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–+ servings

Soft Bakery-Style Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Thick, pillowy, melt-in-your-mouth bakery cookies bursting with real pumpkin, aromatic autumn spices, and pools of gooey melted semi-sweet chocolate chips. Blotted pumpkin puree is the chef secret for a soft, chewy bakery texture rather than a spongy cakey crumb!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 27 minutes
Servings: 16 large bakery-style cookies
Calories: 185
Ingredients Method Nutrition Notes

Ingredients
  

For the Moisture-Controlled Pumpkin Base
  • 1/2 cup 100% pure canned pumpkin puree blotted with paper towels down from 3/4 cup
  • 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted and cooled slightly
  • 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
  • 1/3 cup granulated white sugar
  • 1 large egg yolk room temperature, omit egg white to keep cookies chewy
  • 1 1/2 tsp pure vanilla extract
For the Spiced Flour Blend
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour spooned and leveled
  • 1 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice blend cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, cloves
  • 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
For the Chocolate Inclusions & Topping
  • 1 1/4 cups semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips divided
  • Flaky Maldon sea salt for sprinkling over warm cookies

Method
 

Step-by-Step Instructions
  1. Blot the Pumpkin Puree: Place 3/4 cup of canned pumpkin puree onto a large plate lined with 4 layers of paper towels. Press firmly with 3 more paper towels on top to absorb excess moisture. Repeat once until the puree is concentrated, dense, and measures exactly 1/2 cup.
  2. Whisk Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until smooth and glossy. Whisk in the blotted pumpkin puree, egg yolk, and vanilla extract until completely combined and velvety.
  3. Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, ground cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and sea salt.
  4. Fold & Chill: Pour dry ingredients into wet ingredients and fold gently with a rubber spatula just until combined (do not overmix). Fold in 1 cup of chocolate chips, reserving 1/4 cup for the tops. Cover dough with plastic wrap and chill in refrigerator for 30 minutes.
  5. Prep the Oven & Baking Sheets: Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large baking sheets with parchment paper.
  6. Scoop & Bake: Using a 2-tablespoon cookie scoop, scoop dough balls onto prepared baking sheets, spacing them 2 inches apart. Bake for 11 to 13 minutes, until the edges are set and the tops are no longer glossy (the centers will still look wonderfully soft).
  7. Bakery Touch & Cool: Immediately remove from the oven and press reserved chocolate chips into the tops of the hot cookies. Sprinkle lightly with flaky sea salt. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to set completely.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 185kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 2gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 28mgSodium: 115mgPotassium: 95mgFiber: 2gSugar: 16gVitamin A: 1250IUVitamin C: 1mgCalcium: 20mgIron: 1.4mg

Notes

Baker Secrets: 1. Blot the pumpkin puree! Pumpkin puree contains over 90% water, which turns cookies into spongy, cake-like mounds. Spread your puree onto a plate lined with 4 layers of paper towels and press firmly with more towels to squeeze out excess liquid before measuring. 2. Chill the dough for at least 30 minutes; this firms up the butter and prevents the cookies from spreading flat in the hot oven. 3. Press extra chocolate chips into the tops of the warm cookies immediately after removing them from the oven, followed by a pinch of flaky sea salt for that gorgeous high-end bakery finish.

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