Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Hello again! I figured it was about time I drop a dessert recipe, so here I am bringing you a twist on the classic chocolate-chip cookie. We're adding pumpkin. 

I love, love, LOVE pumpkin, and if you're anything like me, you believe pumpkin can make its way into any recipe. Savory or sweet, I think pumpkin is one of the few ingredients that is so versatile, forgiving, and straight-up delicious. And with fall coming to an end and the pumpkin hype dwindling down, I figure there's just enough left of the season to get in some more fall flavors without completing saying goodbye just yet!

The recipe is pretty straightforward. You'll need 2 bowls, a saucepan, a whisk, and a rubber spatula or wooden spoon. If you're familiar with any sort of chocolate chip recipe, this isn't very different and the base is pretty much the same. I use only 5 tablespoons of pumpkin puree. I think that's just enough pumpkin flavor in the cookies without it being too overpowering, and without the pumpkin flavor getting lost in taste. If you want to use pumpkin but a) don't have enough pumpkin puree or b) don't want THAT much of a pumpkin-y flavor (but still want it in the cookie) I'd reduce the pumpkin puree to 3 or 4 tablespoons. I wouldn't exceed 6 tablespoons if you really want to up the pumpkin in the cookie.

Don't leave the pumpkin out if you're making this recipe! We aren't using any eggs, and the pumpkin puree replaces that ingredient and is what binds everything together. 

I also always use milk chocolate chips in my recipes. I feel milk chocolate gives that extra sweetness to any cookie, and semi-sweet chocolate is too bitter for me. Any kind of chocolate chips can be used though! White chocolate would be magic.

Make sure you absolutely chill your dough. This is vital and cannot be skipped. It makes all the difference in how the cookies hold up in the oven.

I hope you try this recipe! It comes together fairly quick and the end result is delicious. If you give it a try, I'd love to hear how it went! Thanks for reading. 😀

PUMPKIN CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIES

Yields: 15-18 cookies, depending on size

INGREDIENTS:
- 1 stick of unsalted butter, melted
- 1/4 cup of packed light brown sugar (or dark)
- 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 5 tablespoons of pumpkin puree (homemade or storebought, make sure you read my notes from above!)
- 1.5 cups of sifted flour

- 1/4 teaspoon of baking powder

- 1/4 teaspoon of baking soda
- 1.5 teaspoons of pumpkin spice
- 1 teaspoon of cinnamon
-pinch of salt
- 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
- 1 cup of milk chocolate chips

OPTIONAL FOR COATING THE COOKIES:

- 1/2 cup of sugar

- 1/2 - 1 teaspoon of pumpkin pie spice

TO MAKE:
1. Make sure you melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Allow it to cool slightly before using.

2. In one bowl, place the melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree. Whisk well until no lumps remain. Set aside.
3. In another bowl, place the sifted flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin spice, and cinnamon. Whisk well.
4. Slowly add the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients in 3 batches. Mix with a wooden spoon or rubber spatula until no trace of the dry ingredients remain in the mix.
5. Pour in the chocolate chips, half a cup at a time. Fold with a spatula or wooden spoon.
6. Cover the cookie dough with plastic wrap or aluminum foil and chill for at least 1 hour in the fridge.
7. After 1 hour, line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper. Scoop out 1 tablespoon of cookie dough and roll into a ball.

↳ Feel free to make the cookies as big or as small as you want. I find 1-1.5 tablespoons good enough. I use a cookie scoop and scoop dough out twice for each cookie, and roll the scooped out doughs together to form a ball. 

8. *OPTIONAL* Place the sugar and pumpkin pie spice in a medium-sized bowl and mix. Roll each ball in the sugar/pumpkin pie mix.

9. Place the cookies on a baking sheet, making sure there is at least 2 inches between each cookie. Flatten the top of each cookie just slightly using your fingers.

10. Bake in a 350 degree oven for 10-13 minutes. Cookies are done when they're spread out just slightly. Do not bake for more than 13 minutes. 

11. Remove from oven and let the cookies cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet. After 10 minutes, transfer the cookies to a cooling wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I hope you try this recipe! Be sure to subscribe to my blog and follow me on Instagram (bakedbylaila)!