Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
37 min
|
easy
|
vegetarian
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
Soft, warmly spiced, and loaded with melty chocolate, these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies taste like fall in a bite and never turn out dry or bland.
Perfect for bake sales, Halloween parties, and cozy coffee breaks, they stay tender for days thanks to pumpkin puree and brown sugar, and they will vanish fast the second they hit the table.
Ingredients (24 servings)
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Ingredients:
- 1 stick unsalted butter, softened unsalted butter 4 oz
- ½ cup brown sugar, packed brown sugar 3.43 oz
- ¼ cup granulated sugar granulated sugar
- ⅔ cup pure pumpkin purée pure pumpkin purée 5.78 oz
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract pure vanilla extract 1 tsp
- 1 large egg large egg 1 ct
- 1¾ cups all-purpose flour all-purpose flour 0.48 lb
- ½ tsp baking soda baking soda 0.08 oz
- ½ tsp baking powder baking powder 0.08 oz
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice pumpkin pie spice 0.06 oz
- ¼ tsp salt salt
- 1 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips semi-sweet chocolate chips 8 oz
How to Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
-
Prep and blot the pumpkin
Preheat the oven to 350 F and line two sheet pans with parchment, then spread the pumpkin on a few layers of paper towel, blot well, and re-measure to a firm 2/3 cup to ditch excess water that makes cookies cakey.
-
Cream butter and sugars
Beat the softened butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 3 minutes, scraping the bowl once so there are no sneaky butter pockets.
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Add egg, vanilla, and pumpkin
Beat in the egg and vanilla until smooth, then mix in the blotted pumpkin just until combined, and do not panic if it looks slightly curdled because the dry ingredients will bring it together.
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Whisk the dry ingredients
In a separate bowl whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and salt until evenly combined so the leaveners do not clump and cause tunneling.
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Combine wet and dry
Add the dry mix to the bowl and beat on low just until the flour disappears, then fold in the chocolate chips by hand to avoid overworking the dough.
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Chill the dough
Cover and chill the dough for 30 to 60 minutes so it firms up and bakes thicker with a better chew instead of spreading into pancakes.
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Portion and bake
Scoop 2 tablespoon mounds onto the pans spaced 2 inches apart, lightly press each to about 1/2 inch thick, dot with a few extra chips on top, and bake 11 to 13 minutes until edges look set and centers are puffed but still soft.
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Cool with control
Let cookies rest on the pan for 5 minutes to finish setting, then move to a rack so the bottoms do not steam and lose their delicate edge.
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Serve and store
Serve warm or at room temp, then store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze baked cookies or scooped dough for a month for emergency dessert duty.
Substitutions
- Pumpkin pie spice -> DIY blend
- Use 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger, 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg, and a tiny pinch of clove or allspice for the same warm, cozy profile with a bit more brightness from ginger.
- Semisweet chips -> chopped dark chocolate
- Swap chips for a chopped 60 to 70 percent dark bar for glossy puddles and deeper cocoa notes that balance pumpkin sweetness, and if you are feeling wild add a handful of toasted pecans or white chocolate for contrast.
- All-purpose flour -> 1:1 gluten-free blend
- Use a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour that contains xanthan gum so the cookies hold structure while staying soft, and expect a slightly more delicate crumb that still eats beautifully.
Tips
- Blot the pumpkin like you mean it
- Excess water is the difference between plush chewy cookies and muffin tops, so re-measure to a tight 2/3 cup after blotting.
- Measure flour accurately
- Use 220 grams for the 1 3/4 cups or spoon and level, because a heavy hand makes cookies dry and stubbornly tall.
- Cream for lift, not soup
- Stop creaming once the mixture looks pale and fluffy since over-creaming warms the butter and hurts spread control.
- Control spread with chill
- A 30 to 60 minute chill firms fat and hydrates flour so the cookies bake thicker with clean edges and a chewy middle.
- Press before baking
- A gentle flatten to 1/2 inch encourages even spread and keeps pumpkin cookies from baking up too puffy.
- Bake one pan at a time
- Use the center rack and rotate at 8 minutes for even color, because overcrowded ovens give you uneven results.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 169 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 3 | g |
| Total Fat | 7 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 26 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 1 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- My cookies baked up cakey, how do I fix it next time?
- Blot the pumpkin thoroughly, measure flour by weight, press the dough mounds slightly before baking, and pull the cookies when the centers still look a touch underdone.
- Why did my cookies not spread?
- Too much flour or butter that was too cold can stifle spread, so weigh flour, cream properly, press the scoops, and do not overbake.
- Can I freeze the dough?
- Yes, scoop and freeze solid on a sheet, stash in a bag, and bake from frozen at 350 F adding 1 to 2 extra minutes while still pressing the tops slightly.
- Can I use fresh pumpkin puree?
- Absolutely, just strain or blot longer since homemade puree holds more water, and then re-measure to 2/3 cup after blotting.
- How do I keep the cookies soft for days?
- Store airtight with a slice of sandwich bread to maintain moisture and keep them away from the fridge which dries them out.
- Can I brown the butter for more flavor?
- Yes, but cool it until just barely solid and chill the dough on the longer end since melted fat increases spread while the nutty flavor is worth the patience.
Serving Suggestions
A pinch of flaky salt on the warm cookies makes the chocolate pop and reins in the sweetness like a boss.
Pair with a cold glass of milk, a shot of espresso, or spiced chai, and for a party move sandwich two cookies around vanilla ice cream with a dusting of cinnamon.
More pairings:
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