Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies – Soft, Thick, Cozy, and Packed with Fall Flavor
There’s something undeniably magical about autumn baking—and nothing captures that cozy, warm, sweet aroma quite like a batch of Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies fresh from the oven. These cookies are everything you love about fall wrapped into one perfect bite: soft and tender, rich with pumpkin spice, and filled with pockets of gooey chocolate.
Pumpkin baked goods are famously soft and cakey, but these cookies are crafted specifically to be chewy—the kind that bends before it breaks. The secret is in balancing moisture from the pumpkin with the right blend of butter, sugar, and a touch of cornstarch. The result is a cookie that’s thick, dense, and melt-in-your-mouth delicious, with just the right amount of spice to make your kitchen smell like the very definition of fall.
These cookies are the kind you want to whip up on a cool evening when the leaves are starting to turn and you’re craving something warm and comforting. They pair beautifully with a cup of hot coffee, tea, or apple cider. And because the dough doesn’t require a long chill time, you can go from mixing bowl to cozy cookie bliss in under an hour.
Every ingredient plays a part in building that signature chewy texture. The brown sugar brings deep molasses sweetness, while butter adds richness and helps create crisp edges. The pumpkin purée adds tenderness and moisture, and the blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves brings that irresistible pumpkin spice warmth. Plenty of chocolate chips ensure that every bite has a perfect pop of sweetness.
The dough comes together easily, and you can scoop it into thick, generous mounds that bake up into dreamy, bakery-style cookies. These keep well too—softening beautifully as they rest, making them perfect for gifting, sharing, or enjoying throughout the week.
Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies embody the heart of cozy fall baking—simple ingredients, irresistible aroma, and a comforting, nostalgic flavor that tastes like autumn in cookie form. Once you make them, they’re sure to become a yearly tradition.
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 3/4 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup pumpkin purée
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/8 teaspoon cloves
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Whisk melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth.
- Add pumpkin purée, egg yolk, and vanilla; whisk until combined.
- In another bowl, whisk flour, cornstarch, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
- Fold dry ingredients into wet until a soft dough forms.
- Stir in chocolate chips.
- Scoop thick, tall mounds of dough onto baking sheet (about 2 tablespoons each).
- Bake 10–12 minutes until edges are set and centers look slightly underbaked.
- Let cool 10 minutes on the pan for extra chewiness.
- Enjoy warm or store once fully cooled.
Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Mix melted butter and sugars until smooth.
- Add pumpkin, egg yolk, and vanilla.
- Whisk dry ingredients together and fold into wet mixture.
- Add chocolate chips and scoop dough onto baking sheet.
- Bake 10–12 minutes until edges are set.
Notes
Tips & Tricks
Want extra chewiness?
Underbake slightly and let cookies cool on the pan.
No cakey cookies:
Use melted butter + egg yolk only, not the whole egg.
Love extra chocolate?
Press additional chips onto the tops before baking.
Stronger spice flavor:
Add extra cinnamon or a pinch of ginger.
Variations
White Chocolate Pumpkin Cookies:
Swap chocolate chips for white chocolate.
Pumpkin Pecan Cookies:
Add 1/2 cup chopped toasted pecans.
Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip:
Replace 1/2 cup flour with rolled oats.
Gluten-Free:
Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour.
Serving Suggestions
- Enjoy warm with coffee, hot chocolate, or cider
- Serve on fall dessert boards
- Package as gifts for neighbors or friends
- Perfect for Thanksgiving dessert spreads
Storage Information
Room Temperature:
Keeps 3–4 days, very soft.
Refrigerator:
Up to 1 week.
Freezer (cookies):
Freeze baked cookies up to 2 months.
Freezer (dough):
Freeze scooped dough balls up to 3 months.
FAQ
Why are pumpkin cookies usually cakey?
Pumpkin adds moisture—using less pumpkin and only an egg yolk keeps these chewy.
Can I use pumpkin pie filling?
No—use pure pumpkin purée only.
Can I chill the dough?
Optional, but chilling 30 minutes makes thicker cookies.
Why underbake?
It preserves chewiness and prevents cakiness.
History / Fun Facts
Pumpkin desserts have deep roots in American fall traditions, going back to early colonial cooking. Pumpkin cookies became popular as home bakers looked for cozy, comforting treats to highlight seasonal flavors. Adding chocolate chips was a modern twist that took off in the 1980s and has since become a beloved fall favorite. Today, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are a hallmark of autumn baking—warm, comforting, and irresistible.
