These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are everything I want in a fall treat: chewy, soft, and packed with rich chocolate and warm spices. They are not cakey, and that is the whole point. Two techniques do the heavy lifting.
First, I brown the butter to add a deep nutty flavor and drive off extra water. Second, I blot the pumpkin with paper towels so the dough stays dense and the texture stays chewy. The centers come out gooey with pockets of melted chocolate.
Three changes keep these cookies thick, chewy, and rich. Egg yolks replace whole eggs. Egg whites are mostly water, while yolks bring fat and richness.
That gives you a denser, chewier cookie with a fudgy center. Browning the butter cooks off some of its water and adds a deep nutty flavor.
Less water means less steam during baking, so the cookies spread like a classic brown butter chocolate chip cookie instead of puffing up. Finally, I blot the pumpkin puree with paper towels before mixing.
That removes excess moisture and concentrates the pumpkin flavor without adding unnecessary water to the dough.
I learned this the hard way in my early baking days. I used to dump a whole can of pumpkin into the dough and wonder why the cookies came out like little cakes. Now I treat pumpkin like a flavoring, not a liquid. The paper towel trick takes two minutes and saves the whole batch.
Egg yolks also bring emulsifiers that help the dough hold together, and they add a tenderness that whole eggs cannot match in this context.
Brown butter does double duty: it removes water and creates new flavor compounds through the Maillard reaction, which is why it tastes so nutty and rich. When you blot the pumpkin, you are essentially making a pumpkin concentrate.
That means every bite tastes like pumpkin, not like a diluted, watery puree.
How to Make Them
Complete measurements and directions are in the recipe card below. Here is the flow so you know what to expect. This recipe is a little pickier than most, so take your time with the first two steps.
Start by browning the butter. Then chill it in the fridge, stirring occasionally. It will thicken but stay liquid.
Next, blot the pumpkin. You want to remove roughly half its moisture so it can be shaped into a soft ball. That step is what gives the cookies a thick, chewy texture instead of a fluffy, cake like crumb.
When the butter is cool, whisk the wet ingredients for a full minute. This emulsifies the butter and sugar completely, and the mixture will look like pale, wet sand. Then whisk in the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and dried pumpkin puree until everything is combined.
Chopped chocolate is best for creating chocolate pools. Chocolate chips include stabilizers that help them hold their shape while baking, but chopped chocolate turns into gooey melted pockets.
I like to chop a good semi sweet bar into uneven pieces, and I press a few extra pieces on top of each dough ball before baking.
My secret for thick cookies: the butter must be cool and liquid, not warm and melty. If it is too warm, the dough will spread too much in the oven.
To save dough for later, freeze the scooped balls on a tray until solid, then move them into a freezer bag or airtight container. Bake them still frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the baking time.
For smaller cookies, scoop with a standard 2 tablespoon scoop and start checking them 2 to 3 minutes sooner, while the middles are still a bit underdone. Since you only need part of the can of pumpkin puree, keep the remainder for other fall baking.
It freezes well and works in muffins, pancakes, or a pumpkin spice cheesecake cookie.
One more tip for bakery style cookies: after you scoop the dough, chill the balls in the fridge for 15 minutes before baking if your kitchen is warm. This helps the cookies keep their height and gives you that thick, chewy center.
And if you love a salty sweet contrast, sprinkle a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt on top right after baking. It is optional, but it makes the chocolate pop.
I also love that this recipe uses only part of a can of pumpkin. The rest goes into my pumpkin spice cheesecake cookies or a batch of pumpkin cream cheese cupcakes. Nothing goes to waste.
Another thing I love about this recipe is how flexible it is. You can make the dough ahead and keep it in the fridge for up to 3 days. Just scoop and bake whenever you want warm cookies. The dough also freezes beautifully for up to 3 months.
Ingredients
Here is what you need for the dough. I measure flour with a scale when I can, and I explain why in the notes.
1 cup cold unsalted butter
2/3 cup Libby’s Pumpkin Puree, room temperature
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 2/3 cups plus 1 tablespoon all purpose flour (see the notes for measuring)
2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
1 cup chopped semi sweet chocolate bar
Instructions
Follow these steps closely for the best texture. I have included the visual cues and temperatures that matter most.
Brown the butter. Place 1 cup (226 g) cold unsalted butter in a large stainless steel pan over medium heat. Stir occasionally as it foams, pops, and crackles. When the bottom is covered in brown bits and the butter smells nutty, remove the pan from the heat. You should have just slightly under 1 cup (184 g) of browned butter. Pour it into a glass measuring cup and chill in the fridge, stirring every 20 minutes, for about 45 to 60 minutes. Use a thermometer to check that it reads 75°F to 82°F. It should feel cool and remain completely liquid.
Blot the pumpkin. Spread 2/3 cup (160 g) pumpkin puree onto a plate. Press a stack of paper towels into it to soak up the extra liquid. Scrape the pumpkin into a pile, re spread it, and use fresh paper towels. Keep going until the pumpkin feels pretty dry, like soft playdough, and measures roughly 1/3 cup (65 to 70 g).
Preheat and prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two baking trays with parchment paper and set them aside.
Whisk the sugars into the butter. When the butter is cool, whisk in 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar and 1/2 cup (100 g) packed light brown sugar. Whisk for about one minute, until the mixture looks like pale, wet sand.
Add the wet ingredients. Whisk in 2 (36 g) large egg yolks, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and the dried pumpkin puree until fully combined.
Fold in the dry ingredients and chocolate. Add 1 2/3 cups plus 1 tablespoon (220 g) all purpose flour, 2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin spice, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, and 1 cup (125 g) chopped semi sweet chocolate. Fold until just combined. Do not overmix.
Scoop and shape. Use a 3 tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the dough. Roll each portion between your palms into a ball. Place the balls on the prepared trays, spacing them 2 to 3 inches apart. For pools of melted chocolate, chop the chocolate into larger pieces and press a few extra pieces on top of each dough ball before baking.
Bake and shape. Bake one tray at a time for 9 to 13 minutes, until the edges are golden brown but the middle is slightly underbaked. Straight out of the oven, use a large round cookie cutter to scoot the edges inward. This makes the cookies thicker and perfectly round. Let the pan cool completely on a wire cooling rack, then remove the cookies.
Notes
These notes will help you nail the texture every time.
Measure flour properly. Never scoop directly into the measuring cup, because that adds too much flour. Fluff the flour, spoon it into the cup or spoon, and use a kitchen scale for the best results.
Chopped chocolate versus chips. Chopped chocolate creates better pools than chocolate chips. Chips work if that is all you have, but they hold their shape more.
Storage. Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
Make ahead. Cookie dough balls can be refrigerated or frozen. Add 1 to 3 minutes to the bake time.
If cookies are not spreading. Bring the dough to room temperature before baking. That takes about 1 hour for refrigerated dough and 2 hours for frozen dough.
Smaller cookies. For smaller cookies, use a standard 2 tablespoon scoop and start checking them 2 to 3 minutes earlier. The centers should still look slightly underdone when you pull them out.
Recipe details
Prep time is 1 hour 30 minutes. Cook time is 11 minutes. Total time is 1 hour 41 minutes. The recipe makes 15 servings.
FAQs
What is the secret to making thick and chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies?
The secret is reducing moisture by using only two egg yolks instead of whole eggs, browning the butter to remove water, and blotting the pumpkin puree with paper towels until it feels like soft playdough. These techniques prevent a cakey texture and give you a dense, chewy cookie with concentrated pumpkin flavor.
Why are my pumpkin cookies always cakey instead of chewy?
Pumpkin cookies become cakey when they contain too much moisture. The pumpkin puree has high water content that creates steam during baking. To fix this, use only the egg yolks instead of whole eggs, blot the pumpkin puree dry with paper towels to remove excess liquid, and consider browning the butter to reduce its water content.
Can I use chocolate chips instead of chopped chocolate for pumpkin cookies?
Yes, you can use chocolate chips, but chopped chocolate from a bar is recommended for the best results. Chopped semi-sweet chocolate melts into rich, gooey pools throughout the cookie, while many chocolate chips contain stabilizers that help them hold their shape during baking.
How do you store chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies and can you freeze the dough?
Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for two to three days. The cookie dough balls can be frozen for up to three months; when baking from frozen, add one to two minutes to the bake time at 350°F. Chilling or freezing the dough also helps solidify the butter for thicker cookies.
Thick & Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are everything I want in a fall treat: chewy, soft, and packed with rich chocolate and warm spices. They are not cakey, and that is the whole point.
Total Time:101 min
Yield:15 servings 1x
Ingredients
Scale
1 cup cold unsalted butter 2/3 cup Libby’s Pumpkin Puree, room temperature 1/2 cup granulated sugar 1/2 cup light brown sugar, packed 2 large egg yolks, room temperature 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 1 2/3 cup + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour 2 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin spice 1 teaspoon baking soda 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt 1 cup chopped chocolate bar, semi-sweet
Instructions
1-Brown the butter over medium heat in: Brown the butter over medium heat in a large stainless steel pan. While it cooks, it will foam, pop, and crackle. This is normal! Stand nearby, watch, and stir it occasionally so it doesn’t burn. When the bottom is covered in brown bits of butter and it smells nutty, remove the pan from the heat. You should have just slightly under 1 cup of browned butter (184 grams). Pour it into a glass measuring cup and chill in the fridge, stirring it every 20 minutes, for about 45-60 minutes, until a thermometer reads 75°F-82°F. It should feel cool and remain completely liquid. 2-Spread the pumpkin puree onto a plate: Spread the pumpkin puree onto a plate. Press a stack of paper towels into it and soak up the extra liquid. Then scrape the pumpkin into a pile and re-spread it around the plate. Use a new stack of paper towels to keep absorbing the extra liquid until the pumpkin feels pretty dry, like soft playdough, and now measures roughly 1/3 cup (65-70 grams). 3-Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C): Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Line two baking trays with parchment paper and set them aside. 4-When the butter is cool, whisk in: When the butter is cool, whisk in the brown sugar and granulated sugar. 5-Whisk in the egg yolks, vanilla, and: Whisk in the egg yolks, vanilla, and dried pumpkin puree. 6-Fold in the flour, pumpkin spice, baking: Fold in the flour, pumpkin spice, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chips until just combined. 7-Scoop the cookie dough with a 3-tablespoon: Scoop the cookie dough with a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop, roll them between your palms, then place them on the prepared baking trays spaced 2-3 inches apart. For pools of melted chocolate, chop the chocolate into larger pieces and press more on top before baking. 8-Bake one tray at a time for: Bake one tray at a time for 9-13 minutes or until the edges are golden brown but the middle is slightly underbaked. Straight out of the oven, use a large round cookie cutter to scoot the edges in to make them thicker and perfectly round. Let the pan cool on a wire cooling rack completely, then remove the cookies and enjoy!
