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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies with a soft orange-gold center and golden, caramelized edges. The key method is blotting pumpkin puree until very dry so the dough spreads into crisp edges without turning cakey.
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Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 32 minutes
Servings: 30 cookies
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Calories: 170
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Dry ingredients
  • 2.25 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp baking powder
  • 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 0.5 tsp salt
Wet ingredients
  • 0.75 cup unsalted butter, softened
  • 0.75 cup granulated sugar
  • 0.5 cup brown sugar, packed
  • 0.67 cup pumpkin puree (blotted as dry as possible)
  • 1 egg yolk (not the whole egg)
  • 2 tsp vanilla extract
Add-ins and topping
  • 1.5 cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips
  • 0.1 flaky sea salt for topping

Equipment

  • 1 sheet pan

Method
 

Prep and preheat
  1. Preheat the oven to 375F and line baking sheets with parchment to prevent sticking and help even browning.
  2. Blot the pumpkin puree between many layers of paper towels until very dry, as this is the key step so the cookies spread and crisp instead of staying cakey.
Mix dry ingredients
  1. Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt until evenly combined and no pockets of spice remain.
Cream wet ingredients
  1. Beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until fluffy, then add the blotted pumpkin puree, egg yolk, and vanilla extract and mix until smooth.
Combine and add chocolate chips
  1. Fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined, then fold in the chocolate chips so they’re evenly distributed without overmixing.
Scoop and bake
  1. Scoop dough into 2-tablespoon rounds and place on the lined baking sheets, spacing them for spreading.
  2. Bake at 375F for 11-13 minutes until the edges turn golden while the centers still look slightly soft.
Finish and cool
  1. Sprinkle the tops with flaky sea salt right after baking, then cool on the pan for 5 minutes so the cookies set before moving.

Notes

Pro tip: blotting the pumpkin puree until very dry is what keeps these cookies from becoming too soft and helps them bake up with crisp, caramelized edges. Store airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days; freeze baked cookies for up to 2 months. For a dairy-free option, swap the butter for a 1:1 plant-based butter stick (solid, for cookies) and use the same measurements.