I can never resist these soft pumpkin chocolate chip cookies packed with melty chocolate and crunchy walnuts. They disappear fast, and one bite makes it obvious why.
I’m obsessed with these Soft Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies because they hit that thick, soft, almost cake-like cookie spot without being boring for even a second. I love how the pumpkin puree keeps every bite tender, while the chocolate chips melt into little pockets that make me keep reaching back for another.
And the walnuts? I’m fully into that little crunch against the soft cookie.
No dry crumbs. No sad pumpkin spice overload.
Just a chewy, chocolatey, pumpkin-packed cookie that tastes like I meant business. But honestly, I never stop at one.
Not even close. These disappear fast in my kitchen.
Ingredients
- Pumpkin puree keeps these cookies soft, cozy, and a little sneaky-vegetable healthy.
- Softened butter brings that rich, homemade cookie taste you actually crave.
- Brown sugar makes them chewy, sweet, and kind of caramel-like.
- Granulated sugar helps the edges set without turning the cookies crunchy.
- The egg holds everything together so you don’t get cookie puddles.
- Vanilla adds warmth, like the cookie version of a comfy hoodie.
- Flour gives the dough structure, but still lets it stay pillowy.
- Baking soda helps them puff up instead of sitting there sadly.
- Cinnamon brings the classic pumpkin-spice vibe everyone expects.
- Ginger adds a tiny kick so the sweetness doesn’t feel flat.
- Nutmeg tastes warm and bakery-ish, even if you barely notice it.
- Cloves are optional, but they make things bolder fast.
- Salt keeps the cookies from tasting like straight sugar.
- Chocolate chips melt into little pockets of happiness.
Basically, necessary.
- Walnuts add crunch and a toasty bite.
Plus, they feel grown-up.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
How to Make this
1. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
2. In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, packed light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
3. Beat in the egg, then mix in the canned pumpkin puree and vanilla extract until fully combined.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves if using, and salt.
5. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined and no large streaks of flour remain.
6. Fold in the semisweet chocolate chips and chopped walnuts until evenly distributed.
7. Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to drop rounded portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing cookies about 2 inches apart.
8. Bake for 10 to 13 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers are soft but no longer wet.
9. Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Equipment Needed
1. Oven
2. Baking sheets
3. Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
4. Large mixing bowls
5. Electric mixer or hand whisk
6. Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
7. Measuring cups and spoons
8. Cookie scoop or tablespoon
9. Wire cooling rack
FAQ
Soft Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- Pumpkin puree:
- Butternut squash puree, same quantity
- Sweet potato puree, same quantity, may be slightly sweeter
- Mashed ripe banana, use 3/4 cup and reduce sugar slightly
- Unsalted butter:
- Salted butter, same amount; reduce added salt by 1/4 teaspoon
- Coconut oil, solid, 1:1 swap; imparts mild coconut flavor
- Vegetable shortening, 1:1 swap, for extra tenderness
- All-purpose flour:
- Whole wheat pastry flour, 1:1, yields nuttier, denser cookie
- Gluten-free 1-to-1 baking flour, 1:1, ensures similar texture
- Oat flour, use 1:1 but add 1 to 2 tablespoons extra liquid if dough is dry
- Semisweet chocolate chips:
- Dark chocolate chunks, same quantity, for richer flavor
- Milk chocolate chips, same quantity, sweeter and creamier
- Dried cranberries or raisins, 1 cup, for a fruity contrast
Pro Tips
– Chill the dough for 30 to 60 minutes before scooping. It firms the batter so the cookies spread less and bake up taller with a chewier center.
– Watch the bake time closely and remove cookies when the edges are set but the centers still look slightly soft. They will continue to set as they cool and you will get a tender, cake-like interior.
– Toast the walnuts briefly in a dry skillet until fragrant, then cool before chopping. Toasting intensifies their flavor and keeps them from tasting raw in the finished cookie.
– If you want a brighter pumpkin-spice flavor, add a teaspoon of fresh orange zest or a pinch more cinnamon to the dough. For extra texture, press a few extra chocolate chips into the tops right after they come out of the oven so they melt slightly and look bakery-style.
Soft Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
I can never resist these soft pumpkin chocolate chip cookies packed with melty chocolate and crunchy walnuts. They disappear fast, and one bite makes it obvious why.
12
servings
339
kcal
Equipment: 1. Oven
2. Baking sheets
3. Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
4. Large mixing bowls
5. Electric mixer or hand whisk
6. Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
7. Measuring cups and spoons
8. Cookie scoop or tablespoon
9. Wire cooling rack
Ingredients
-
1 cup canned pumpkin puree
-
1/2 cup unsalted butter, softened
-
1 cup packed light brown sugar
-
1/2 cup granulated sugar
-
1 large egg
-
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
-
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
-
1 teaspoon baking soda
-
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
-
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
-
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
-
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves (optional)
-
1/2 teaspoon salt
-
1 cup semisweet chocolate chips
-
1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Directions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- In a large bowl, cream together the softened butter, packed light brown sugar, and granulated sugar until light and fluffy.
- Beat in the egg, then mix in the canned pumpkin puree and vanilla extract until fully combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, ground cloves if using, and salt.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, stirring until just combined and no large streaks of flour remain.
- Fold in the semisweet chocolate chips and chopped walnuts until evenly distributed.
- Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to drop rounded portions of dough onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing cookies about 2 inches apart.
- Bake for 10 to 13 minutes, or until the edges are set and the centers are soft but no longer wet.
- Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 94.8g
- Total number of serves: 12
- Calories: 339kcal
- Fat: 16.16g
- Saturated Fat: 5.58g
- Trans Fat: 0.13g
- Polyunsaturated: 2.42g
- Monounsaturated: 8.04g
- Cholesterol: 35.8mg
- Sodium: 206mg
- Potassium: 178mg
- Carbohydrates: 49.1g
- Fiber: 1.78g
- Sugar: 34.2g
- Protein: 3.7g
- Vitamin A: 1250IU
- Vitamin C: 1.83mg
- Calcium: 30mg
- Iron: 0.81mg
