Cinnamon Pumpkin Cookies Chocolate Chip

I never thought I’d be the type of person who gets excited about pumpkin season. Growing up, it was just something that happened in the fall—pumpkins showed up in stores and disappeared again.

But then I discovered that pumpkin cookies are basically regular chocolate chip cookies with a cozy autumn upgrade. They’re soft, chewy, and have this warm spice flavor that makes your kitchen smell like a coffee shop. My kids ask for them year-round now, which means I keep canned pumpkin stocked in my pantry even in July.

What Kind of Pumpkin Should I Use?

For these cookies, you’ll want to stick with canned pumpkin puree rather than fresh pumpkin, as it gives you the most consistent results. Make sure you’re grabbing plain pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling, which already has spices and sugar added. Libby’s is a popular brand that works great, but any 100% pure pumpkin will do the trick. If you do have fresh pumpkin on hand, you can roast and puree it yourself, but canned pumpkin is much more convenient and actually tends to have a more concentrated flavor that works perfectly in baked goods.

Options for Substitutions

These pumpkin cookies are pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps, so here are some options if you need to make changes:

• Canned pumpkin: You can use homemade pumpkin puree or even sweet potato puree as a substitute. Just make sure it’s smooth and not watery – if it seems too wet, drain it through a fine mesh strainer for 30 minutes first.
• Vegetable oil: Melted butter works great here (use 1/2 cup), or try applesauce for a lighter version. With applesauce, your cookies will be a bit more cake-like and less crispy.
• All-purpose flour: You can substitute with whole wheat flour, but use about 1 3/4 cups since it’s denser. For gluten-free, use a 1:1 baking flour blend.
• Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Feel free to mix it up with white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or even chopped pecans. You could also try a combination – maybe 3/4 cup chocolate chips and 3/4 cup chopped walnuts.
• Ground cinnamon: If you want more fall flavor, try pumpkin pie spice instead of just cinnamon. Use the same amount, or add 1/4 teaspoon each of nutmeg and ginger along with the cinnamon.
• Granulated sugar: Brown sugar works well too and will give you chewier cookies with a deeper flavor. You can do half granulated and half brown sugar for the best of both worlds.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making pumpkin chocolate chip cookies is using too much pumpkin puree, which creates overly wet dough that spreads into flat, cake-like cookies instead of maintaining their shape – make sure to measure exactly one cup and avoid pumpkin pie filling by accident.

Another common error is skipping the chilling step, as pumpkin cookie dough tends to be softer than regular cookie dough and benefits from 30 minutes in the fridge to firm up before baking.

To prevent your chocolate chips from sinking to the bottom, lightly coat them in flour before folding them into the dough, and don’t overbake these cookies since they’ll continue cooking on the hot pan even after you remove them from the oven.

Watch for edges that are just set but centers that still look slightly underdone – they should feel soft to the touch and will firm up as they cool for that perfect chewy texture.

What to Serve With Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies?

These soft pumpkin cookies are perfect with a tall glass of cold milk or a warm cup of coffee – the spices really complement both drinks beautifully. I love serving them alongside a cozy fall spread with hot apple cider or chai tea, especially when you want to lean into those autumn flavors. For a fun dessert platter, try pairing them with vanilla ice cream or even a scoop of cinnamon ice cream for an extra special treat. They’re also great packed in lunch boxes or served at fall gatherings with other seasonal treats like apple crisp or caramel popcorn.

Storage Instructions

Store: These soft pumpkin cookies stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. I like to put a slice of bread in the container with them – it helps keep the cookies nice and soft! Just make sure they’re completely cooled before storing or they’ll get sticky.

Freeze: You can freeze these cookies for up to 3 months in a freezer-safe container or bag. I love freezing cookie dough balls too – just scoop them onto a baking sheet, freeze until solid, then transfer to a bag. You can bake them straight from frozen, just add an extra minute or two to the baking time.

Enjoy: Frozen cookies taste great straight from the freezer, or you can let them thaw at room temperature for about 10 minutes. If you want them warm and fresh-tasting, pop them in the microwave for just 10-15 seconds. The chocolate chips get all melty and delicious!

Preparation Time	10-15 minutes
Cooking Time	10-12 minutes
Total Time	20-30 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 3250-3500
• Protein: 30-38 g
• Fat: 140-155 g
• Carbohydrates: 470-495 g

Ingredients

For the wet mixture:

• 1 cup pumpkin puree (I use Libby’s canned pumpkin)
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract (pure vanilla preferred for best flavor)
• 1 tsp milk
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 large egg (room temperature)

For the dry mixture:

• 1 tsp baking soda
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon (freshly ground preferred)
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (I use King Arthur)

For mixing in:

• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips (melted and cooled slightly, or fold in whole)

Step 1: Preheat Oven and Prepare Your Mise en Place

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp baking soda

Preheat your oven to 375°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone mat.

While the oven heats, measure out all your dry ingredients (flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and baking soda) and set them aside in a small bowl.

This prep work ensures everything is ready when you need it, which prevents overmixing the batter later.

Step 2: Create the Wet Ingredient Base

• 1 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup canola oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 tsp milk
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar and canola oil until they’re combined and slightly emulsified—this takes about 30 seconds.

The oil helps distribute the sugar evenly and creates a better texture.

Add the room-temperature egg, milk, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract, mixing until the mixture is smooth and well-incorporated.

I prefer using pure vanilla extract here because it adds a cleaner, more refined flavor that complements the pumpkin and cinnamon beautifully.

Step 3: Combine Wet and Dry Ingredients

• wet ingredient mixture from Step 2
• dry ingredient mixture from Step 1

Pour the dry ingredient mixture from Step 1 into the wet ingredients from Step 2.

Fold everything together gently using a spatula or wooden spoon—stir just until no streaks of flour remain.

Overmixing at this point will develop too much gluten and create dense, tough cookies.

The batter should look slightly lumpy, and that’s exactly what you want.

Step 4: Fold in Chocolate Chips and Portion Dough

• 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
• batter from Step 3

Gently fold the semi-sweet chocolate chips into the batter using a spatula—I like to use whole chips rather than melted ones because they hold their shape better and create little pockets of chocolate throughout the cookie.

Using two spoons or a cookie scoop, drop rounded tablespoon-sized portions of dough onto your prepared baking sheet, spacing them about 2 inches apart.

These cookies will spread slightly during baking, so give them room to expand.

Step 5: Bake Until Edges are Set

Bake the cookies for 10 to 12 minutes, until the edges are set and lightly golden but the centers still look slightly underbaked—this is key to keeping them soft and chewy.

The cookies will continue to cook slightly on the baking sheet after you remove them from the oven.

Let them cool on the baking sheet for 2 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.