Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

A pumpkin chocolate chip cookie with a bite taken out, showing melted chocolate and flecks of sea salt.

No ratings yet

Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I have never loved pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and I will tell you why: too much spice, and too much cakey-y fluff. I want tender, FUDGY pumpkin cookies. I've found the 10-minute secret to getting chewy, tender cookies with a delightfully crisp edge, that DON'T taste like muffin tops.

Prep Time20

Cook Time12

Cool time15

Total Time47

Course: Dessert

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 150kcal

Author: The Food Charlatan

Ingredients

1/2 cup butter 1 stick
3/4 cup light brown sugar packed
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 cup pumpkin puree SQUEEZED DRY to 1/2 cup, see recipe
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 large egg yolk
1 and 1/4 cups all purpose flour spooned and leveled
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
pumpkin pie spice OPTIONAL, see note
1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate
3/4 cup dark chocolate chips chopped, if you want

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
Brown the butter: Add 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter into a 3-quart sauce pan, preferably one that is light in color (so you can see the color of the butter). Turn the heat to medium.
Cook, stirring every 1-2 minutes with a wooden spoon. After a couple minutes, the butter will start to foam. Keep watching it. Eventually the butter will turn brown and you will see tiny brown specks. The smell will turn nutty. You might not be able to see the color under the foam very well, which is part of the reason you need to stir. Once the foam has turned into specks that turn brown and the mixture looks silty at the bottom, it is done. Set aside to cool.
Squeeze your pumpkin: Add 1 cup pumpkin puree to a measuring cup. Line a half baking sheet with 3 paper towel half-sheets. Use a spatula to spread the pumpkin to the edges of the paper towel.
Place another 3 paper towel half-sheets on top of the pumpkin and press it in to moisten. Pick up both sets of paper towels and flip it over, so the first (more-moist) paper towel is now on top. Peel it off and throw it away. Repeat this process a couple more times (I use 5 sets of 3 half-sheets) until the pumpkin is moldable to the touch, almost like playdough consistency.
Use the last paper towel to press all the dried pumpkin in on itself (see photos). Keep folding the pumpkin in on itself and peeling back the paper towel, until it has formed itself into a little mass that you can pick up with your hands. Press the pumpkin into a 1/2 measuring cup. If you have more than 1/2 cup dried pumpkin, remove some of the pumpkin and press again with paper towels, until it is reduced to 1/2 cup.
Wipe the baking sheet clean with the paper towels. Line the same baking sheet with silicone baking mats or parchment paper. Line another baking sheet if you plan to bake two pans at once. Set aside.
Make the dough: Add 3/4 cup brown sugar and 1/4 cup granulated sugar straight into the sauce pan with the cooled butter. Stir with a spatula.
Add your precious 1/2 cup dried out pumpkin puree to the pot.
Add 1 teaspoon vanilla.
Add 1 large egg yolk. Stir until combined.
Use a spoon to measure your flour into your measuring cup, then level off the top. Add 1 and 1/4 cups flour to the pot, but don’t mix yet.
Make a well in the center of the flour. Add 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Use your teaspoon or your fingers to stir these ingredients into the flour a bit so you don’t end up with any clumps of baking soda in your cookies.
Use a spatula and some grit to combine the dry and wet ingredients. You can bust out your hand mixer if you want.
When it looks almost combined but still has flour streaks, stop mixing. Add 1/2 cup semi sweet chocolate chips.
Use a sharp knife to chop 3/4 cup dark chocolate chips. (or skip chopping, it's gonna be fine.) Add it to the dough.
Stir again, but mix ONLY until combined and no more. Use a spatula to scrape the bottom of the bowl. If you see any streaks, mix it some more. Do not over mix, or your dough will be tough.
Use a cookie scoop to shape the dough into balls that are about 1 and 1/2 inches across. Drop the cookie dough onto the prepared pans with about 2 inches of space in between each one.
Bake the cookies at 350 degrees for 8-9 minutes, or until the cookies are firms on the edges and mostly matte on top. They can be a little shiny in the center, but the shine should be no larger than a nickel.
Let the cookies cool and set up on the pan for about 3 minutes. While you wait, press more chocolate chips on top of each cookie. yolo man, plus it's pretty.
Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool completely, or burn your mouth and hands on molten hot chocolate if you just can't wait. Highly recommend milk here.
Store cookies in a tupperware on the counter! They are best on days 1 and 2.
Freezing: You can flash freeze dough balls OR baked cookies for about 30-45 minutes before transferring to ziplock freezer bags. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months!

Notes

PUMPKIN PIE SPICE: I like these cookies without any pumpkin pie spice at all. But if you love the combination, add 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice along with the flour. You can add up to 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, if you love a lot of spice!

SQUEEZING THE PUMPKIN, IT'S SO HARDDD: Guys, don't stress. This recipe works totally fine if you use 1 cup of pumpkin straight from the can, without drying it. Your cookies will be cute little muffin tops, perfectly cake-y, and all of your guests will still love them. Live your best life!!

Nutrition