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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies loaded with semi-sweet morsels and walnuts are perfect for holidays, cookie swaps, bake sales, and more!
The Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Ever!
These Soft Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies are an old family recipe from my mother’s recipe box. Not only are they easy to make, but each batch is ready in just 30 minutes.
Lightly sweet with a cake-like texture, each bite of cookie is packed with semi-sweet chocolate chips and coarsely chopped walnuts. (You can certainly leave out the nuts if you prefer – but we love how the crunchy texture balances the softness of the cookie!)
Why you are going to love these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies!
- No rolling or chilling – just mix, scoop, and bake.
- Makes 3 dozen so there are plenty to share.
- They have a soft, cake-like texture that is truly irresistible.
Reader Review
“I always bake a double batch of these at a time to use up the whole can of pumpkin…and because these cookies are so good! This year, I baked 12 dozen to give to friends, neighbors, and coworkers. Everyone LOVED them and they were ALL gone in 2 days! Thank you for this delicious recipe. It has become my fall favorite.” -Genny
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
- Pumpkin puree – Check the label carefully! You want plain puree not pumpkin pie filling which has added sugar and spices. Or, make our homemade version in the slow cooker instead.
- Flour – Basic, all-purpose flour is what you want for soft pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. If you prefer a chewier texture, try mixing equal parts all-purpose and cake flour instead.
- Cinnamon – This adds just a hint of spice, but feel free to add some nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice for a stronger flavor.
- Milk – Whatever you have on hand is perfect – whole, skim, or even plant-based milks like soy or oat can work.
- Chocolate Chips – Semi-sweet chips have a slight bitterness that helps balance the sweetness of the pumpkin cookies. Substitute dark chocolate chunks for more contrast or milk chocolate morsels if you are sensitive to tannins (which causes that bitter taste).
- Walnuts – These are entirely optional, but highly recommended! Pecans would also taste delicious, but the nutty flavor of walnuts will be much more pronounced.
Chef’s Tip
Use room temperature ingredients for smooth, well blended batters and doughs. Before you start on the recipe, measure out the milk. Place it on the counter with the egg for about 30 minutes.
Special Tools You’ll Need
- Parchment Paper – Prevent sticking and enjoy easy clean up with this simple kitchen staple. Scoop the dough onto each sheet, and slide them right onto your pans or reuse the same ones for larger batches.
- Medium Cookie Scoop – This keeps your hands clean and creates perfect, evenly sized rounds with very little effort. Use it for all kinds of desserts or even to shape meatballs!
- Mix together the wet ingredients in a stand mixer. In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients.
- Dissolve the baking soda in the milk. Then add to the pumpkin mixture with the dry ingredients.
- Blend until everything is well combined, but don’t overwork the dough. Stop the mixer once there are no longer any streaks of flour.
- Stir in the nuts and chocolate chips until they are evenly distributed.
- Scoop the dough onto baking sheets lined with parchment, leaving space between each round.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until the edges are set. Cool the pumpkin cookies on the sheet pans for a few minutes, then transfer to wire racks.
More Baking Tips
- If you don’t have a double oven, scoop out the remaining dough so it’s ready to transfer as soon as the first batch is done. Keep the rounds on a plate or space them out on a new sheet of parchment – that way you can remove the first sheet and slide the new one right on!
- When you pull these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies from the oven, the centers will be soft to the touch. This is normal – they will continue baking as they cool.
- If the centers are still shiny and gooey, go ahead and put them back in for another minute or two. Otherwise, they will be raw in the center.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Which size of canned pumpkin will I need? The recipe calls for 1 cup. A 15oz can will give you more than enough.
- Can I use olive oil instead of canola or vegetable oil? We wouldn’t recommend it. Olive oil has a much stronger flavor that will impact the overall flavor of the pumpkin cookies.
- My pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are dry and/or tough. What went wrong? You most likely left them in the oven too long. Another culprit is overmixing the dough – this activates too many proteins in the gluten, resulting in a tough or overly chewy texture.
- Can the dough be refrigerated overnight? Yes – that should be fine. Be sure to bring the dough back to room temperature before baking for best results.
- What is the best way to store soft pumpkin chocolate chip cookies? Place them in an airtight container and store at room temperature. Add a layer of parchment between stacked layers if needed, so they don’t stick together.
- Can these cookie be frozen? Yes! Freeze in a single layer on a baking sheet to prevent sticking. Then transfer to a storage bag or container. Use within 2 to 3 months for best results.
- Will this recipe work with gluten free flour? While we haven’t tested it ourselves, several readers have had success using all-purpose 1:1 gluten free flour.
This recipe originally appeared on A Family Feast in September 2014. We’ve updated the post, but the delicious recipe remains the same.
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Soft Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip cookies loaded with semi-sweet morsels and walnuts are perfect for holidays, cookie swaps, bake sales, and more!
Ingredients
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup oil (canola or vegetable)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 large egg
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon milk
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1 cup chopped walnuts (optional but highly recommended)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line cookie sheets with parchment paper sheets (or lightly grease the cookie sheet if you don’t have parchment paper).
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, combine pumpkin, sugar, oil, vanilla and egg. Mix until well combined.
- In a separate bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In a small bowl, dissolve the baking soda with the milk. Add both the dry flour mixture and the wet baking soda mixture to the pumpkin mixture. Mix well.
- Add in the chocolate chips and nuts and stir until evenly combined.
- Using a medium cookie scoop(medium scoop is equal to 1 1/2 tablespoons), drop mounds of the cookie dough on the prepared cookie sheets.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool slightly before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
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Sandra Stewart says
Can how long can you refrigerate this dough
Martha says
Hi Sandra – We haven’t tried refrigerating this cookie dough ourselves before baking. I think it would probably be ok for a day or so – although I’d bring the dough back to room temperature before you bake the cookies.
Janine Tadakowsky says
I’ve made this recipe a few times and they come out prefect and delicious every time! A family favorite now!
Martha says
Yay – So glad you enjoyed the recipe Janine!
Christal says
With the number rising of children with not only cancer but type 1 diabetes maybe we should think about carbs Aswell. Very close to an old recipe I once had. Thank you
Martha says
Thanks for sharing your thoughts Christal.
Genny says
I always bake a double batch of these at a time to use up the whole can of pumpkin…and because these cookies are so good! This year, I baked 12 dozen to give to friends, neighbors, and coworkers. Everyone LOVED them and they were ALL gone in 2 days! Thank you for this delicious recipe. It has become my fall favorite : )
Martha says
WOW Genny – 12 dozen!?!? That is impressive! So glad you are enjoying the recipe as much as we do. Thank you for taking the time to write to us today – have a wonderful weekend!
Lauren Barnes says
I made these twice now. I made some for Halloween and took them to work for my coworkers. They loved them so much that I am getting the recipe for them.
Martha says
Thanks for sharing the recipe Lauren! So glad you all enjoyed the cookies!
Michele says
Do you have the nutritional information for this recipe? Calories, grams of sugar, fiber, etc.
Martha says
Hi Michelle – I’m sorry – we don’t. There are several online free calculators you might be able to use to get the information you need.
Leticia Aguilar says
Love your recepies!!! My kids and husband loved the cookies we made Thank you❤
Martha says
Thank you Leticia! 🙂
Christine says
Can the dough be made ahead of time, or does it need to be baked at the same time?
Martha says
Hi Christine – We haven’t tried freezing this cookie dough ourselves, but I think it should be ok to do so. You’ll probably want to thaw it before baking.
Jen says
It’s not letting me reply to your comment, but I was wondering if you had any personal advice about the texture. Do yours come out more like a muffin texture than a cookie texture as well? What do you recommend I try differently? Thank you.
Martha says
Hi Jen – Our cookies came out softer and more cakey than say, the typical Toll House chocolate chip cookie, but I wouldn’t describe it as similar to a muffin. As written, the recipe is intended to be a soft cookie. This might be a cookie recipe more to your liking: https://www.spendwithpennies.com/chocolate-chip-pumpkin-cookies/ – hope that helps!
Jen says
I made these today and they are so yummy! I was just curious if there was a way to make them a tiny bit harder if I wanted to. My husband loves soft cookies and I don’t want to ruin the recipe, but just wondering how I would get them a little less like a muffin and more like a cookie. Either way – this is definitely a go to recipe for me now. Thanks for sharing!
Martha says
Hi Jen – You might find this article helpful: http://dish.allrecipes.com/cookie-troubleshooting-problems-and-solutions/