These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are soft and chewy, warm and gooey, and perfect for fall! This better-for-you treat is easy to fit within your daily macros.
When the fall season comes, I’m all about everything pumpkin:
But I’m also a sucker for chocolate. Really, that’s a year-round indulgence.
So, I figure, why not make pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and have the best of both worlds?!
How do you make the best pumpkin chocolate chip cookies?
Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies blend warm autumn spices with sweet, melty chocolate for a rich, tender treat that can’t be beat!
PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are everything you love about a classic chocolate chip cookie recipe:
- Easy to make
- Soft and chewy
- Easy to double or triple
- Freezer-friendly before or after baking
- DELICIOUS!
But when you add the pumpkin puree and those warm and cozy fall spices?
Oh my goodness… it’s a flavor explosion, folks!
HEALTHY PUMPKIN CHIP COOKIES INGREDIENTS
If you’re a fan of pumpkin or a fan of cookies or have tried other pumpkin cookie recipes, you probably have most of the ingredients for healthy pumpkin chip cookies already in your pantry:
- Butter. We are starting with melted butter for this recipe, which makes chewy pumpkin cookies. Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies with oil end up with a more cakey texture.
- Sugar. Use less processed sugar instead of white granulated sugar. I recommend coconut sugar.
- Vanilla Extract. Here’s how to make your own.
- Pureed Pumpkin. Make sure to grab canned pumpkin puree from the store, not pumpkin pie filling, or you can make your own pumpkin puree.
- Flour. I use whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour. I like to make these einkorn flour pumpkin and chocolate chip cookies.
- Salt. A bit of salt helps enhance the sweetness in baked goods.
- Baking Powder + Baking Soda. Both baking powder and baking soda are necessary so that the cookies turn out soft and chewy, not flat and dense.
- Cinnamon + Ginger + Nutmeg + Clove. You can also use Pumpkin Pie Spice instead.
- Chocolate Chips. Using dark chocolate chips instead of the typical semisweet chocolate chips is another way to cut down on the sugar in this recipe and make them just a little bit better for you.
You’ll notice there aren’t any eggs in these chocolate chip and pumpkin cookies. There’s enough moisture from the pureed pumpkin and enough lift from the baking soda and baking powder that a large egg isn’t necessary here.
HOW TO MAKE PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHUNK COOKIES
These pumpkin chocolate chunk cookies come together really quickly:
Step 1. Line a large baking sheet or two smaller baking sheets with a silpat mat or parchment paper.
Step 2. In a large bowl with a hand mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle blade, beat together melted butter and sugar until light in color, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beater/blade.
Step 3. Add pumpkin puree and vanilla extract and whisk until everything is well incorporated, for about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beater/blade to get all the batter mixed in.
Step 4. Add dry ingredients: flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and chocolate chips, and mix on low JUST until combined.
Step 5. Using a cookie scoop, scoop two scoops of dough per cookie onto the prepared cookie sheet. Leave about 2-3” of space between cookie dough balls. (If you’re using these USA baking pans and these silpat mats, you’ll get 12 cookies per pan.)
Step 6. When you’ve scooped all the cookies, working with one at a time, PRESS (not roll) the double scoop of dough into a ball using the palm of your hands. Place the dough back onto the baking pan and press down slightly. Repeat the process for all the cookies.
Step 7. Chill the dough for 30 minutes. This is a required step that you cannot skip.
Step 8. When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F.
Step 9. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. Allow the chewy pumpkin chip cookies to cool on the baking pan for 10 minutes before placing them on a wire rack to cool completely.
Store pumpkin chocolate chip cookies in an airtight container for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 3 months. If you find they’re getting sticky or moist on the counter, pop the container in the fridge. You can also freeze cookie dough using this tutorial.
TIPS FOR THE BEST PUMPKIN AND CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES
- Chill the dough for 30 minutes. This is mandatory for this recipe and cannot be skipped! Please make sure you plan accordingly. This helps the cookies keep a puffy, rounded shape instead of spreading and turning out flat.
- Use a cookie scoop. I absolutely LOVE this cookie scoop because it makes all of my pumpkin chocolate chip cookies the same size. Plus, the kids don’t argue over who gets the bigger cookie!!
- After you roll the dough, press it down gently. As long as you chill the dough first, the pumpkin choco chip cookies won’t spread much, so you’ll want to press down gently to get a more disc shape than ball shape.
- Add chopped pecans with the chocolate chips for an extra indulgent cookie.
MORE EASY PUMPKIN RECIPES
Still in a pumpkin mood? Me too! Since you’ll have some of the can of pumpkin puree left over, it’s the perfect time to try one of these other yummy pumpkin recipes:
PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIPS COOKIES AND MACRO TRACKING
The first step in eating real food is taking small steps to improve what you’re eating. For these pumpkin and chocolate chip cookies, we’ve used higher-quality flour and sugar, lowered the overall sugar content, and included pumpkin puree, which has fiber, potassium, and plenty of vitamin A!
Enjoying treats, especially homemade treats with simple ingredients, is a great start, but it’s not enough. You also need to make sure you’re getting enough protein to fuel your body, and the right balance of carbs and fats for YOU.
And you still get to eat cookies.
Want to learn more about macros, nutrition goals, and accurately tracking what you eat? Grab my free guide here to start achieving your real body goals by eating the foods you love.
CHOCOLATE CHIP AND PUMPKIN COOKIES FAQS
What ingredient makes a cookie soft and chewy?
In this recipe, it’s the pumpkin! Not only does the pumpkin eliminate the need for eggs, but this awesome vegetable also keeps the cookies super moist, soft, and chewy!
What brand of pumpkin is best for chocolate chip and pumpkin cookies?
For the pumpkin in cookies, it doesn’t really matter what brand you choose. You can make your own pumpkin puree or choose from the store. Libby’s is the most popular, but I’ve used Walmart-brand and ALDI-brand too!
Why are my pumpkin chocolate chip cookies sticky after baking?
Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies can turn out a bit sticky if the wet-to-dry ratio is off and there’s too much moisture in the cookie dough. They could also be slightly underbaked.
What can I make with my leftover pumpkin puree?
MORE EASY COOKIE RECIPES
High Protein Recipes on Repeat
Download the top 15+ recipes that are on repeat in my house, making it easy to feed my family AND meet my protein goals!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are soft and chewy, warm and gooey, and perfect for fall! This better-for-you treat is easy to fit within your daily macros.
Ingredients
- ½ cup butter melted (113g)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- ½ cup pumpkin puree (120g)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups whole grain flour (I recommend einkorn) (180g)
- 1 ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp ginger
- ¼ tsp nutmeg
- ⅛ tsp cloves
- ½ cup dark or semi-sweet chocolate chips (85g)
Instructions
-
Line a large baking sheet with a Silpat mat.
-
In a large bowl with a hand mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle blade, beat together ½ cup of melted butter and ½ cup of sugar until it’s light in color, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beater/blade.
-
Add pumpkin puree and vanilla extract and beat until everything is well incorporated, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and the beater/blade.
-
Add flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, baking soda, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and chocolate chips and mix on low JUST until combined.
-
Using a cookie scoop, scoop two scoops of dough per cookie onto the baking sheet. Leave about 2-3” of space between each cookie.
-
When you’ve scooped all the cookies, working with one at a time, PRESS (not roll) the double scoop of dough into a ball using the palm of your hands. Place the dough back onto the baking pan and press down slightly. Repeat the process for all the cookies.
-
Chill the dough for 30 minutes. This is a required step that you cannot skip.
-
When you’re ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F.
-
Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes and allow to cool on the baking pan for 10 minutes before placing them on a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Chill the dough for 30 minutes. This is mandatory for this recipe and cannot be skipped! Please make sure you plan accordingly. This helps the cookies keep a puffy, rounded shape instead of spreading and turning out flat.
- After you roll the dough, press it down gently. As long as you chill the dough first, the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies won’t spread much, so you’ll want to press down gently to get a more disc shape than ball shape.
- Add chopped pecans with the chocolate chips for an extra indulgent cookie.
Nutrition
Serving: 1cookieCalories: 123kcalCarbohydrates: 15gProtein: 1gFat: 6gSaturated Fat: 4gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 134mgPotassium: 51mgFiber: 1gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 1098IUVitamin C: 0.3mgCalcium: 15mgIron: 1mg
