The Best Soft Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

The Best Soft Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe

Stop scrolling. Seriously, stop. Can you smell it? That deep, comforting cloud of nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves, sweetened by molten chocolate, currently enveloping your kitchen? If you’ve been chasing that perfect fall cookie the one that isn't puffy like a muffin top or dry like sandpaper you just found your final destination.

For years, I struggled with pumpkin chocolate chip cookies . They were always cakey . I was ready to give up and just stick to classic chocolate chip cookies. But I cracked the code.

This recipe eliminates the worst side effects of high moisture pumpkin puree and guarantees pillowy, soft centers with slightly crisp edges in just 20 minutes start-to-finish. These are the easy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies you deserve.

I’m talking 10 minutes of prep, 10 minutes of bake time. This is the ultimate speed run for a big batch of the best soft pumpkin chocolate chip cookies you will ever make.

Mastering the Science of Soft Cookies for Fall Baking

Why These Cookies Are Exceptionally Soft (No Cakey Texture!)

The biggest hurdle when making any pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe is the moisture added by the pumpkin puree. Pumpkin is essentially 90% water, and when you add that much liquid to a batter with chemical leaveners (like baking soda), you activate the flour rapidly, producing steam pockets the result is cake.

The Secret to Thick, Pillowy Cookie Centers

My secret sauce for avoiding the cake trap relies on two main adjustments:

1. Reduce the Pumpkin Fat Ratio: We only use a small amount of pumpkin (½ cup) to ensure maximum flavor without overwhelming the dough with water. This keeps the dough thick.
2. Melted Butter: Using slightly cooled, melted butter instead of softened butter coats the flour proteins more effectively. This inhibits gluten development slightly, meaning you get a chewy texture rather than a light, airy, cake like crumb.
3. Less Leavener: We use just ½ teaspoon of baking soda. This is enough to give the cookie a lift but not so much that it balloons into a dome.

If you love chewy, fudgy cookies, like my Crinkle Cookies: The Ultimate Fudgy Chocolate Recipe , you know moisture control is everything, and these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are no exception!

Ingredients You Need for Perfect Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

You only need about 10 standard pantry items for this quick recipe. Remember, always use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling . The pie filling contains added sugars and spices, which will throw off the chemistry and sweetness of these fall cookie recipes .

Original Ingredient	Best Substitute	Scientific Function
All-Purpose Flour	1:1 gluten-free Blend (with Xanthan Gum)	Provides structure and bulk. Note: GF flour may make the texture slightly grittier and less elastic.
Granulated Sugar	Coconut Sugar or Monk Fruit/Erythritol Blend	Provides sweetness and aids in spread/browning. Note: Coconut sugar is less sweet and darker; artificial blends may reduce spread.
Unsalted Butter	Plant Based Butter Sticks (dairy-free)	Provides essential fat for tenderness and richness. Note: Ensure it has 80% fat content; stick butter works better than tub margarine.
Pumpkin Puree	Sweet Potato Puree (Canned)	Adds moisture, flavor, and color. Note: Sweet potato is slightly less watery and sweeter; adjust spice blend if needed.
Chocolate Chips	Chopped Chocolate Bar (high-quality)	Provides flavor and texture pockets. Chopping your own creates beautiful streaks of chocolate throughout the cookie.

step-by-step Guide to Baking Soft Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Yields: 24 cookies | Prep Time: 10 minutes | Cook Time: 10 minutes

Step 1: Prep the Oven and Dry Ingredients

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper. This prevents sticking and promotes even cooking.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Whisk for 30 seconds to ensure the spices and leavener are perfectly distributed.

Step 2: Combine Wet Ingredients

In a separate large mixing bowl, beat together the melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until just combined. You don't need to cream it for long; we aren’t trying to incorporate a lot of air.

Add the egg, vanilla extract, and the ½ cup of pumpkin puree. Beat on medium speed for about 1 minute until the mixture is cohesive and looks velvety smooth. Don't overmix.

Step 3: Mix and Fold

Gradually add the dry mixture to the wet mixture, mixing on low speed until just combined. Stop immediately when you no longer see streaks of flour. Overmixing at this stage activates too much gluten and leads to tough cookies.

Now, gently fold in your chocolate chips. We want large pockets of pumpkin chocolate chips in every bite!

Step 4: Scoop and Bake

Using a standard cookie scoop (about 1.5 tablespoons), drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Space them at least 2 inches apart. This dough should be thick almost like thick pancake batter and should hold its shape when scooped.

Bake the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies for 9 to 11 minutes. They are done when the edges look set and lightly golden brown, but the centers still look slightly soft and pale.

Step 5: Cool and Finish

Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes (this sets the centers and prevents them from collapsing). Then, transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely. They firm up beautifully as they cool.

Common Mistakes When Making Pumpkin Cookies (and How to Fix Them)

These easy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are straightforward, but pumpkin is a fickle ingredient. Here are the top pitfalls I see home cooks run into, and exactly how to fix them!

Common Mistake	Root Cause	The Fix
Cookies are Flat and Too Thin	Too much moisture, too little flour, or oven temperature is too low.	Add 2 tablespoons of flour to the remaining dough. Ensure your oven thermometer is accurate, and chill the dough for 15 minutes before baking.
Cookies are Dry or Cakey	Too much leavening (baking soda/powder) or too much flour.	Check the recipe! If you accidentally added extra flour, add 1 tablespoon of milk or cream to the dough. Ensure you only use ½ teaspoon of baking soda.
Cookies are Burnt on the Bottom	Too much sugar near the bottom heating element, or using a thin dark cookie sheet.	Use parchment paper or silicone baking mats. If your oven tends to burn the bottom, lower the rack one position.

Chilling the Cookie Dough (The Non-Negotiable Step)

While this is an easy pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe meant for quick results, if your kitchen is very warm or your dough seems slightly sticky after mixing, you must chill it.

A quick 15 minute rest in the fridge allows the flour to fully absorb the liquid and prevents excessive spreading.

If you want a truly soft cookie and prefer a recipe that’s even more focused on that plush texture, you might enjoy my Pumpkin Cookies: The Softest Recipe With Frosting .

How to Store and Freeze Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough

Short Term Storage: Keeping Baked Cookies Fresh

Baked soft pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are best consumed within 3 days. Store them in an airtight container at room temperature. Pro tip: Throw half a slice of bread into the container. The cookies will absorb the bread’s moisture and stay incredibly soft for longer!

Freezing Unbaked Cookie Dough for Later

This is my favorite trick! Scoop the raw dough balls onto a baking sheet, then freeze them solid (about 1 hour). Once frozen, transfer the dough balls to a heavy duty zip-top freezer bag.

You can bake them directly from frozen. Just add 2 to 4 minutes to the original 10 minute bake time. Frozen cookie dough is good for up to 3 months, meaning you can have fresh, warm pumpkin chocolate chip cookies whenever the craving strikes!

Extending Shelf Life of Baked Pumpkin Treats

If you baked too many and need a longer solution, fully cooled cookies can be layered in an airtight container and frozen for up to 6 weeks. Thaw them overnight in the fridge, or reheat them gently in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes before serving this makes the chocolate gooey again.

Frosting and Glaze Variations

While these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are perfect plain, a simple dusting of powdered sugar or a quick cream cheese drizzle makes them holiday ready. Mix 1 cup of powdered sugar with 2 tablespoons of milk and a splash of vanilla. Drizzle right after the cookies have cooled completely.

These are absolutely the perfect fall cookie recipes to share. Enjoy every bite!

Nutrition Information

Nutrient	Amount
Calories	138 kcal
Protein	1.4 g
Fat	6.9 g
Carbs	18.4 g
Fiber	0.7 g
Sugar	11.0 g
Sodium	49 mg

Recipe FAQs

How do I make pumpkin chocolate chip cookies from scratch?

To make these cookies from scratch, you must focus on the fat-to-flour ratio to avoid a cakey texture; use softened butter and cream it thoroughly with the sugars before incorporating the wet ingredients, including the pumpkin puree.

The key is minimizing the flour while ensuring the leavening agents react correctly with the acidity of the pumpkin for that perfect soft center.

Can I use cookie mix instead of making pumpkin chocolate chip cookies from scratch?

Yes, you can adapt a standard chocolate chip cookie mix, but you must significantly reduce the added liquid specified on the box and substitute a portion of the oil or butter with pumpkin puree.

Be cautious, as mixes are often formulated for standard recipes; adding too much pumpkin will result in a dough that spreads too much or remains too wet.

How to make pumpkin chocolate chip cookies using spice cake mix?

Yes, using spice cake mix is a great shortcut, but omit any extra spices the recipe calls for since the mix already contains them. The challenge here is consistency; add only about half the required eggs and liquid listed in the mix instructions, and supplement with a small amount of extra flour if the dough seems too loose to manage properly.

Why are my pumpkin chocolate chip cookies coming out puffy like muffins?

Your cookies are likely puffy because you added too much flour, used baking powder instead of baking soda (or too much of either), or the dough was not chilled before baking. When the dough is too thick or has too much leavening, it rises upward rapidly instead of spreading outward, resulting in a cake like texture rather than a flat, chewy cookie.

How should I store leftover soft pumpkin chocolate chip cookies?

Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to four days to maintain maximum softness. For longer storage, freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet before transferring them to a freezer bag; this method helps preserve the soft texture much better than refrigeration.

What is the best way to prevent the cookies from becoming dry?

The dryness is often caused by overbaking, so pull them out of the oven when the edges are set but the centers still look slightly underdone. Pumpkin naturally dries out baked goods if not balanced correctly; for a truly chewy result, ensure you are using adequate brown sugar, similar to the moisture profile we aim for in our Chocolate Chip Cookies: Bakery Style Chewy Crispy Recipe.