In the world of pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, there is a serious debate going on–Team Cake-y and Team Cookie-Like (clearly, these are very scientific names). I’m actually not strongly one team or another, but truthfully, one of the reasons pumpkin cookies so often come out cake-y is just the nature of pumpkin; it adds a lot of moisture and makes things retain their shape. So pumpkin cookies are nice in theory, but actually executing them is tricky, which is fine for me because I’m a fan of cake-like pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.
This recipe (which I adapted from Baked: New Frontiers in Baking) is more cake-like than many–they’re actually almost like muffin tops (like the actual tops of muffins, not like what happens when I wear low-rise jeans).
You’ll need some pumpkin, eggs, pumpkin pie spice, vanilla extract, white sugar, brown sugar, flour, baking soda and powder, table salt, and chocolate chips.
Yes, I do realize that I forgot, like, half of the ingredients in this picture. At least I’m forgetting ingredients in pictures and not kids at gas stations or something.
Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350.
Lightly spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level with a knife. Place the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt,
pumpkin pie spice.
and whisk together.
Set aside. In a large bowl, beat together the brown sugar, white sugar, and oil. Add the pumpkin puree and mix well. Add the vanilla and eggs and mix well. Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix until combined. Add chocolate chips and mix until combined.
Using a 1 tablespoon scoop, drop the batter onto a baking sheet, leaving about 1″ between the batter (unlike this picture, I got 12 per standard cookie sheet).
The cookies will not spread much and will basically be the same shape you scoop them in, so if beautify is important to you, keep in mind they’ll look the same way coming out of the oven as they did going in.
Bake for 10-14 minutes or until the tops are done and a toothpick inserted into the middle of one of the cakes comes out clean (I cook mine closer to 13-14 minutes). Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes on the pan and then transfer to a cooling rack.
Cake-Like Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Yield: 2 dozen
Description
These cake-like pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are soft and light–almost like muffin tops!
Ingredients
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon + 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1/2 cup neutral-flavored cooking oil (like canola or peanut)
1 c. dark brown sugar
1/2 cup white sugar
1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree (almost a whole 15-ounce can; see notes for how to use the remaining 1/2 cup)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 10-12 ounce bag chocolate chips
Instructions
Line baking sheets with parchment paper. Preheat oven to 350.
Lightly spoon the flour into the measuring cup and level with a knife. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Set aside.
In a large bowl, beat together the brown sugar, white sugar, and oil. Add the pumpkin puree and mix well. Add the vanilla and eggs and mix well. Slowly add in the flour mixture and mix until combined. Add chocolate chips and mix until combined.
Using a 1 tablespoon scoop, drop the batter onto a baking sheet, leaving about 1″ between the batter (I got 12 per standard cookie sheet). The cookies will not spread much and will basically be the same shape you scoop them in, so if beautify is important to you, keep in mind they’ll look the same way coming out of the oven as they did going in.
Bake for 10-14 minutes or until the tops are done and a toothpick inserted into the middle of one of the cakes comes out clean (I cook mine closer to 13-14 minutes). Remove from oven and allow to cool for 5 minutes on the pan and then transfer to a cooling rack.
Notes
Try using the leftover pumpkin in this pumpkin pie milkshake, freeze it for later, or keep it on hand to give your dog. Seriously, pumpkin helps with all sorts of canine digestive problems–I have cans and cans of it permanently stocked in my cupboards just for this!
Questions & Reviews
I’ve used this recipe for 2 years now and it always comes out wonderful. I get so many complements. Thank you for posting this.
The recipe calls for pumpkin pie spice, but the instructions say to mix in cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. I assume that means to mix in the pumpkin pie spice which contains those ingredients, hope that is correct I am making them right now 🙂
It’s a long time from the last time I make cookies, I can’t wait to try this recipe. Thank you for sharing!
This is really random, but do you ever get a tiny, crunchy bit of something in your pumpkin baked goods? As is maybe i got a bit of egg shell in the batter? I have noticed this over the years in everything I make with pumpkin – just a few random crunchy bites here and there spread over a whole batch of bread, cookies, anything pumpkin. Last year I was super careful to make sure it wasn’t egg shells by cracking them in a glass measure first and thoroughly inspecting before adding on every pumpkin recipe. Still got some crunchies, so I’m confident it’s not egg shell. Never have it with anything else – just pumpkin items. It’s weird. I’m thinking it must be something in the canned pumpkin? Does Libby’s have an insect problem (eww)? Just wondering if anyone else has experienced this.
Hmmmm…I wonder if it’s a moisture/crystallization thing? I’m going to do some digging!
I have this same problem! My only conclusion is that it is from nutmeg. I think there might be grainier bits of nutmeg in ground nutmeg? Or maybe it IS pumpkin bits. I have experienced this in store-brand pumpkin, too.
Gross! Now I don’t want to make these cookies. Can someone please address the question of could Libby’s have an insect problem. Yuk!
I’ve never heard anything about Libby’s having an insect problem. I think it’s more liking a chemical reaction in the baking process.
Semi-sweet or milk? In YOUR opinion which is better with these cookies? I always love milk chocolate but for some reason I feel like semi-sweet might be the way to go w/ these… but I want to know what you think!
These are pretty sweet, so semi-sweet is definitely a good choice. I’m such a sucker for the Ghirardelli milk chips, though, that I had to do it. 🙂
Is it supposed to be 1 1/2 cup flour? My batter is a little runny ?
Yikes!! I’m so sorry, this was my mistake! It was 1 1/2 cups, but I didn’t see the comments until someone mentioned it on Instagram last night. It’s fixed now, but I’m so so sorry!
Add brown butter frosting to the top and perfection!
This is what I grew up eating—my favorite! And they’re even better the next day! Yum 🙂
This recipe looks amazing! I can’t wait to try them. The ingredients list says to look at the notes section for ideas for the 1/2 cup of leftover pumpkin, but I don’t see the notes! I’d love to get suggestions, I find I always have leftover pumpkin.
Oh my goodness! Your muffin top comment made me ??. These look delicious!