkin puree or homemade pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling (this has other ingredients, sugar, and spices added to it and would not work in this recipe).
- Use good quality dark chocolate chips. We prefer Ghiradelli 60% Cacao Chips.
- Save some of the chocolate chips to place on top of the cookie dough balls just before baking for a more attractive appearance.
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies FAQs
Got questions about how to make this recipe for soft pumpkin chocolate chip cookies? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.
Do I have to use dark chocolate?
No. We happen to love the pairing of dark chocolate with pumpkin flavor, but you can definitely make this recipe with semi-sweet chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips if you prefer.
Can I use pumpkin pie spice?
Sure! You can substitute pumpkin pie spice in place of the cinnamon if you want notes of other warming spices in these cookies
How should I store these pumpkin cookies?
Cookies should be cooled completely before storing. Then, transfer them to an airtight container and store at room temperature.
Can this cookie dough be frozen?
Yes! We love to freeze the pumpkin chocolate chip cookie dough so we can bake up a batch of cookies whenever a craving might strike.
Check out this how to freeze cookie dough tutorial for more details on freezing the dough for this pumpkin chocolate chip cookies recipe.
Try these Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies!
Next time you’re looking for a soft pumpkin cookie, give this recipe for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies a try!
Are they your new favorite fall cookie? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of this great recipe.
On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with @goodlifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see your photo of these pumpkin spice cookies!
★★★★★
Jessica says –
“Just made these tonight – I made the first dozen without chocolate chips (just sprinkled them with vanilla sugar before baking) and the next two dozen with dark chocolate chips. Delicious! I ate so much dough that I could only eat three warm cookies. Great recipe, thanks for sharing with us!”
More Pumpkin Fall Favorite Recipes:
- Cranberry Pecan Pumpkin Tart
- Pumpkin Soup with Toasted Walnuts
- Pumpkin Spice White Hot Chocolate
- Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
- Pumpkin Pie Oatmeal
Looking for even more Pumpkin Recipes?
Be sure to check out these 25 Pumpkin Recipes to Try this Fall – So, if like me, you have a pumpkin hoarding problem you now have a very good excuse. I’ve just shared my favorite recipes for pumpkin season
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What are some of your favorite things about Autumn?
Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies
Soft fluffy pumpkin cookies studded with chunks of dark chocolate are perfect for fall!
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 1/2 cups sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup melted butter, cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Dry Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 1/2 cups flour
- 2 cups dark chocolate chips (I used Ghiradelli 60% Cacao Chips)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin puree with the sugar, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract.
- Whisk until fully combined. Set aside.
- In another bowl, sift together the ground cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and flour.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture. Then, pour the pumpkin mixture into the center. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until combined.
- Add 1 2/3 cup of the chocolate chips to the cookie dough, stirring just until incorporated. Reserve the remaining chocolate chips.
- Drop by tablespoonfuls (about the size of a golf ball) onto the prepared baking sheet.
- Using the remaining chocolate chips, divide between the cookie dough balls, placing them on the top of the cookies.
- Bake at 350 degrees F for approximately 10-13 minutes or until bottom of cookie is lightly browned.
- Transfer the baking sheet to a wire rack and cool 5 minutes before serving.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1 cookieAmount Per Serving: Calories: 213Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 19mgSodium: 154mgCarbohydrates: 32gFiber: 2gSugar: 20gProtein: 2g
GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.
Virginia Guest says
Back in 1964 I worked with the Director of Dietetics at Seattle’s Children’s Hospital and we got a huge amount of pumpkins donated. The Director said Ok everyone please come up with recipes using pumpkin that the children will like. I spent a Saturday trying to find a pumpkin cookie and couldn’t find any (no internet then) so I started experimenting. Finally I came up with one for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. As the years went by I shared the recipe with friends far and wide. Plus in some groups sold favorite recipe cookbooks with in included. Now I find them everywhere. They are still a favorite with my family and the children at the hospital.
Katie says
What a fun story! Thank you for sharing that.
Jessica says
Just made these tonight – I made the first dozen without chocolate chips (just sprinkled them with vanilla sugar before baking) and the next two dozen with dark chocolate chips. Delicious! I ate so much dough that I could only eat three warm cookies. Great recipe, thanks for sharing with us!
becca says
j/curious I’m a sporadic baker,
just wondering if there is a way to get a more crisp texture, I will confess I did use (close your eyes) canned pumpkin–I tried leaving them in a little longer but the texture remained pretty soft. Thanks!
Katie says
This is a soft cookie recipe and the cookies will not have a crisp texture like a more traditional chocolate chip cookie due to the moisture of the pumpkin puree.
Kevin (Closet Cooking) says
Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are so good!
fran says
Made these yesterday and they were wonderful!!
amy says
These look Amazing!! Totally going to try these tomorrow. Dark Chocolate and pumpkin- two of my favorite things!
Courtney says
Love chocolate and pumpkin together! 🙂
g. says
these cookies sing of autumn! can’t wait to eat about…2 dozen of them. 😉
TheGourmetCoffeeGuy says
Absolutely delicious, great combination of ingredients…and perfect for the upcoming holidays!
Pam says
I have always preferred dark chocolate. What a great recipe!
Jen at The Three Little Piglets says
I love cranking up the oven on chilly days too – it practically screams make bread. And wear toasty warm slippers…
Lyndsey says
A perfect October treat!
Deborah says
These look delicious! The perfect way to welcome in fall.
Blog is the New Black says
These look so delicious!