I thought I knew what good pumpkin cookies were until I tried Crumbl’s version last fall. Those thick, soft cookies with just the right amount of pumpkin spice and chocolate chips had me hooked after one bite.
The thing is, Crumbl cookies cost about four dollars each, and with two kids who inherited my sweet tooth, that adds up fast. So I did what any reasonable mom would do—I spent weeks testing recipes in my kitchen until I cracked the code. Turns out the secret is using cake flour and not overbaking them.
Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Perfect fall flavors – The warm spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves paired with real pumpkin puree create that cozy autumn taste you crave all season long.
- Soft and chewy texture – These cookies stay perfectly tender thanks to the pumpkin puree, giving you that bakery-style softness that melts in your mouth.
- Quick and easy to make – With just 30-36 minutes from start to finish, you can have fresh-baked cookies ready faster than a trip to the store.
- Simple pantry ingredients – Most of these ingredients are probably already sitting in your kitchen, making this recipe perfect for spontaneous baking sessions.
- Chocolate chip goodness – The semi-sweet chocolate chips add the perfect sweet contrast to the spiced pumpkin base, creating an irresistible flavor combination.
What Kind of Pumpkin Puree Should I Use?
For these cookies, you’ll want to use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling – there’s a big difference! Pumpkin pie filling already has spices and sugar added, which will throw off the balance of your cookies. Look for canned pumpkin puree in the baking aisle, with brands like Libby’s being a reliable choice. If you’re feeling ambitious, you can make your own by roasting a sugar pumpkin and pureeing the flesh, but honestly, the canned stuff works just as well and saves you time. Just make sure to give the can a good stir before measuring, as the puree can separate a bit while sitting on the shelf.
Options for Substitutions
These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are pretty forgiving when it comes to swaps:
- Pumpkin puree: This is the star of the show, so don’t substitute it! Make sure you’re using plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling which has added spices and sugar.
- Vegetable oil: You can swap this with melted butter (use 1/2 cup), coconut oil (melted and cooled slightly), or even applesauce for a lighter version. Just note that butter will make them a bit more cake-like.
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips: Feel free to use milk chocolate chips, dark chocolate chips, or even white chocolate chips. You could also try butterscotch chips or chopped pecans for a different flavor twist.
- Spices: If you don’t have all the individual spices, you can use 2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice instead of the cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves combination.
- All-purpose flour: You can substitute with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend if needed, though the texture might be slightly different.
- Granulated sugar: Brown sugar works great here and will add a deeper molasses flavor that pairs nicely with pumpkin. Use the same amount.
Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking
The biggest mistake when making pumpkin chocolate chip cookies is using fresh pumpkin puree that’s too watery, which leads to flat, spread-out cookies – always use canned pumpkin puree or drain fresh puree on paper towels for 15 minutes before mixing.
Another common error is overmixing the dough once you add the flour, as this develops too much gluten and creates tough cookies instead of soft, chewy ones.
Don’t skip chilling the dough for at least 30 minutes before baking, since the high moisture content from the pumpkin makes the dough sticky and prone to spreading too much in the oven.
For perfectly thick cookies, slightly underbake them by removing when the edges are set but the centers still look slightly soft – they’ll continue cooking on the hot pan and give you that perfect chewy texture.
What to Serve With Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies?
These soft pumpkin cookies are perfect on their own, but they’re even better with a tall glass of cold milk for dunking. I love serving them alongside a warm cup of coffee or spiced chai tea – the fall spices in the cookies complement those cozy drinks perfectly. For a fun dessert spread, try pairing them with vanilla ice cream or even a scoop of cinnamon ice cream for an extra special treat. They also make a great addition to any autumn gathering when served with hot apple cider or pumpkin spice lattes.
Storage Instructions
Keep Fresh: These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies stay soft and chewy when stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week. I like to add a slice of bread to the container to help keep them extra moist. Just make sure they’re completely cooled before storing to prevent them from getting sticky.
Freeze: You can freeze the baked cookies in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to 3 months. I also love freezing the cookie dough! Just scoop it into balls, freeze them on a baking sheet, 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 to warm them up, pop them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to get that fresh-baked feel again.
| Preparation Time | 15-20 minutes |
| Cooking Time | 15-16 minutes |
| Total Time | 30-36 minutes |
| Level of Difficulty | Easy |
Estimated Nutrition
Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):
- Calories: 3150-3350
- Protein: 34-40 g
- Fat: 140-155 g
- Carbohydrates: 440-465 g
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup neutral oil (such as canola or vegetable)
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg, ground
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Step 1: Prepare the Baking Sheet and Preheat the Oven
Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray or line it with a silicone baking mat to prevent sticking.
Set the prepared baking sheet aside until you’re ready to portion the cookie dough.
Step 2: Beat Eggs and Sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup white sugar
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or using hand beaters, beat the eggs and white sugar together for about 1 minute, until the mixture is smooth and has lightened in color.
Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure even mixing.
Step 3: Add Wet Ingredients
- 1/2 cup neutral oil (such as canola or vegetable)
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
Add the neutral oil, canned pumpkin, and pure vanilla extract to the beaten eggs and sugar.
Mix until everything is well blended and the batter appears uniform.
Step 4: Incorporate Dry Ingredients and Chocolate Chips
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg, ground
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, fine salt, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves to the wet mixture.
Mix until the ingredients are partially combined.
Then, add the semisweet chocolate chips and continue mixing until no dry patches of flour remain.
I like to reserve a few chocolate chips to press on top of each cookie before baking for a bakery-style look.
Step 5: Portion and Bake the Cookies
- cookie dough from Step 4
Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, portion out scoops of dough and arrange six cookies per baking sheet, spacing them evenly apart.
Bake in the preheated oven for 15-16 minutes, or until the cookies are puffed and set.
Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Step 6: Cool and Store Cookies
Once the cookies have cooled completely on a wire rack, store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature.
They will stay fresh for 4-5 days.
I find that storing a slice of bread in the container helps keep cookies soft longer.
Tasty Crumbl Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup white sugar
- 1/2 cup neutral oil (such as canola or vegetable)
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp fine salt
- 1/4 tsp nutmeg, ground
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1 1/2 cups semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Spray a baking sheet with nonstick cooking spray or line it with a silicone baking mat to prevent sticking. Set the prepared baking sheet aside until you're ready to portion the cookie dough.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, or using hand beaters, beat the eggs and white sugar together for about 1 minute, until the mixture is smooth and has lightened in color. Stop the mixer and scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed to ensure even mixing.
- Add the neutral oil, canned pumpkin, and pure vanilla extract to the beaten eggs and sugar. Mix until everything is well blended and the batter appears uniform.
- Add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, fine salt, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves to the wet mixture. Mix until the ingredients are partially combined. Then, add the semisweet chocolate chips and continue mixing until no dry patches of flour remain. I like to reserve a few chocolate chips to press on top of each cookie before baking for a bakery-style look.
- Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup, portion out scoops of dough and arrange six cookies per baking sheet, spacing them evenly apart. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-16 minutes, or until the cookies are puffed and set. Let the cookies cool on the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Once the cookies have cooled completely on a wire rack, store any leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature. They will stay fresh for 4-5 days. I find that storing a slice of bread in the container helps keep cookies soft longer.
