Chewier! Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. [2 Ways]
This is like one sixteenth of the mess I’ve had multiple days in the last two weeks.
And you all know how much I love to clean…
Ugh. The bad news is that my total count of pumpkin cookie batches totaled 14, and I am so disgustingly pumpkin-ed out that I could cry.
The good news is that I got a pretty good recipe and an even better GREAT recipe. I’m giving you both because not everyone has access to pumpkin butter… though friends? You should. You really, really should. It’s like eating everything loveable off of a spoon… like puppies and babies and cuddly blankets. Except you don’t eat that stuff because then you would be a freak.
Good thing I like freaks!
When I mentioned I was working on these chewy cookies, some of you suggested cooking down the pumpkin puree. So I did that for about an hour, stirring until my wrist fell off. Three times. And then I got these. Every single time.
#fail
Cakiest (?) cookies ever. I have a feeling that cooking the pumpkin down may work in some instances, but I don’t find it to be a guarantee. I need a guarantee. Every time. I’m impatient, immature and whiny.
Run away. Save yourselves!
This pumpkin batter is super delicious, though the thought of it right now makes me want to hurl. It was like quick sand… I nearly sank down in there and drowned.
But!
Eventually I came out with a cookie like this.
Thank you baby Jesus.
The next three pictures are three different batches of the same recipe. This cookie is made with just a bit of pumpkin puree, lots of pumpkin pie spice, brown sugar and a bit of cornstarch. Judging from the first two pictures you can see I was a little underzealous with my baking time and left these soft and gooey. If you are ill or with child or just wiser than me in general (which would probably include, uh… all of you), bake them a little longer.
Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies made with Pumpkin Puree
[adapted from the giant rainbow cookies]
makes about 24 cookies
1 stick (1/2 cup) of butter, melted and cooled
1 1/4 cups packed light brown sugar
1/4 cup pumpkin puree
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1 2/3 cups of all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 cup chocolate chunks + 3/4 cup chocolate chips + 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Mix the flour, salt, cornstarch, pumpkin pie spice and baking soda in a bowl and set aside. In another bowl, mix the melted butter and sugars until they are combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and stir until mixed. Stir in pumpkin puree until smooth. Gradually add flour mixture and mix until a dough forms – it will look crumbly at first, but it will come together. I even used my hands to help at one point. Fold chocolate chips and chunks.
Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes, then roll into golfball-sized balls. Bake for 8-11 minutes, then let cool completely. If you keep these in the fridge for even longer, you may get a more cakier cookie.
You’re still going to get a teeeeeny tiny bit of cakiness, but it is barely detectable. Is that even a word? Is it now.
I also used three different kinds of chocolate (chips, chunks and mini chips) here which basically made my life.
Now these… these cookies below are the ones I want to sleep with at night.
They are thin, crisp, chewy and even a little crunchy on the ends. They are a result of using pumpkin butter (I love both Trader Joe’s and American Spoon) and for those of you who suggested trying pumpkin butter? Marry me. Now.
I know many of you may not find the pumpkin butter cookie to be ideal for the simple fact that not only can it be difficult to find, but it can also be fairly expensive. However… totally worth it! You could also make your own pumpkin butter but really!? I wasn’t even going to attempt that. I’d rather make six consecutive dishes full of broccoli than make one more thing containing pumpkin.
Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies made with Pumpkin Butter
[adapted from the giant rainbow cookies]
makes about 24-30 cookies
1 1/2 sticks (12 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg + 1 egg yolk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup pumpkin butter
2 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
1 1/4 cups chocolate chips
Preheat oven to 325 degrees F.
Mix the flour, salt, cornstarch, pumpkin pie spice and baking soda in a bowl and set aside. In another bowl, mix the melted butter and sugars until they are combined. Add the egg, egg yolk, and vanilla and stir until mixed. Stir in pumpkin butter until smooth. Gradually add flour mixture and mix until a dough forms – it will look crumbly at first, but it will come together. I even used my hands to help at one point. Fold chocolate chips and chunks.
Refrigerate dough for 30 minutes, then roll into golfball-sized balls. Bake for 12-15 minutes, or until cookies are crisp and slightly golden on the edges, then let cool completely.
But now that I’m staring at this picture… I sort of want to eat that cookie up there. Crud.
281 Comments on “Chewier! Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. [2 Ways]”
Hmmmm – my quest to find pumpkin butter has begun. Off and away I go.
lucky for me i have pumpkin butter in my pantry that I had NO clue what to do with. now I know.
I happen to have a jar of pumpkin butter (and mango butter and apple butter from TJs, but they are out of fig butter at my TJs but I digress)…I love their pumpkin butter! And these cookies look soooo crazy good. I love that you left them underbaked AND they are not cakey. Pretty much almost raw dough like is the way I love my cookies and yours are perfect.
Thank you for doing all those dishes and testing 16 batches of cookies all so us, your readers, can just make them without any of the trouble. Seriously, thank you, girl!!! They look incredible!
I really liked this post because it showed that even you have difficulties concocting some of your delicious recipes in the kitchen!
And I want to marry these cookies.
And if you’re sick of pumpkin, you probably should stop going to my blog. I swear every recipe in the last 5 days has been something with pumpkin.
Your dedication to the world of pumpkin chocolate chip cookies is very much appreciated. Both versions look so good – I wish pumpkin stuff was more freely available in the UK!
Oh, I LOVE pumpkin season! And these cookies look superb thanks to your dedication!
You are my hero…really and truly you are. I have been longing for a pumpkin cookie recipe for years that is not cakek (ugh) have tried and tried but failed miserably to create one. Thanks a million times over for going through the process( and kitchen mess) and finally coming up with one. I am off to TJ”s today to get pumpkin butter and try this ASAP. YUM!!!!
Nothing like a chewy cookie! I need a few of these right now. Good thing I have all of the ingredients!
Yummmm! Do you think it would work using the Pecan Pumpkin Butter from Williams-Sonoma? I have (way too many) jars of that!
Definitely… I freaking love that stuff.
I love your blog today! Don’t you hate when you have a simple idea and it becomes a project? Well, now that you did the dirty work, I’m going to make the 2nd batch of the cookies! I just made pumpkin butter last night and now I have a good use for it besides spooning it directly into my mouth!!
No clue where to look in Belgium…
People already look at me weird when I say I make pumpkin bread. All we do here with pumpkins is making soup :)
I know what to bring back on my next visit!
Maybe make you own pumpkin butter! http://iowagirleats.com/2009/11/04/homemade-pumpkin-butter-recipe/
Trader Joe’s Pumpkin Butter pretty much made my life- while I could get my hands on it….. Now I live hours and hours away from a TJ’s and can’t get the stuff…. Boooooo! The one thing that I don’t prefer my homemade to the store bought kind.
Please don’t visit me. You may hurl. I have posted pumpkin recipes every day for like a month (ok I exaggerate a little bit). But seriously, I don’t know if I could ever be sick of pumpkin, I can’t seem to get enough! The cookies look awesome, thanks for experimenting so we don’t have to!
I can’t stop visiting you because you posted apple cider donuts and they ARE ALL I CAN THINK ABOUT. I’m making them today!
Yum, I’ve made the twice now, the second time before icing them I dipped them in the apple cider. That was way delicious! I’m using the same donut recipe to make some chocolate ones today! Enjoy!
Love the use of pumpkin butter in this recipe! I live for pumpkin (and apple) butter!!!!
mmmm apple butter… apple butter cookies need to happen now!
You mean even How Sweet Eats has struggles in the kitchen?! Get outta town ;)
These sound wonderful, thank you for trying relentlessly to get them right! :)
I love that you never give up! You are the sweets master! I am glad that they finally turned out for you, both options look amazing, but i would like the second one better for sure ; )
Yummy!!!I love any cookie with chocolate in it, so I bet that I’d love these!
I don’t know if I could ever be sick of pumpkin. Love these cookies :)
Don’t worry Jess, if you’re all pumpkined out, there’s a willing taker over here. I promise I won’t let any go to waste!
Oh no, sorry that you’re sick of pumpkin! I’d be too if I had to go through all that trouble to find the perfect pumpkin cookie. Good job!!
I have said it before and I will say it again- you are a culinary GENIUS! Sorry for shouting, but switching out the pumpkin puree for pumpkin butter is genius! I would like to thank you for perfecting this cookie recipe, because I am going to make it this weekend. The recipe doesn’t say how much of each chocolate you used. Did you measure or just wing it? ;-) Thanks for your fabulous blog, Jessica!
Ah, so sorry! Fixed it. I knew I was forgetting something and couldn’t figure it out… :)
Thanks, Jessica. I just returned from TJ’s with four jars of pumpkin butter and a jar of pumpkin spice! :-) I am off to bake!
Keep me posted on how they turn out! Also, maybe taste the batter right before they go in. They aren’t quite as “pumpkiny” as the regular cakey cookies, but after a few batches I decided on that amount of pumpkin pie spice. You may want to add more!
Look at you working away in the kitchen for the common good! You should be duly rewarded. Buy yourself something fancy. It’s okay, I said so. ;-) Big thanks for the research so the rest of us aren’t pumpkined out!
Those look amazing! I didn’t even know you could bake with pumpkin butter…such a blog foodie fail! Thanks for these recipes! :)
Such a great idea to use pumpkin butter! TJ’s version is so insanely good that I can imagine that cookie recipe is delicious.
Where was this recipe last weekend? I guess it’s time to give pumpkin cookies another go sometime soon~
I’m very happy I found this blog! Now I’ll have all sorts of interesting things to try for my weekend cooking adventures. ^^
You are my hero!
I typically hate a cake-y cookie too, but I do like the simplicity of the can of pumpkin + boxed cake mix method. These look infinitely more delicious!
These sound fabulous! I am drooling over the melty chocolate! I have been wanting to make my own pumpkin butter but feel I would be to frustrated and impatient with the process!
Thank you so much for sacrificing the cleanliness of your kitchen and the love of pumpkin for us! I happen to have a jar of pumpkin butter in the fridge right now that I couldn’t think of anything to do with except mix w/ greek yogurt. It’s pretty tasty, but not near as tasty as I know these cookies are going to be! Thanks for yet another great recipe!
I like that post a lot. Must be all those cookies ;)
YES I’m so glad someone out there has a chewy not a cakey pumpkin cookie recipe! I hate that every pumpkin recipe comes out like cake… pumpkin bars, bread, cookies and cake all normally have the same texture!
I think I know what I’ll be doing on this rainy afternoon… Do you know if Whole Foods carries pumpkin butter?
I don’t have a WF’s close to me so I’m not really familiar with their products… but I definitely would think they carry some, especially this time of year. You may be able to find some local pumpkin butter there? Or maybe even at a farmers market?
Whole Foods has it! I’m planning on making these as soon as I’m done with class… Possibly more exciting than the weekend? Sad story.
I just want to say thank you for all the work you put into making your recipes! We have tried a few of your recipes and they turn out everytime! :) I might try this one, but we actually like cakey cookies so probably the first recipe would have worked for us! :) You are my first stop in the morning after I get settled into my office with my tea and answer my messages/emails. You crack me up every single day since I found your blog in March (well besides when I as off this summer when I had a baby lol)! Keep up the good work! :)
Thank you so much Jessie!
Thats cookie dedication! That second recipe looks like heaven to me!
Those look so delicious! Haha I can’t believe how many batches you made! I wouldn’t have the time or patience!
oh lord the pregnancy hormones…i kind of teared up when i was looking at these pictures and will forever be craving these cookies…well, til the day i make them!
if you should ever need a place to get rid of those “not perfect” batches (that i’m sure would be perfect to me!), i’m happy to provide my home address, and a pre-paid package for shipping :)
Yum, right now we are in pumpkin whoopie pie land so maybe next week.
And I just found the recipe for this round of the Blogger Bake Swap. Bless you Jessica. Bless you and your persistent attempts at perfection.
Just had to tell you that I was laughing hysterically at your most recent post this morning. so.funny.
you never give up! Love it!
YESSS i am so happy right now. I just made pumpkin butter on Tuesday and so much extra left over and have been searching for a recipe… definitely making these either today or tomorrow!
I’m recently vegan and would love to try to adapt this recipe for a holiday party I am having. Do you think substituting non-dairy butter and a flax/chia egg might work? You tried so hard, I don’t want to mess up that perfection!
I honestly don’t have the slightest idea because I have never worked with vegan butter and eggs so I’m not even sure what the consistency of the baked goods usually are… but I have an inkling that it would work. Maybe you could try halving the recipe as a test? If you do, let me know!
Oh, my – that pumpkin butter batch looks heavenly!! 14 batches is dedication and a major glut of cookies. Can you be the lady who gives out baked goods and freaks out parents on Halloween?
LOL! Oh man… I know what you mean. My parents would never let us eat any of that stuff!
They look great! I’m pretty sure I’ve done a pumpkin white chocolate cookie that was not cake- more like a regular cookie. I’ll have to take a peek. Don’t you hate those “fails?” I’ve had a few lately!
I, personally, am SO thankful for your blog. Thank you for going through 14 batches to find the perfect one…so that I don’t have to go through 14 learning experiences. Because, I’ll be honest, I would probably just stop at the second or third fail and move on to brownies or something.
Spectacular looking cookies. You should put this cookie dough into that pumpkin-cookie pie thingy you made recently.
I have been waiting and waiting for these! I guess I am going to have to make a trip to Trader Joe’s tomorrow.
This has to be the best use of pumpkin butter ever! It gives me an excuse to stock up on Williams and Sonoma’s Pecan Pumpkin Butter, not that I need an excuse.
You are such an inspiration. I don’t know if I’d have enough patience to bake that many batches of cookies. Yikes!
What I do want to know is, who on earth ate them all??! Did you make friends with all your neighbors or are have you frozen them in preparation for a Christmas cookie exchange? ;-)
Ha! A lot of them went in the trash if they were fails (many were)… others I gave away, some I saved… I never freeze cookies. I’m weird! I don’t really have the room either.
Let’s play the game where I sit at one end of the table and unhinge my jaw. And you sit at the other end of the table and toss these cookies into my mouth like popcorn.
Ready…set….go.
FUNNEST game ever.