Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies: Soft and Easy Fall Recipe

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are the one fall cookie I keep coming back to, and they come together in just 20 minutes with simple ingredients you likely already have in your pantry. Soft in the middle, gently spiced, and packed with chocolate, they taste like everything good about autumn in a single bite.

The texture is what wins people over. Each cookie stays moist and flavorful, and the pumpkin keeps them tender rather than cakey.

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If you love pumpkin season as much as I do, you will also want to try my Classic Pumpkin Roll, Pumpkin Mug Cake, Healthy Pumpkin Muffins, and Pumpkin Bars with Caramel Frosting.

Between them, they cover everything from a quick single serving treat to a full holiday dessert table.

My love runs deep for these 20 Minute Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies.

Every family has a recipe that shows up without being asked. In my house, it is this one. My mom has been making these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies for decades, and the card she wrote them on is now more butter than paper.

I still remember standing on a stool at the counter, sneaking chocolate chips while she stirred, and being told for the hundredth time that the dough needed to be mixed just until it came together.

What makes them special is not a secret ingredient. It is the balance. They are big, soft, and chewy, with a warm blend of fall spice flavors and enough chocolate in every bite to keep things interesting.

They also happen to be fast. From the moment I pull out the bowls to the moment the first tray lands on the cooling rack, I am looking at about 20 minutes of my day.

And they freeze well, which means a batch can keep us in cookies for weeks. I usually bake a double batch in September and keep a bag in the freezer so there is always something homemade within reach when a neighbor stops by or when a Tuesday needs rescuing. That one habit has carried us through plenty of cookie cravings.

How to make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies:

The method is a two bowl situation, and that is the whole trick. You do not need a stand mixer, and you do not need to chill the dough before baking. If you can stir, you can make these.

Start by combining the oil and the sugar in a mixing bowl and stirring well. Then add the egg, milk, pumpkin, and vanilla and mix until smooth. In a separate bowl, stir the dry ingredients together.

Add the dry mixture and the chocolate chips to the wet ingredients and stir just until everything is incorporated. Drop large spoonfuls of dough onto a cookie sheet lined with parchment paper or lightly sprayed with cooking spray, then bake at 375°F for 10 to 12 minutes.

Here is the quick version so you can see the whole thing at a glance:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F and prepare your cookie sheet.
• Stir the sugar and the oil together.
• Mix in the egg, milk, pumpkin, and vanilla.
• Stir the dry ingredients together in a second bowl.
• Combine everything with the chocolate chips.
• Scoop, bake, and serve with a glass of milk.

The one thing I watch closely is the finish. Pull the tray when the tops are no longer glossy looking. The centers will still feel a little soft, and that is exactly where you want them to be.

Storing and Freezing Instructions:

I do not recommend keeping these cookies at room temperature. Because of the pumpkin, they tend to sweat and the tops turn sticky. They still taste good, but the texture suffers, and a soft cookie deserves better than that.

Freezing is my preferred method, and it works beautifully. Let the baked cookies cool completely, then transfer them to a freezer safe zip top bag and freeze for up to 2 months. When you want one, bring it to room temperature or warm it in the microwave for a few seconds.

A few seconds in the microwave is enough to bring a frozen cookie back to that fresh from the oven softness. Any longer and the chocolate turns molten in a hurry.

Ingredients

This is a short list, and most of it lives in my pantry already. The pumpkin does the heavy lifting for flavor and moisture, so you do not need butter or a long list of extras.

• 1 cup granulated sugar (200 g)
• 1/2 cup vegetable or canola oil (120 ml)
• 1 teaspoon milk (5 ml)
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (5 ml)
• 1 cup canned pumpkin or homemade pumpkin puree (245 g)
• 2 cups all purpose flour (250 g)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon (3 g)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt (3 g)
• 2 teaspoons baking powder (8 g)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda (5 g)
• 1 1/2 cups semi sweet or milk chocolate chips (260 g)

The recipe calls for canned pumpkin or homemade pumpkin puree, and either one works well. I keep a few cans in the cupboard through October and November so a batch is never more than a craving away. For the chocolate, semi sweet keeps things balanced while milk chocolate makes them a little sweeter and more kid friendly.

A quick note on measuring: spoon the flour into your cup and level it off instead of scooping straight from the bag. It takes five extra seconds and it keeps the cookies soft instead of dry.

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, or spray it very lightly with nonstick cooking spray.
2. Add the sugar and the oil to a mixing bowl and stir well to combine.
3. Add the egg, milk, pumpkin, and vanilla and mix until smooth. In a separate bowl, stir together the dry ingredients.
4. Add the dry ingredients and the chocolate chips to the wet ingredients, then stir just until incorporated.
5. Drop the dough by large spoonfuls onto the prepared cookie sheet.
6. Bake at 375°F for 10 to 12 minutes, or longer depending on size, until the cookies are no longer glossy looking on top.

If you are new to baking with pumpkin, the dough will look softer and a little wetter than a standard chocolate chip cookie dough. That is normal, and it is what gives you that moist, tender crumb. Do not be tempted to add extra flour.

Let the cookies rest on the sheet for a couple of minutes before moving them, then serve them warm with a cold glass of milk. That combination is non negotiable in my house.

Notes

The recipe makes about 2 dozen small pumpkin cookies, which is a comfortable amount for a weeknight batch or a lunchbox treat.

If you want those big bakery style cookies instead, scoop the dough larger and bake for about 12 to 15 minutes. That size gives you roughly 18 to 20 cookies, and they are the version I make when I want the tray to look impressive on a dessert table.

Whichever size you choose, keep an eye on the tops rather than the clock. Ovens run warm or cool, and the cookies are ready the moment the shine disappears.

Recipe details

Preparation takes 10 minutes and cooking takes 10 minutes, for a total of 20 minutes. The recipe makes 24 servings, so a single batch is enough for a family dessert, a cookie swap, or a freezer stash.

These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are the kind of fall recipe I recommend making more than once. The first batch disappears warm from the tray, and the second one goes in the freezer for the day you need a little autumn in the middle of a busy week.

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are the one fall cookie I keep coming back to, and they come together in just 20 minutes with simple ingredients you likely already have in your pantry. Soft in the middle, gently spiced, and packed with chocolate, they taste like everything good about autumn in a single bite.

• Total Time: 20 min
• Yield: 24 1x

Ingredients

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Ingredients
1 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup oil, vegetable or canola oil
1 teaspoon milk
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup canned pumpkin, or homemade pumpkin puree
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 1/2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips, or milk chocolate

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Instructions

Instructions
1-Preheat oven to 375 degrees F: Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper, or spray very lightly with non-stick cooking spray.
2-Add sugar and oil to a mixing: Add sugar and oil to a mixing bowl and stir well to combine.
3-Add egg, milk, pumpkin and vanilla and: Add egg, milk, pumpkin and vanilla and mix until smooth. In a separate bowl, stir together the dry ingredients.
4-Add the dry ingredients and chocolate chips: Add the dry ingredients and chocolate chips to the wet ingredients then stir just until incorporated.
5-Drop by large spoonfuls onto prepared cookie: Drop by large spoonfuls onto prepared cookie sheet.
6-Bake at 375 degrees F for 10-12: Bake at 375 degrees F for 10-12 minutes, or longer (depending on size), until no longer glossy looking on top.

Last Step:

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• Prep Time: 10 min
• Cook Time: 10 min
• Method: bake

Nutrition

• Calories: 184kcal
• Sugar: 13g
• Sodium: 134mg
• Fat: 9g
• Saturated Fat: 3g
• Carbohydrates: 23g
• Fiber: 2g
• Protein: 2g
• Cholesterol: 8mg