These soft pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are the perfect fall dessert! Make a batch or three and share with friends for one sweet treat!
Soft Pumpkin Cookies
Is it really fall if you don’t have pumpkin cookies? And hot chocolate, but that’s a totally different conversation.
This pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe is one I got from my sister’s mother-in-law. The beauty of having a big family is getting to enjoy the spoils, aka recipes, of all the different generations!
But I love it because it’s totally different than the traditional pumpkin cookies I’m used to. And the glaze on top makes it a step above the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies I’ve had before.
Don’t be afraid of the glaze though – it’s so easy to make and pretty much foolproof! If you don’t want it, the cookies are delicious by themselves too!
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Ingredients
You’ll likely already have most of these ingredients in your pantry. If you don’t, they’re readily accessible at pretty much any grocery store. Or via Instacart if you do grocery store deliveries like I do instead!
- Shortening – don’t try and substitute butter or something else, it bakes differently. I’m still playing with the recipe to see if we can tweak it to use something else because shortening isn’t my personal favorite, but it works well in these cookies.
- Canned pumpkin – make sure to get pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
- Egg – we always prefer cage-free organic eggs but whatever large egg you have on hand is fine
- Vanilla – We like Nielsen-Massey Vanillas the best but again, whatever works
- Chocolate chips – milk chocolate are best but you could change it up and use other flavors as well
- Sugar
- Flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- Butter – this is for the glaze that goes on top
- Milk – whole milk works best for a creamy glaze
- Brown sugar – light or dark works
- Powdered sugar
Have leftover pumpkin after making these? Make this pumpkin crunch cake or these pumpkin cheesecake bars with the leftovers!
How to Make These Soft Pumpkin Cookies
You’ll make this recipe in two parts – the cookies and the glaze. Both are simple to make and taste so good together!
Want to make it even easier, simply skip the glaze, but I’m warning you, it makes these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies so much better!
I’ve included basic instructions below but make sure to check out the full recipe in the recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the details like baking time, measurements, etc.
How to Make the Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
1 – Blend together the shortening, sugar, pumpkin, egg, and vanilla.
2 – Stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a separate bowl.
3 – Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and combine.
4 – Add the chocolate chips then bake in the oven.
5 – Let cool completely before glazing the cookies.
How to Make the Glaze
1 – Boil the butter, milk, and brown sugar together.
2 – Add powdered sugar until it’s a good spreading consistency.
3 – Remove from heat and use a plastic bag with the corner cut off to spread on top of each cookie.
Important Note – try your best to let them cool before eating them. They’re way better once they’ve cooled and stay together. If you eat them hot, just like most cookies, they tend to fall apart. They’re much better after they’ve cooled for a bit.
More Cookie Recipes
- Chewy ginger molasses cookies
- Monster cookie sandwiches
- Cookie s’mores
- Trail mix cookies
- Homemade moon pie recipe
More Fall Recipes
- White bean chicken chili
- Whole30 zuppa toscana
- Cranberry orange bread recipe
- Mini pumpkin cinnamon rolls
- Easy pumpkin pizzas
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
Cookies
- 1 cup shortening
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 cup pumpkin
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 cup flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips
Glaze
- 3 TBSP butter melted
- 3 TBSP milk
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar
Instructions
Cookies
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Blend shortening, sugar, pumpkin, egg, and vanilla together until well combined.
- Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and stir until just moistened.
- Fold in chocolate chips.
- Drop by big spoonfuls onto ungreased cookie sheet.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes.
Glaze
- Boil melted butter, milk, and brown sugar in a pot.
- Add powdered sugar and stir to combine until the consistency will allow you to spread it easily.
- Either pipe or spread a small amount on top of each cookie.
Nutrition Info
Don’t forget to pin these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies for later.
Sandi says
Those cookies are so good. Love the icing on top!
Ashley F says
Everything about this looks so good! I could totally eat that glaze with a spoon!
BritniV says
Thanks so much!