Description

These chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies combine the rich flavors of browned butter, pumpkin puree, and warm pumpkin spice for a perfect fall treat. Soft and moist with pockets of melted chocolate, these cookies balance sweetness and spice with a tender, chewy texture that’s irresistible.

Ingredients

Scale

Wet Ingredients

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 teaspoon vanilla extract

Dry Ingredients

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

Add-ins

1 cup finely chopped chocolate bar or chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C) and line two baking trays with parchment paper to prepare for baking the cookies.
Brown Butter: In a large stainless steel pan, melt the cold unsalted butter over medium heat. Stir occasionally as it foams and crackles, allowing it to brown with a nutty aroma and brown bits forming. Remove from heat and scrape the butter into a glass bowl. Refrigerate for 50-60 minutes, stirring every 10-15 minutes until it cools to about 75°F but remains liquid.
Dry Pumpkin Puree: Spread the pumpkin puree on a plate and press paper towels repeatedly into it to absorb excess moisture. Continue until the pumpkin feels dry and dough-like, measuring approximately 1/3 cup (75 grams).
Cream Sugars and Butter: Whisk the cooled browned butter with the granulated sugar and brown sugar for exactly 1 minute until the mixture appears pale and sandy in texture.
Add Egg Yolks and Vanilla: Whisk in the egg yolks, vanilla extract, and the dried pumpkin puree until the batter is smooth and well combined.
Incorporate Dry Ingredients and Chocolate: Gently fold in the all-purpose flour, pumpkin spice, baking soda, fine sea salt, and chopped chocolate chips or pieces. Mix just until combined to avoid overworking the dough.
Form Cookies: Use a 3-tablespoon cookie scoop to portion the dough and roll each portion between your palms to form balls. Place dough balls on the prepared baking trays spaced 2-3 inches apart. For larger pools of chocolate, press bigger chocolate chunks on top before baking. You should have about 15 cookies total.
Bake Cookies: Bake one tray at a time for 9-13 minutes until the edges are golden brown but the centers still appear slightly underbaked to ensure chewiness. Right after baking, use a large round cookie cutter to gently push edges inward to form thick, perfectly round cookies. Transfer to wire racks to cool completely before moving.
Storage: Store baked cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days. Cookie dough balls can be refrigerated or frozen. Allow refrigerated dough to come to room temperature for about 1 hour, and frozen dough for about 2 hours before baking.

Notes

Drying the pumpkin puree is critical to prevent excess moisture which can affect cookie texture.
Cooling browned butter to about 75°F but leaving it liquid helps incorporate air and achieve the desired sandy creamed texture.
Do not overmix once the flour is added to avoid tough cookies.
Using a cookie cutter after baking helps achieve uniform, thick cookies.
Chocolate chunks on top create larger melted chocolate pockets if desired.
If you want softer cookies, bake closer to 9 minutes; for slightly crisper edges, bake up to 13 minutes.
Refrigerating or freezing dough improves flavor development and dough handling.

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes per tray
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: chewy pumpkin cookies, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, fall cookies, browned butter cookies, soft pumpkin cookies