Let Me Tell You About These Cookies (And My Messy Kitchen)

Okay, so you know those rainy autumn afternoons where you just want to curl up with something warm, a good book, and maybe ignore a few chores? That’s usually when I end up making these thick & chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. My oldest swears they’re the only reason he comes home from college (he’s definitely exaggerating, but I’ll take it). Honestly, the first time I made these, I forgot to add sugar until the very end and, well, let’s just say my family still teases me about “that pumpkin bread fail.” But these cookies? They always hit the spot (unless you leave out the sugar—don’t be like me!).

Why You’ll Love These (Besides the Obvious Chocolate Situation)

I make this recipe when the leaves start to turn, or when my kids’ friends invade and I need to distract them from the state of my living room. My family goes absolutely wild for them because they’re the perfect mix of cozy fall flavors and gooey chocolate. (Although, fair warning, my husband usually tries to sneak extra chocolate chips in when he thinks I’m not looking. It’s a whole thing.) They’re soft, thick, and chewy—sort of like if a classic chocolate chip cookie got all dressed up for a fall party. Plus, they don’t get dry, even if you accidentally leave them out a bit. Actually, I kind of like them better the next day, but they rarely last that long.

What You’ll Need (And a Few Swaps I’ve Used in a Pinch)

1 cup canned pumpkin puree (NOT the pie filling, but hey, I used it once in a rush—still decent, just a bit sweeter!)
1 cup brown sugar, packed (my grandma always insisted on light brown, but I honestly just grab whatever’s in the cupboard)
1/2 cup granulated sugar (sometimes I skimp a bit if I want more pumpkin flavor)
1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled (or use coconut oil if you want a hint of tropical, I’ve done both)
1 large egg yolk (yep, just the yolk, makes it extra chewy—don’t ask me why, I read it somewhere and just stuck with it)
2 tsp vanilla extract (homemade if you’re feeling extra, but store-bought is totally fine)
2 cups all-purpose flour (sometimes I do half AP, half whole wheat, but the kids definitely notice)
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (or a mix of cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, and ginger—whatever you have)
1 1/4 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (or just dump in that half-empty bag you found in the back of the drawer)

How I Actually Make These (And What Usually Happens)

Start by whisking together the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and melted butter in a big bowl. If there’s a small child nearby, now’s when they’ll ask to “help.” Just embrace the mess.
Mix in the egg yolk and vanilla until it’s all nice and smooth. This is where I usually sneak a spoonful (shhh—no raw eggs, so why not?).
In a separate bowl—unless you’ve run out of clean ones, in which case, just use the same bowl—combine the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Don’t worry if your spice mix isn’t precise; it’s kind of hard to mess up.
Stir the dry ingredients into the wet stuff. It’ll look a little thick and clumpy, almost like you did something wrong. You didn’t. Just keep going.
Fold in those chocolate chips (and maybe a few more, because what’s the harm?).
Now, here’s the only hard part: cover the dough and let it chill in the fridge for about 30-60 minutes. I know, I know—it’s tough to wait, but this is what makes them thick and not pancake-flat. Trust me, I tried skipping this once and ended up with sad, thin cookies. Not my proudest moment.
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Plop generous spoonfuls of dough onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. I use an ice cream scoop; you can also just eyeball it. They don’t need to be perfect—lumpy, rustic cookies have more character anyway.
Bake for 12-14 minutes. They’ll look a little soft in the middle—that’s good! Don’t overbake. They set up more as they cool.
Let them cool on the sheet for about 5 minutes before moving to a wire rack (or straight to your mouth, but watch out—they’re hot!).

The dough is sticky; don’t panic, and don’t add more flour (I tried, and they turned out weirdly cakey).
If you use coconut oil, they might spread a tad more, but the flavor is honestly delightful.
I’ve noticed that using slightly less sugar lets the pumpkin and spice shine more, but then again, my kids disagree.

Variations I’ve Tried (And One I Regret)

White chocolate chips are actually amazing here — who knew?
If you’re feeling nutty, throw in a handful of toasted pecans or walnuts. My sister swears by this, but I find it distracts from the pumpkin.
Once I used oat flour because I ran out of AP. Didn’t work — cookies tasted like they wanted to be muffins but failed.

What If I Don’t Have That Fancy Dough Scoop?

Honestly, I just use two spoons most of the time. Or one big soup spoon. Once I even used a coffee mug when nothing else was clean (not my finest hour, but hey, it worked).

Thick & Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Storing These (But You Probably Won’t Need To)

Keep them in an airtight container on the counter for up to three days (though honestly, in my house, they never last more than a day!). If you’re some sort of cookie-hoarder, you can freeze the dough balls and bake them off as needed. Actually, I think they taste better after a day in the tin—but maybe that’s just me.

How We Love To Serve ‘Em

I’m a big fan of dunking these in hot coffee, but my kids like them with a glass of cold milk. When it’s really chilly, try one warm with a scoop of vanilla ice cream on top — sounds extra, but it’s incredibly good. For Halloween, I’ve even sandwiched a little cinnamon cream cheese frosting between two cookies, and the kids went nuts (not literally, but close).

Things I’ve Learned The Hard Way

Don’t try to bake two trays at once unless you like uneven cookies; I did it once, and half were charcoal while the others were sad and pale.
Letting the dough chill really does matter; I tried to rush once, and they spread like a puddle. Oops.
It’s not actually a disaster if you forget to sift the flour. I never do, and no one’s complained yet.

FAQ: Real Questions From Real People (And A Few I Made Up)

Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned?
Yes, totally! Just make sure it’s really well drained—homemade pumpkin purée is wetter than canned. Don’t ask me how I know; let’s just say I had some major puddle-cookies one Thanksgiving.

Do I really need to chill the dough?
You don’t have to, but your cookies will be thinner and less chewy. If you’re in a hurry, pop the tray in the freezer for 10 minutes while the oven heats. Not perfect, but better than nothing.

Is there a way to make these vegan?
I haven’t tried it, but a friend used coconut oil and a flax egg and said it worked fine. Actually, if you want a solid vegan baking guide, Minimalist Baker’s egg substitute guide is super handy.

What’s the best chocolate to use?
I pretty much just use whatever’s on sale, but if you ever want to splurge, Ghirardelli chips do melt so, so nicely here.

Can I double this recipe?
Sure can — just use a bigger bowl and clear some freezer space for dough balls if you can’t bake them all at once. Or make friends with your neighbors and share, like my mum always said.

Why are my cookies dry?
Probably left ‘em in too long, or maybe your pumpkin was a bit dry. Next time, pull them when they still look a touch underdone in the middle!

Is it normal for the dough to be this sticky?
Yep! Absolutely. Sticky means chewy cookies. If you can’t handle it, lightly grease your hands or the scoop — or just embrace the mess like I do.

Oh, totally unrelated, but if you’re ever at a loss for pumpkin pie spice, this homemade blend from Sally’s Baking Addiction is my go-to. It’s saved me more than once.

So that’s it — my thick & chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookie saga! Hope your kitchen is cozier (and maybe a little less flour-dusted) than mine. Let me know how yours turn out, or if you discover a brilliant variation I need to try!