There are certain recipes that just scream FALL, and pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are absolutely one of them.
The second September hits, I’m ready. Give me the pumpkin, the cinnamon, the sweaters, the cooler mornings—all of it. And while I love a good pumpkin bread or pumpkin dessert, there’s something about a big batch of soft pumpkin chocolate chip cookies that is hard to beat.
These cookies are soft, fluffy, perfectly spiced, and loaded with chocolate chips. They’re more of that classic cake-like pumpkin cookie rather than a chewy chocolate chip cookie, and honestly, that’s exactly how a pumpkin cookie should be.
And when I say this recipe makes a big batch, I mean a BIG batch.
It uses an entire 29-ounce can of pumpkin and makes plenty of cookies for sharing with neighbors, taking to a party, bringing to a family gathering, or just keeping around the house. If you don’t need quite that many, you can easily cut the recipe in half.
Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Besides the fact that pumpkin and chocolate belong together, these cookies are incredibly easy to make.
They’re:
- Super soft and fluffy
- Full of pumpkin flavor
- Perfectly spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg
- Loaded with chocolate chips
- Easy to make for a crowd
- Basically fall in cookie form
Plus, there’s no chilling the dough. Mix everything together, scoop them onto your baking sheets, and into the oven they go.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Ingredients
Here’s everything you’ll need:
2 cups shortening
4 cups sugar
6 eggs
2 tablespoons vanilla
1 large (29 oz.) can pumpkin — make sure you use pure pumpkin, NOT pumpkin pie filling
10 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking soda
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon salt
1 heaping tablespoon cinnamon
1 tablespoon nutmeg
3–4 cups chocolate chips
I know. Ten cups of flour sounds absolutely wild. 😂 But remember, we’re making A LOT of cookies here!
If you’re making these just for your family and don’t want cookies covering every available surface in your kitchen, simply halve everything.
How to Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Step 1: Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F and line your baking sheets with parchment paper.
I definitely recommend the parchment paper here. It makes cleanup easier and helps keep the cookies from sticking.
Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients
In a medium bowl, add the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Whisk everything together until evenly combined, then set the bowl aside.
Step 3: Cream the Wet Ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, cream together the shortening, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
You’ll want a pretty large bowl for this recipe. Again…we are making some cookies!
Step 4: Add the Pumpkin
Slowly mix the pumpkin into the creamed mixture until everything is smooth and combined.
And one more reminder: make sure you’re using pure pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling already contains added sugar and spices and will change the finished cookies.
Step 5: Add the Dry Ingredients
With your mixer running on medium speed, slowly add the dry ingredients to the pumpkin mixture.
Because there is quite a bit of flour, add it gradually rather than dumping everything in at once. Your kitchen will thank you.
Continue mixing just until everything is fully combined.
Step 6: Add the Chocolate Chips
Fold or mix in 3–4 cups of chocolate chips, depending on how chocolatey you want your cookies.
I’m not going to tell you what to do here, but I will say I’ve never finished a cookie and thought, You know what? That had too many chocolate chips.
Do with that information what you will.
Step 7: Scoop and Bake
Drop spoonfuls of cookie dough onto your parchment-lined baking sheets, leaving a little room between each cookie.
Bake at 350°F for 12–15 minutes, or until the cookies are set.
Because pumpkin cookies stay soft, don’t wait for them to get really dark or crispy around the edges. You want that soft, fluffy texture.
Allow them to cool for a few minutes on the baking sheet before transferring them to a cooling rack.
A Few Tips for the Best Pumpkin Cookies
Don’t overbake them. These cookies are supposed to be soft and cake-like. Start checking them around the 12-minute mark.
Use pure pumpkin. Look for canned pumpkin or pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
Choose your favorite chocolate chips. Semi-sweet chocolate chips are classic, but milk chocolate would be delicious too.
Make the full batch and share. Yes, you can halve this recipe—but there’s also something fun about making a ridiculous amount of cookies and delivering plates to friends and neighbors.
Can You Freeze Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies?
Absolutely!
Once the cookies have completely cooled, place them in an airtight freezer-safe container or freezer bag. I like separating layers with parchment paper so they don’t stick together.
Then you can pull out a cookie whenever you need a little taste of fall.
The Perfect Fall Cookie
I love recipes that immediately remind you of a season, and these Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies do exactly that.
They’re warm and spiced, ridiculously soft, filled with chocolate, and your house smells AMAZING while they’re baking.
Make the entire batch and share them with everyone you know, or cut the recipe in half and keep them all to yourself.
I support either decision.
But if you’re looking for an easy pumpkin cookie recipe to make this fall, this is the one.
Enjoy!
The Best Soft Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups shortening
- 4 cups sugar
- 6 eggs
- 2 tablespoons vanilla
- 1 large (29 oz.) can pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 10 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking soda
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 heaping tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon nutmeg
- 3–4 cups chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, cream together shortening, sugar, eggs, and vanilla until smooth.
- Slowly add the pumpkin and mix until fully incorporated.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients while mixing on medium speed. Mix just until fully combined.
- Add the chocolate chips and mix until evenly distributed.
- Drop spoonfuls of dough onto prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 12–15 minutes, or until the cookies are set.
- Allow to cool slightly on the baking sheet before transferring to a cooling rack.
- NOTE: This recipe makes a very large batch of cookies. If you don’t need that many, the recipe can easily be cut in half.
