I know what you’re thinking: Does the world really need another chocolate chip cookie recipe? What I want to say here is Absolutely. Because what’s better than having a chocolate chip cookie recipe for every moment and occasion? Some are thick and gooey, some are thin and chewy. Some people use a mixture of milk and dark chocolate, while others swear by adding extra flaky salt or walnuts. Making the best cookies depends entirely on your taste and preference, and of course, the season. That’s why today, we’re exploring what I consider the perfect fall treat: spicy, buttery pumpkin chocolate chip cookies that taste great with a glass of hot apple cider.
How to Make the Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies This Fall
The season of coziness is upon us, y’all, and there’s no better way to celebrate than with fuzzy socks, a hot drink, and candy that’ll warm you from the inside out. Ever since making Sarah Keefer’s sheet pan chocolate chip cookies, I’ve been obsessed with super thin and chewy cookies. I’m not going to lie: this is my absolute preference for thicker cookies. I love how the edges get crispy as the cookies spread out in the oven. The chewy center with shards and pools of dark chocolate adds a rich, satisfying texture while balanced with extra salt. To me, this is the ultimate chocolate chip cookie.
Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Ingredients
Brown butter. Nothing brings the comfort of fall baking like brown butter. You’ll notice its nutty flavor and it adds a delicious flavor to your baked goods.
Brown sugar and white sugar. As you know, both types of sugar have different uses in chocolate chip cookies. Brown sugar helps with chewing, while white sugar adds a crunchy texture.
pumpkin puree. The pumpkin adds moisture and a subtle sweetness, while also giving the cookies an extra autumnal orange hue. NOTE: Do not use pumpkin pie mix. Make sure to only use pumpkin.
All purpose flour. I highly recommend using a scale to measure when baking to ensure 100% accuracy. If you don’t have a scale, make sure to fluff the flour, scoop it into the measuring cup without tapping it, and scrape off the top to level it out.
pumpkin spice. Although this is a chocolate chip cookie, pumpkin spice comes to the fore in this recipe, adding warmth and spice to the cookies. You can make your own or use store-bought ones.
chocolate. For chocolate chip cookies, I prefer to use chopped chocolate chunks instead of chocolate chips. Chocolate chips are made with stabilizers that prevent them from spreading or melting like a chocolate bar. Using a good quality chocolate, cut diagonally both ways into large and small pieces that will be spread throughout the cookie batter.
Salt. I tend to add extra salt when making other baked goods because I prefer my desserts to be slightly saltier. Use the salt in the batter and add flaky salt on top of the cookies when they come out of the oven. Bonus: It helps bring out the flavor of the chocolate.
Tips for Baking Perfect Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Every Time
i have learned a lot of From all the chocolate chip cookie recipes I’ve made over the years. Here’s how to make sure you produce the best batch possible:
- Salt is your friend. The easiest way to get the best out of your chocolate chip cookies is to add salt to each layer. Salt the dough and add a little flaky salt under the cookies and on top of the cookies when they are removed from the oven. If you have a sweet tooth sweetproceed and ignore this suggestion. But for the best flavor balance, don’t skimp on the salt.
- Chill the dough. I tested this recipe by baking the dough immediately and then chilling the dough for an hour. There was a noticeable difference in flavor and texture between batches, I preferred the frozen version. Placing the dough in the refrigerator ensures proper hydration and helps everything come together. Because this recipe doesn’t use eggs, cooling also helps maintain structure during baking so the cookies don’t spread too much.
- Don’t overdo it with chocolate. I know this sounds like crazy advice to CCC, but especially when cutting out a bar of chocolate, it’s easy to end up eating basically just chocolate. While this isn’t really a problem – especially for the chocolate lover in me – these are cookies. We wanted to taste the cookie in every bite. We also wanted the warm spices to shine through in these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, so be a little restrained with the chocolate.
- No amount of chocolate is too much. To make sure you get nice (and delicious) pools of chocolate on the top of each cookie, dip the tops into chopped chocolate chunks after you’ve balled up the dough.
How to Store and Freeze a Fresh Batch of Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Any Time
Chocolate chip cookies will keep for up to one week in an airtight container. Alternatively, you can bake some cookies and freeze the dough so you have fresh cookies ready at any time.
Prepare cookie dough according to directions. Scoop the dough into balls and place in a single layer on a cookie sheet lined with baking paper. Chill the cookie sheets in the refrigerator for at least an hour, then transfer to the freezer until the dough is firm. Once the dough is chilled, remove it from the cookie sheet and place it in a Ziploc bag or airtight container. Frozen dough can be stored for up to two months.
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Spicy, sweet, and of course chocolatey. These little delights are the perfect fall treat.
- 1/2 cup butter, browned and cooled to room temperature
- 100 gram Brown sugar (1/2 cup)
- 80 gram Sugar (1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons)
- 60 gram Pumpkin puree (1/4 cup)
- 185 gram flour (1 1/2 cups)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 1/4 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 50 gram chopped dark chocolate
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In a small saucepan over low heat, add the stick of cream. Let the butter melt and it will soon start to bubble and make a sputtering sound. Stir occasionally, keeping an eye on the cream. When the butter stops bubbling, stir occasionally until it begins to brown. Butter burns easily, so pay close attention. As soon as it starts to change color, remove it from the heat. Pour the cream into a small bowl and let cool to room temperature.
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In a large bowl, combine the cooled brown butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar. Stir with a spatula until light in color. Add pumpkin puree and stir until sugar granules dissolve. The texture of the wet ingredients should be light and smooth.
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Add flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin spice to the bowl. Slowly incorporate dry ingredients into wet ingredients. The dough will feel dry at first, so continue pressing the flour into the wet ingredients until smooth. (Sometimes I use my hands to help assemble everything.)
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Once the dough comes together, add the dark chocolate and stir to combine. Once the dough is mixed, scoop out 2-2 1/2 tablespoons of dough and roll into balls. Flatten slightly between palms and place on a parchment-lined baking sheet. Repeat this until all the dough has been scooped. Cover with plastic wrap or parchment paper and a kitchen towel.
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Chill the dough in the refrigerator for about an hour.
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Preheat oven to 350 F. You can bake in two batches to prevent crowding the pan.
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Bake for 10 minutes. After 10 minutes, tap the baking sheet onto an oven rack to stop the cookies from rising. Bake for another 2 minutes, then tap again, bake for another 2 minutes, then tap again, for a total baking time of 14-15 minutes.
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Remove from the oven and pat the kitchen towel on the counter again. Let the cookies cool on the pan for five minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack and cool completely.
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Sprinkle with salt and enjoy!
