Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

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Oh, fall…how I love you!!

I am such a cookie monster and having chocolate chip cookies around is one of my favorite things ever. It may have just been one-upped by these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies though! I have tried making pumpkin cookies about a million times and I never really liked them because they were too cakey, and I happen to be a fan of chewy/crunchy cookies. So, here’s the thing… pumpkin has a lot of moisture in it, which is why it’s so great for quickbreads, pancakes, muffins, etc. However, when it comes to cookies it can make the cookies so soft and cakey that they barely taste like cookies anymore. After a decent amount of testing, I have created a recipe that isn’t overly cakey and still has the flavors and textures that I love in a regular chocolate chip cookie.

I will warn you, these are super addicting! Also, I find that these are best the day they are made. They will be good the day or two after as well but they do start getting softer on the second day.

Tips for Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Make sure all your ingredients are room temperature. This will help them combine nicely.
Careful not to over-mix once you add in the flour, this will create a tough cookie.
Use a cookie scoop if you can! If they are all different sizes then you will have some cookies that are overbaked and others that are underbaked. If they are all the same size then you don’t have to worry about that.
Line your baking sheet with parchment paper. I can’t tell you how many people I see put their cookies directly on the baking sheet and my whole body cringes!
Store these in an airtight container once they have cooled. They will be good for 2-3 days but these ones, in particular, are best the day they are made.

Ingredients

2 1/4 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature
3/4 cup brown sugar
1/2 cup sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1/2 cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees
Place the butter in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment (or a hand mixer can be used instead)
Pour in the sugar and brown sugar, and cream together (aka mix together) until light and fluffy, making sure to scrape down the sides of the bowl every so often
Stir in the egg, and vanilla, and mix until well combined
Stir in the pumpkin puree and mix until well combined
In another bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice; use a whisk to mix them together well
Slowly pour the flour into butter/sugar mixture and mix until just combined
Stir in the chocolate until evenly mixed, scraping down the sides of the bowl to make sure everything is mixed in being careful not to over-mix
Use a cookie scoop (or two spoons) to scoop out the dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper; you can make them any size you like, but I do the size of about 2 tablespoons, if making them smaller or larger make sure to adjust the baking time
Evenly space the cookies out onto a baking sheet so they are at least a couple of inches away from each other
Bake for 10-12 minutes depending on their size; until the edges are starting to become golden
Allow to cool

*These are best the day they are made because they will have a slight crunch to them. They are delicious the day after as well but they will be softer due to the moisture in the pumpkin