These double chocolate pumpkin cookies are soft, chewy, and fudgy with a rich chocolate base, pumpkin spice, and plenty of chocolate chips. They're the perfect chocolate pumpkin cookies for fall and stay soft for days.
Looking for more pumpkin inspiration? I've rounded up my favorite 21 Best Pumpkin Recipes for Fall →, including pumpkin cookies, muffins, breads, pies, and more.
If you've tried pumpkin cookies before and didn't love the texture, these are different. They're not cakey or puffy. These chocolate pumpkin cookies are flat, chewy, and fudgy, with a rich chocolate flavor that pairs perfectly with pumpkin spice.
They're also incredibly easy to make. The dough comes together in one bowl, and you can bake the cookies right away or chill the dough for a little while to make it easier to scoop.
Why You'll Love These Double Chocolate Pumpkin Cookies
- Rich chocolate flavor. Cocoa powder and chocolate pudding mix give these cookies an extra-deep chocolate flavor.
- Soft and fudgy. Pumpkin keeps the cookies soft and moist without making them cakey.
- Chewy texture. These are flatter and chewier than traditional pumpkin cookies.
- Loaded with chocolate. Chocolate chips or chunks are mixed throughout the dough.
- Easy to make. The dough comes together quickly with basic ingredients.
- No long chilling time. You can bake them immediately, or chill the dough for about 30 minutes if you prefer.
- Perfect for fall. Chocolate and pumpkin are an especially good combination for Thanksgiving, Halloween, and fall baking.
- Stay soft for days. Store them in an airtight container and they'll stay soft for several days.
What Makes These Chocolate Pumpkin Cookies Different?
A lot of pumpkin cookies have a soft, cake-like texture. These don't.
I wanted a pumpkin cookie with the texture of a traditional chocolate chip cookie—flat, chewy, and fudgy—but with pumpkin and warm fall spices.
The pumpkin puree adds moisture and keeps the cookies soft, while cocoa powder and chocolate pudding mix give them a rich chocolate flavor.
The result is a fudgy chocolate pumpkin cookie that's soft in the center without being cakey.
And if you're a chocolate-and-pumpkin fan, these are hard to resist!
What Others Are Saying
Great Thanksgiving treat for chocolate lovers!---Catherine
You had me just at the mention of chocolate and pumpkin.---Donna
Jump to:
- Why You'll Love These Double Chocolate Pumpkin Cookies
- What Makes These Chocolate Pumpkin Cookies Different?
- What Others Are Saying
- Tips for Making Chocolate Pumpkin Cookies
- Ingredients
- How To Make Double Chocolate Pumpkin Cookies
- Top Tip
- Pumpkin Cookie FAQs
- More Pumpkin Recipes To Make
- Fudgy Chocolate Pumpkin Cookies
Tips for Making Chocolate Pumpkin Cookies
- Use a cookie scoop. A 2-Tbsp. cookie scoop works well for evenly sized cookies.
- Bake on a light-colored baking sheet. I prefer light-colored metal baking sheets for even baking.
- Don't overbake. The cookies will be very soft when they first come out of the oven. They'll continue to set as they cool.
- Bang the baking sheet. Gently tapping the baking sheet against the counter helps flatten the cookies and gives them that fudgy, chewy texture.
- Chill the dough if needed. The melted butter makes the dough sticky. A 30-minute chill makes it easier to scoop, but you can skip chilling if you're ready to bake.
- Use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling already contains sugar and spices and will change the recipe.
Ingredients
- Pumpkin puree: Use 100% pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Sugar: Typically, I use a combination of brown and white sugar in chocolate chip cookies, but these cookies are soft and moist already without needing to add brown sugar.
- Butter: I always use butter in cookies, unless otherwise directed. I prefer salted butter, but you can use unsalted butter if you'd like.
- Egg: For richness and texture.
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda and salt: For flavor and leavening.
- Pumpkin pie spice: For the classic pumpkin spice flavoring we all know and love. You can also use your own mixture of spices (cloves, nutmeg, cinnamon) to taste.
- Ground cinnamon: Yes, there is already cinnamon in pumpkin pie spice, but I like adding a bit more. It's my favorite spice.
- Chocolate pudding mix: a box of chocolate instant pudding creates a moist texture and delicious flavor.
- Chocolate chunks or chocolate chips: It doesn't matter which one you use; they taste the same! You can reserve some to add to the cookies after they come out of the oven if you'd like.
See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.
How To Make Double Chocolate Pumpkin Cookies
Step 1: Mix melted butter, sugar, and cocoa powder together.
Step 2: Add pumpkin puree and egg. Mix thoroughly.
Step 3: Add baking soda, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, chocolate pudding mix, and flour.
Step 4: Stir in chocolate chips.
Optional: The cookie dough will be sticky, so you can chill it for 30 minutes to allow the melted butter to set up a bit before scooping. Pumpkin cookies naturally don't spread as much as others, so if you want to bake right away, you can.
Step 5: Scoop cookie dough onto parchment-lined baking sheet. Bake cookies for 7 minutes. Bang the baking sheet against the counter 3 times to slightly flatten the cookies, then bake for an additional 6-7 minutes. Bang the baking sheet against the counter 3 more times.
Step 6: Allow cookies to cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack.
Storage tips: One batch of chocolate pumpkin cookies makes 2 ½ dozen cookies. They will stay fresh 3-5 days if stored in an air-tight container.
Top Tip
For uniform cookies every time, use a cookie scoop! One of my favorite kitchen tools.
Pumpkin Cookie FAQs
Pumpkin pie spice has a distinct taste, and as soon as you eat anything baked with it, you know it's made with pumpkin---but there isn't any pumpkin flavor in pumpkin pie spice. Pumpkin has a very subtle taste and gives baked goods a soft and moist texture. The pumpkin spice is a mix of warm spices that shine through and complement the pumpkin puree.
I use melted butter to really incorporate the baking cocoa and sugar. It gives the cookies a rich chocolate flavor, but makes the dough slightly sticky when scooping. Chilling for 30 minutes helps with that and allows the butter to set up a bit more, but you can skip that step if you'd like. Pumpkin cookies naturally don't spread as much as other cookies.
Not necessarily. Many pumpkin cookies have a soft, cake-like texture because pumpkin adds a lot of moisture to the dough. These chocolate pumpkin cookies are different. They're designed to be flat, chewy, and fudgy rather than cakey.
Absolutely. Chocolate chunks work just as well as chocolate chips. You can also use white chocolate chips for a fun contrast with the chocolate pumpkin cookie base.
Use 100% canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling already contains sugar and spices, which will change the flavor and texture of the cookies.
Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature. They'll stay soft for 3–5 days.
Yes! Allow the cookies to cool completely, then place them in a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Separate layers with parchment paper if needed. Thaw at room temperature before serving.
Tapping the baking sheet against the counter helps the cookies flatten slightly and creates a denser, fudgier texture. It's especially helpful with pumpkin cookies because pumpkin naturally makes cookies thicker and softer.
More Pumpkin Recipes To Make
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Fudgy Chocolate Pumpkin Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup butter melted
- 1 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 cup flour
- 3 Tbsp. cocoa powder baking cocoa
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 ½ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 3.4 oz. box chocolate pudding mix
- 1 ½ cups semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Mix melted butter, sugar, and cocoa powder together. Add pumpkin puree and egg. Mix thoroughly.
- In a separate bowl, combine baking soda, salt, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, pudding mix, and flour. Add to wet ingredients and mix.Note: If using a stand mixer, just add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients one by one. You don't need to use a separate bowl.
- Stir in chocolate chips. Chill the dough for 30 minutes.
- Use a cookie scoop to drop dough onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 7 minutes. Bang the pan against the counter 3-4 times to slightly flatten cookies. Bake for an additional 6 minutes. Bang the pan against the counter 3 more times.
- Let cookies cool for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack.
CC says
Yum, I love how these turned out!
Brandy says
Glad you liked them!
Miz Helen says
Your post is featured on Full Plate Thursday this week and thanks so much for sharing it with us! Hope you are having a great week and come back to see us soon!
Miz Helen
Kat (The Baking Explorer) says
They look so yummy!
Kim~madeinaday says
Hard to believe I was reading these are pumpkin! Yum, they look fabulous!Sharing! Thank you for sharing on Merry Monday! Hope to see ya next week!
Kim
Donna @ Modern on Monticello says
You had me just at the mention of chocolate and pumpkin. Pinned this one to try this holiday season. Thanks for sharing at #HomeMattersParty
Lisa | Handmade in Israel says
These look soooo good! Thanks for sharing the recipe. #HappinessIsHomemade
The Freshman Cook says
I LOVE those chocolate chunks! How yummy! My family will love them! Thank you for sharing at Celebrate It!
Catherine Baez Sholl says
Great Thanksgiving treat for chocolate lovers!