Old-Fashioned Pumpkin Cookies with Chocolate Chips
This easy recipe for pumpkin chocolate chip cookies is a family favorite during the Fall season. Your entire family will love these fluffy pumpkin cookies.
I love this time of year with all of the seasonal flavors.
Our house always smells like pumpkin spice and apple cinnamon because I’m constantly baking our favorite recipes.
So today I’m sharing a pumpkin cookie recipe that was given to me by my husband’s grandma.
It is simple (a requirement for everything I make) and uses basic pantry items I usually have on hand (another requirement).
And lastly, it makes some of the best pumpkin cookies I’ve ever had, and I know you’ll enjoy them, too!
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What’s the texture of Libby’s Pumpkin Cookies?
This recipe doesn’t give you chewy pumpkin cookies. Instead, you’ll soft pumpkin cookies with a cake-like texture.
They are fluffy and loaded with chocolate chips (and taste delicious with a cup of hot coffee or a big glass of cold milk).
Ingredients for Pumpkin Drop Cookies
(Exact measurements provided in the recipe card)
- Canned Pumpkin – You are looking for a can of pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. The only ingredient listed on the can should be pumpkin – no spices added. A quick check of the ingredient label while at the grocery store will let you know exactly what you’re getting.
- All-Purpose Flour
- Sugar – I use a combination of dark brown sugar and cane sugar, but you can also use all granulated white sugar.
- Egg
- Oil or Butter – I prefer to use melted unsalted butter or avocado oil in all of my baking recipes as opposed to vegetable oil, however you can use whatever oil product your household prefers.
- Semi-Sweet Chocolate Chips – mini chocolate chips are my favorite to use in this recipe.
- Baking Powder
- Baking Soda
- Ground Nutmeg, Cinnamon, Ginger – You can also use pumpkin pie spice if you have the premixed blend already on hand.
- Salt
- Oil or Butter – I prefer to use real melted butter or avocado oil in all of my baking recipes as opposed to vegetable oil, however you can use whatever oil product your household prefers.
- Vanilla Extract
- Optional Addins – Chopped walnuts make a great addition to this recipe!
Is there an icing for this recipe?
No, this recipe doesn’t utilize a cream cheese frosting like you see in a lot of pumpkin cookie recipes. Instead, the cookies are loaded with bits of chocolate chips to add a little extra sweetness.
Here are a few more pumpkin recipes you may enjoy : Homemade Pumpkin Spice Coffee Creamer – Homemade Pumpkin Spice Syrup – Gluten Free Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins
How to Make Delicious Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
To start, you are going to beat your oil (or butter) and sugar in a large mixing bowl (or in your stand mixer) until well combined.
Add a beaten egg and vanilla extract to the oil and sugar mixture.
In a separate large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices and salt together. It is best if you are able to sift these ingredients to make sure any large clumps are well broken up.
Now you are going to alternate additions of dry ingredients with your canned pumpkin into the wet ingredients (oil, sugar, egg mixture).
I add about a cup of flour mixture and mix until incorporated. Then I add in a scoop of pumpkin puree and mix it in. I continue this pattern until all dry ingredients and pumpkin is well incorporated.
Lastly, I fold in my chocolate chips using a wooden spoon or spatula.
Drop the cookie dough into tablespoon size scoops on a prepared baking sheet. This recipe should yield about 2 dozen cookies.
If you want a consistent size in your cookies, consider using a cookie scoop. Personally, I just use a plain ol’ spoon.
Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10-12 minutes.
Transfer to a wire rack to cool (don’t leave them on the hot cookie sheet of you may end up with burnt bottoms).
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, or you can store in the fridge to prolong the life a few more days.
Soft Pumpkin Cookies with Chocolate Chips
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup oil can also use 1/2 cup butter, melted
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin puree should show 100% pumpkin as the only ingredient
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 tsp each baking powder and baking soda
- 1 tsp each of ground cinnamon and nutmeg
- ground ginger a little less than 1/4 tsp
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer, beat together the oil (or butter) and sugar until well combined.
- Add beaten egg and vanilla to this mixture.
- In a separate bowl, sift together your remaining dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, baking soda, spices, and salt).
- Alternate adding flour mixture and canned pumpkin to the oil/sugar mixture. I usually take a scoop of flour, mix, a scoop of pumpkin, mix and continue this alternation until all ingredients have been added.
- Once all flour and pumpkin is well incorporated, fold in your chocolate chips.
- Use a teaspoon to drop cookies in small mounds on a cookie sheet. You could also use a cookie scoop for more uniform cookie sizes.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes. Once done baking, remove from the cookie sheet and place on a cooling rack.Cookies will be fluffy and soft like a muffin top.
Notes
- Store leftovers in an airtight container.
- You can use 2 1/2 tsp of pumpkin pie spice instead of the mentioned spice mixture as well.
- 1/2 cup of chopped walnuts make a delicious addition to these drop cookies.
