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The best ever Pumpkin Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies…because Fridays in October deserve something sweet. Homemade pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, made with browned butter, pumpkin butter, pumpkin spice, and plenty of chocolate. Each cookie dough ball is rolled through cinnamon sugar for a “snickerdoodle” like finish before baking to perfection. There’s nothing not to love about these cookies. They’re slightly crisp on the edges, but soft and gooey in the middle. Perfect for Halloween night or Thanksgiving dinner…or simply when in need of a deliciously sweet pumpkin chocolate chip cookie.
It’s pretty hard to beat a good classic chocolate chip cookie. I grew up eating my mom’s homemade cookies and to this day, they’re still a favorite. She uses the recipe on the back of the Nestlè Toll House Chocolate Chip bag. But always adds an extra cup of chocolate chips. Because, well that’s mom, the more chocolate the better!
It really was not until the last few years that I started creating (and loving) pumpkin recipes. For the longest time my mom had it ingrained in me to only like chocolate-based desserts. No pumpkin, definitely not anything fruity, and vanilla? No way. It’s was chocolate or nothing growing up…and I will never ever complain an ounce about it.
What I will say however, is that I’m thankful I’ve opened up my horizons a bit…and in turn hers too. We’ve ventured onto the path of desserts beyond the “chocolate only” realm. Chocolate is still a favorite, of course, but I’ve now come to love experimenting with new flavors and desserts that don’t focus so heavily on chocolate…enter my cream cheese swirled pumpkin bread.
But what’s even more fun? When I can combine my serious love for chocolate along with my (relatively) new love for pumpkin.
And in comes these cookies. You have chocolate, you have pumpkin, AND you have pumpkin spice. So the best of all worlds. Cheesy, but true.
My secrets to the perfect pumpkin cookie…
Every time I’ve attempted pumpkin chocolate chip cookies in the past, they’ve come out pretty cakey and much more muffin-like. Not bad, but just not a chewy chocolate chip cookie.
My goal with these cookies was to create a pumpkin cookie not only with amazing pumpkin flavor, but also a texture that’s closer to my mom’s chocolate chip cookies. It took some playing around with the recipe, but I’ve finally landed on a cookie that is so good. I will not say the texture is just as chewy as a classic cookie, but it’s close, and these cookies are so yummy.
Four secrets to these cookies…
Secret #1, brown half of your butter, but leave the other half at room temp. This gives you the flavor of browned butter but leaves you with a cookie that has great texture too.
Secret #2, use spiced pumpkin butter, not pumpkin purèe. This IS KEY. Pumpkin butter is more reduced down than pumpkin purèe and contains less moisture. Less moisture will give you a chewier, not as cakey cookie. You can use my homemade pumpkin butter or pick some up at Trader Joe’s, Whole Foods, your local market, or via Amazon…though I am partial to my homemade recipe. Just make sure your pumpkin butter is spiced for best flavor.
Secret #3, roll your cookie dough balls in cinnamon sugar, as if making snickerdoodles. So yes, this cookie is actually a cross between a snickerdoodle and a pumpkin chocolate chip cookie.
Secret # 4, bake the cookies, but about halfway through cooking, pull the cookies out of the oven and tap the baking sheet on the counter a couple of times. Then return to the oven to finish baking. Remove the cookies from the oven, and again, tap the baking sheet once more. Why? This ensures you have the least cakey pumpkin cookie. Instead, you’ll have a cookie with crisp edges and a gooey center. Tapping the baking pan on the counter deflates the center of the cookie, pushing the edges out. It might seem weird, but it’s a method I learned from the New York Times and it works.
These cookies are…
…easy to make, require no chilling, and take less than an hour.
…full of actual pumpkin flavor – and actual pumpkin.
…rolled in cinnamon sugar, so kind of like a snickerdoodle, but better.
…studded with both chocolate chips and chocolate chunks
…just perfectly crisp on the edges, but soft and gooey in the center.
The very best thing you can bake up this weekend. Because it’s always a good idea to bake chocolate chip cookies, especially when browned butter, pumpkin butter, and cinnamon sugar are involved.
Just one more thing…
Eat these warm, while hot and gooey. And add a glass of milk…just like my mom and I would do!
If you make these pumpkin butter chocolate chip cookies please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Pumpkin Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Servings: 24 cookies
Calories Per Serving: 225 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, at room temperature
- 3/4 cup dark brown sugar
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/3 cup pumpkin butter, homemade or store-bought
- 1 egg, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 1/2 cups semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 4 ounces semi sweet or dark chocolate chunks
- 1/3 cup cinnamon sugar
Instructions
- 1. Add 1 stick butter to a small saucepan set over medium heat, cooking until the butter begins to brown, about 3-4 minutes. Remove from the heat and transfer to a heatproof bowl. Stick in the freezer to chill, 10-15 minutes, but no longer. 2. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.3. In a large mixing bowl, beat together the remaining 1 stick butter, the cooled browned butter, brown sugar, and sugar until combined. Beat in the pumpkin butter, egg, and vanilla, beating until creamy. Add the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Fold in chocolate chips and chocolate chunks.4. Roll the dough into 1 tablespoon size balls and then generously roll through the cinnamon sugar and place 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.5. Transfer to the oven and bake for 8 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and tap the baking sheet on the counter 2 times to flatten them down. Return to the oven and bake another 1-2 minutes or until the cookies are just beginning to set on the edges, but still doughy in the center. Remove from the oven and tap the baking sheet on the counter 1-2 times to flatten them down again. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet. They will continue to cook slightly as they sit on the baking sheet. Eat warm (highly recommended) or let cool and store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Notes
Pumpkin Butter: you can use my homemade pumpkin butter or just pick some up from Trader Joe's, Whole Foods, your local market, or via Amazon.
If you want more Pumpkin Spice Flavor: add in 1/2 teaspoon to 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice with the flour.
What does it mean when my dough is too sticky to roll ?
Hey Cristina,
Did you adjust the recipe at all? I am thinking you need to add more flour. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan! I’m really excited to try out this cookie recipe, but I was wondering if the salted butter is necessary. I never use salted butter and would like to avoid having to buy or add additional salt, if possible.
Thanks for your recipe and advice.
Tag
Hey Tag,
Sure you can use unsalted butter. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Just made these and they are as delicious as you said. Can they be frozen?
Hey Pam,
Thanks for trying the recipe! Yes you can freeze them. Please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan! I tried making these cookies and was so excited but I can’t get them to come out right. They seemed like they might not have enough flour (I weighed out the flour at 120g per cup) and so I added about 1.5 tbsp of flour to the other half of the dough. They still came out flat and limp and greasy! I had added the baking soda so I don’t think that was the problem… And then I thought that maybe my oven runs low (I have a thermometer and it was saying 340 degrees) so I turned it up but the cookies still looked under baked. So now I’m trying baking them for longer. Any ideas what might be going wrong? Did I add too much chocolate? Am I not adjusting for an altitude difference? I was so excited for these cookies but they have been a disaster 🙁
Hey Teagan! I am so sorry you are having so much trouble. I’ve looked back at the recipe and am a little stumped. They should not be greasy. Where do you live? Are you using room temperature ingredients? Is your baking soda fresh or could it be old?
Next time, try adding 3-4 tablespoons of flour and see how that goes. That might solve the issue! Please let me know if you have any other questions. Really hoping that helps, but let me know! I want to help you get these jut right! Thank you!! xTieghan
Hello! I would like to veganize these. I’d likely use a flax egg, but margarine doesn’t brown. Should I still melt half and chill it? And maybe use all brown sugar to make up for the “butterscotch” flavor of browned butter and make up some the lost moisture of the egg? Thank you!
Hey Kara,
I have not tested with these substitutes but all sounds like a good idea. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
These were verrrrry good but a teensy bit sweet for me! I enjoy them with tea, however 😉 Thanks Tieghan!
Thank you Chelsea!! xTieghan
I have apple butter i need to use. Do you think it would work ok?
Hey Autumn,
The apple butter with change the flavor, but it will work! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I can’t believe I’m saying this about a cookie, but I think this one would be way better WITHOUT chocolate. There’s just too many flavors going on – brown butter AND pumpkin AND spices/cinnamon AND chocolate, and they compete with each other. It’s definitely not a bad cookie, but I was really wishing the chocolate just wasn’t there.
Other than that, great recipe, I followed it exactly and the cookies were perfectly done with a fantastic texture.
Thank you for trying these Anne! To each their own with the chocolate.. I hope you enjoy it better without next time! xTieghan
Made these today along with HBH homemade pumpkin butter. Cookies are SO delicious and the pumpkin butter was very simple to make. Thanks Tieghan!!
Thank you Debra! I am really glad this recipe turned out so well for you! xTieghan
Ummmm…I don’t think I will ever want to eat a plain chocolate chip cookie again. These cookies are DELICIOUS!
Thank you so much Brandie! I am really glad you liked these! xTieghan
Hi Tieghan!
Do you think these would still be good / sweet enough without the cinnamon sugar on the outside? I don’t love the texture of a snickerdoodle…
Thanks in advance!
Hey Kristen,
Sure you can omit that part. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
Haven’t tried the cookies yet as they are baking in the oven, but munching on the cookie dough and WOW! Delicious! Made your pumpkin butter which is also amazing!
Question: I usually make batches of cookies and freeze the dough for quick weeknight snacking. Can I make these in to balls and freeze?
Hey Stephanie,
Thanks so much for giving the recipe a try! Yes, you can freeze this dough! Let me know if you have other questions. Hope you love the recipe. Thank you! xTieghan
Hello Tieghan!
I love all things pumpkin & I can’t wait to make these. However, my husband & I are gluten free. How would you suggest we make these. Can I just substitute GF baking flower? Thanks! F. Murphy
Hey,
I would recommend using an equal amount of GF flour. I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you have any other questions! xTieghan
I made these with TJ’s pumpkin butter (which is spiced!). They came out AMAZING. Probably the best cookies I’ve ever made. Thanks for the recipe!!
Yes!! So happy this turned out so well for you, Whitney! xTieghan
Sooo good!! The cinnamon sugar makes the cookie!! I used your homemade pumpkin butter recipe too and it’s amazing!!
Thank you!! I am so glad you loved this! xTieghan