Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies are soft and slightly chewy around the edges, full of warm pumpkin spices, and lots of rich chocolate chips.

Every year I look forward to the Autumn season and exploring recipes calling for pumpkin. These Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies are the best of both worlds, combining pumpkin and warm spices, with rich dark chocolate chips.

Most cookies calling for pumpkin tend to be on the cakier side, which isn’t a bad thing, but I also like the texture of soft and chewy cookies. Inspired by Sally’s Baking Addiction, I was able to create these irresistible Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, both soft and chewy!

How To Create A Soft (not cakey) Chewy Pumpkin Cookie:

There are a few tips that help create a soft chewy pumpkin cookie.

1. Blotting the pumpkin: Did you know that canned pumpkin is 90% water? To create a soft chewier cookie you’ll want to remove some of the moisture; though this moisture is essential in baked breads and muffins. Simply line a bowl with 3-4 paper towels and place the amount of pumpkin used for the cookie recipe in the center of the towels. Gather the corners of the paper towels and squeeze out additional moisture. Your bowl should have liquid in the bottom. Now you’re ready to use the pumpkin puree.
2. Melted butter: Melted butter also helps achieve a chewier cookie. Softened butter will lend a fuller cakier cookie. I was able to cut the butter amount in half and replace it with applesauce to reduce some of the fat and calories. You won’t miss the extra 1/4 cup butter, I promise!
3. Leave out the eggs: Eggs help bind ingredients but because I’m using pumpkin and applesauce, it’s not necessary to use eggs. This also helps keep my calorie count down and it doesn’t compromise the flavor one bit!
4. Chill the dough: This part is always hard for me because when I’m making cookies it’s because I want to eat them, like yesterday. With that said, it’s absolutely necessary unless you want super flat cookies. 30 minutes is all you need, or pop the dough in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Other Cookies You Might Enjoy:

• Classic Peanut Butter Cookies
• Vanilla Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Double Chocolate Cookie Bites

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Let’s eat!🤍

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies are soft and slightly chewy around the edges, full of warm pumpkin spices, and lots of rich chocolate chips.

Print Pin Rate

Course: Baking, Dessert

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes

Resting time: 30 minutes minutes

Total Time: 52 minutes minutes

Servings: 20 cookies

Calories: 97kcal

Ingredients

• 1/4 cup melted butter salted or unsalted
• 1/4 cup applesauce, no sugar added
• 6 heaping tbsp blotted pure pumpkin puree see notes below
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup lightly packed brown sugar
• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate or semi sweet chocolate chips plus more for tops of cookies

Instructions

• Whisk melted butter, apple sauce, blotted pumpkin, vanilla and both sugars in a medium bowl until smooth and no lumps of sugar are left.
• In a large bowl whisk flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda and spices.
• Add wet ingredients to dry and fold just until combined. Add chocolate chips and stir just until the mixture comes together and there aren't any flour bits remaining.
• Chill the dough for 30 minutes in refrigerator or in freezer for 15 minutes.
• After dough has chilled, preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 cookie sheets with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Scoop out dough using a small cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 tablespoons) and place on cookie sheet. The dough will be a little sticky. Use the bottom of a small cup that's been moistened with water or non stick cooking spray, and gently press down cookie dough balls to flatten slightly. Add 2-3 more chocolate chips to the top and press into the dough. This step is optional.
• Bake cookies for 11-13 minutes until cookies are set and slightly golden around the edges. Mine took 12 minutes exactly.
• Transfer cookies immediately to cooling racks and let cool at least 5 minutes.
• Store in airtight container when cookies are completely cooled for up to 5 days.

Notes

Tips for soft chewy pumpkin cookies: 

• Blotting the pumpkin: Did you know that canned pumpkin is 90% water? To create a soft chewier cookie you’ll want to remove some of the moisture; though this moisture is essential in baked breads and muffins. Simply line a bowl with 3-4 paper towels and place the amount of pumpkin used for the cookie recipe in the center of the towels. Gather the corners of the paper towels and squeeze out additional moisture. Your bowl should have liquid in the bottom. Now you’re ready to use the pumpkin puree.
• Melted butter: Melted butter also helps achieve a chewier cookie. Softened butter will lend a fuller cakier cookie. I was able to cut the butter amount in half and replace it with applesauce to reduce some of the fat and calories. You won’t miss the extra 1/4 cup butter, I promise!
• Leave out the eggs: Eggs help bind ingredients but because I’m using pumpkin and applesauce, it’s not necessary to use eggs. This also helps keep my calorie count down and it won’t compromise the flavor one bit!
• Chill the dough: This part is always hard for me because when I’m making cookies it’s because I want to eat them, like yesterday. With that said, it’s absolutely necessary unless you want super flat cookies. 30 minutes is all you need, or pop the dough in the freezer for 15 minutes.

 

Nutritional facts include 1 cookie.

Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy only and should be understood as an estimate rather than a guarantee. The Menu Maid makes no guarantees to the accuracy of this information.

Nutrition

Calories: 97kcal

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My Kitchen Favorites For This Recipe: