Are you looking for a Thanksgiving dessert your kids will love? Well, these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are it, and they take no time at all!
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MY INTERESTING HISTORY WITH PUMPKIN COOKIES & UNANSWERED PRAYERS
You can jump to the recipe, but you really might want to hear about my first experience with pumpkin cookies.
In high school, I was completely smitten with my pastor’s son. I tried anything to win his heart, so when his mom gave me the recipe for his favorite cookies, I whipped up a batch of the soft, cake-like pumpkin cookies with raisins. Um… I like raisins but paired with pumpkin, not so much.
He loved the cookies, but he never did love me…even after I walked right up to him during the Easter egg hunt after church on Easter Sunday and planted a giant kiss right on his lips! 😉 True story!
But God knew best, and a couple of years later, all the kissin’ I did and cookies I made were for Mr. Dimples. And the rest, they say, is history.
Do you have any unanswered-prayers love stories too?
COOKIES FOR KIDS, GROWN-UPS TOO!
I never really thought about pumpkin cookies again until this past August when I was creating some content for a brand to promote a silicone baking mat. It was a fall campaign, and I thought pumpkin cookies would be appropriate, but this time, I wanted them to be quick (no frosting), simple, and no raisins.
So I hunted down a recipe with chocolate chips; because, hello, chocolate chips make everything better, and modified the recipe to my liking.
That same evening, a few of my Littles came over and devoured every last cookie and asked for me to make more! I kid you not. And they have asked me to make them a couple more times since then. So when I say these are pumpkin chocolate chip cookies the kids will love, I speak from experience.
PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE INGREDIENTS
The ingredients are simple, and you likely already have everything you need:
- All-purpose flour: I like to use unbleached all-purpose flour.
- Baking powder and baking soda: The blend of the two leavening agents gives these cookies the perfect lift.
- Pumpkin pie spice, or use only cinnamon if you prefer (that’s my choice).
- Salt: Be careful not to forget it, or cookies will taste so flat.
- Granulated sugar and brown sugar: The blend of the two gives the cookies perfect sweetness and texture.
- Vegetable oil: My preference is melted coconut oil.
- *Egg: This helps hold the cookies together.
- Vanilla: What’s a cookie without it? It adds a nice background flavor.
- Canned pumpkin: Do not use pumpkin pie filling!
- Chocolate chips: You can use semi-sweet, or milk chocolate would be fine, too, if that’s what you prefer.
*I forgot to add the egg to one batch of cookies, and although the texture is different, they both tasted fine; I might like the one without the egg a little better.
QUICK TIPS
- Use canned pumpkin, not fresh, for the best consistency.
- Line baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat (I have these); the cookies spread too much on a greased pan.
- Don’t underbake or overbake. These have a cake-like consistency, so it’s a just-right deal.
- After dropping the batter onto the cookie sheet, press a few extra chocolate chips onto the top; they will be so pretty.
BE THE #1 GRANDMA
I don’t know about your kids or grandkids, but my littles don’t go for pumpkin pie the way their grandpa does. These are great pumpkiny treats to offer the Littles, whether on Thanksgiving or a warm day in August. You will earn some grandma brownie points for sure.
Let me know if you make them and how you and your peeps like them.
PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE RECIPE
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (spoon and level to measure flour)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 3/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1½ tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
- 1 large egg optional
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 1½ cups semi-sweet chocolate chips can also use milk chocolate if you prefer
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line baking sheets with silicone baking mats or parchment paper.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, and salt for 20 seconds, set aside.
- In a separate mixing bowl, with an electric mixer, blend together granulated sugar, brown sugar and vegetable oil until combined.
- Mix in egg and vanilla then blend in pumpkin puree.
- With mixer on low speed, slowly add in flour mixture and mix just until nearly combined, scraping down the sides of the bowl as needed (batter will be pretty wet).
- With a rubber spatula, fold in chocolate chips while folding batter to evenly combined.
- Drop dough 2 Tbsp at a time (either using a medium cookie dough scoop or using two spoons) at a time onto baking sheets lined with Silcone liners or parchment paper, spacing cookies two inches apart.
- Bake until cookies are nearly set, about 11 – 13 minutes.
- Allow to cool several minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool.
- If they last this long, store in a single layer in an airtight container (these are best once they've rested in an airtight container a few hours, they soften throughout).
SPECIAL NOTES
- Use canned pumpkin for best consistency.
- Feel free to increase spices as desired.
Loving this format Paula!! Safe travels going home, and continued prayers for your mom and your family!
Author
Thanks so much!
I can’t remember where you’re located, but are you in the path of the massive winter storms?
We’re in Northeast PA! The North Pocono area. Since we’re close to 2,000 ‘ elevation, we tend to get snow more often. But honestly I haven’t been watching the TV so I’m clueless weather wise this week!
Great story! Cookies sound yummy too.
Author
Thanks Diane!
Yummy! We used milk chocolate chips.
Author
They are delish! And now I want to make some more. 😁
Best,
Paula