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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 canned pumpkin puree 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.
This post was originally published on October 18, 2019
Do you think these cookies would still work if I used apple butter instead of pumpkin butter? I have a huge jar of apple butter in my pantry that I’m trying to find ways to use, and these cookies look delicious!!! Thanks 🙂
Hey Gina, apple butter is different from pumpkin butter and contains more water. It’s not as tick and creamy so I am unsure of the results. I think the cookies will work, I just don’t know what the flavor or texture would be. You can certainly give it a try! If you do, let me know how it goes. 🙂 Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ??
Can I use canned pumpkin instead of pumpkin butter?
Hi Jaqueline, for best results I do recommend using the pumpkin butter as it is much thicker and less watery than canned pumpkin. If canned pumpkin is all you have access to I would recommend using 1/2 cup and simmering that down on the stove until it’s around 1/3 cup. This will remove the excess water. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ??
These are absolutely amazing. You say they last 4 days – I just made a double batch tonight and need them to last until a party in a week. Should I freeze them or do you think they will last? Thanks!
Hi! I would freeze the cookies to ensure they stay fresh as possible. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ??
Hi! I would freeze the cookies to ensure they stay as fresh as possible. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I am so glad you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ??
AMAZING!! These are so good and so easy to make! My MIL brought over some pumpkin butter so had to try these. I used the full tsp of pumpkin pie spice and didn’t have salted butter on hand so did a tsp of salt and they came out great! Super crispy edges, yummmmm. ?
Thank you so much Hilary! xTieghan
Sure wish there wasn’t such an emphasis on sugary foods. They don’t fit into my healthy lifestyle.
Hi Corinne! There are plenty of healthy recipes on my blog as well! xTieghan
Delish! Made them today with my girls #frisco
Thank you so much Claudine! xTieghan
I made pumpkin butter this morning and these cookies this afternoon. They turned out just as described – chewy with a crisp edge. My batter was much softer than yours appeared to be (differences in the pumpkin butter moisture, perhaps?), but I was still able to scoop them into cinnamon sugar for coating. I have to say that I don’t actually get that strong of a pumpkin flavor, but the browned butter and spices really come through. I will have to continue my mission for my ideal pumpkin chocolate chip cookie, but I will absolutely make them again.
I am so glad you liked these cookies, Kacie! Thank you so much for trying them! xTieghan
These are literally SO good. So gooey and perfect. Not overly pumpkin-y or sweet. My husband who is t even a pumpkin fan loved them. The tapping trick to spread the cookies out so they’re gooey in the middle and crisp on the edges is a game changer. The cookie dough recipe itself is very similar to cooks illustrated’s recipe that is my usual go-to. These will be permanent in my cookie rotation this fall and winter.
That is so amazing to hear Kacie! Thank you so much for trying these! xTieghan
Hey Tieghan!
I love these chocolate chip pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies! They’re a mix of some of my favorite cookies and I’m so happy to finally have a pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe that’s not cakey (I’ve been holding off on making some for this very reason). Yay! Also, I love how you and your mom have ventured to try new dessert recipes. I agree that if a dessert isn’t chocolatey then it better be gooooddd. These cookies make me smile and I hope you’re enjoying the fall season! Do you have any plans for trick-or-treating with Asher? Is she too old now…? Haha I hope you’re at least able to enjoy these cookies warm with a Halloween movie! 🙂
I’m SO looking forward to more fall (and especially pumpkin) recipes!!!
P.s.) I pre-ordered HBH Super Simple (finally… sorry it took me this long!) and am really excited to get it in the mail! Wooh! Again, I’m so proud and happy for you. ☺️??
Hi Kristin! I hope you try these cookies! I am not sure what my plans for Halloween are yet, but hopefully I do get to go with Asher! Have a great week! xTieghan
These were AMAZING. I made my own pumpkin butter-your recipe. I also replaced the sugar with 1 cup coconut sugar and it worked like a charm. Delicious! Thank you!
Thank you so much! Sounds so amazing! xTieghan
I normally don’t comment before I make something, but holyyyyyyyyy crap I can’t wait to make these tonight! I’m out of pumpkin butter though (because I used it in your punch for my halloween party last weekend) so I’m going to have to make some more first!
I am so glad you’re excited about these!! I hope they turn out amazing for you Lauren! xTieghan
How would you change the recipe if you’re omitting the pumpkin butter?
Hi there! I would add an addition egg, but honestly these cookies are pumpkin cookies, so I don’t really recommend removing the pumpkin butter. That said, I do image the egg swap will work just fine. Please let me know if you have any other questions. I hope you love this recipe! Thank you! xTieghan ???
+ These look amazing. Making them for Sunday. 😉
Thank you Kimberly! I hope you love these! xTieghan
These cookies look yummy. I have pretty much come up with a very similar recipe…the only difference is how you handle the butter and I roll the cookies in a sugar/pumpkin pie spice(Trader Joe’s) mixture. I am going to make these later today using your butter method.
I have been pan tapping most drop cookies for years as well as rotating the pan midway through the bake time. I love the look and texture pan tapping gives drop cookies. I just do it when I rotate the pans. I don’t even pull them out , I just lift the pan slight and quickly bang to against the oven rack
Thanks for all the tips!
Thank you Nancy! I am so glad you love this recipe so much! xTieghan
Wow these cookies look absolutely amazing.. Love the pumpkin butter in it..
Thank you so much Arpita! xTieghan