Description

These festive Christmas Chocolate Chip Cookies combine classic holiday spices with the moistness of pumpkin puree, creating soft, flavorful cookies perfect for the holiday season. Enhanced with pumpkin pie spice and a generous amount of chocolate chips, these cookies offer a delightful twist on the traditional treat, ideal for cookie exchanges and holiday gatherings.

Ingredients

Scale

Dry Ingredients

2 cups all-purpose flour (240 grams)
1½ teaspoons baking soda (9 grams)
1 teaspoon baking powder (4 grams)
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (6 grams)
1 teaspoon kosher salt (3 grams)

Wet Ingredients

½ cup salted butter (113 grams, room temperature, 1 stick)
1 cup brown sugar (213 grams)
¼ cup granulated sugar (50 grams)
2 large eggs (100 grams, room temperature)
¾ cup pumpkin puree (170 grams, approximately ⅖ of a can; NOT pumpkin pie filling)
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract (4 grams)

Main Mix-Ins

2 cups chocolate chips (340 grams)

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Instructions

Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Set aside for easy transfer of cookies later.
Mix Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, and kosher salt to combine all dry elements evenly.
Cream Butter and Sugars: Using a hand mixer, beat the room temperature salted butter with the brown and granulated sugars until the mixture is light, fluffy, and pale in color. This usually takes about 2-3 minutes.
Add Wet Ingredients: Incorporate the eggs, pumpkin puree, and pure vanilla extract into the butter and sugar mixture. Beat everything together until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
Combine Dry and Wet Mixtures: Gradually add the dry ingredients into the wet mixture while mixing gently, just until all the dry is incorporated. Be careful not to overmix to keep the cookies tender.
Fold in Chocolate Chips: Using a spatula, gently fold in the chocolate chips evenly throughout the cookie dough.
Portion the Dough: Drop approximately 2 tablespoons of cookie dough per cookie onto the prepared baking sheets, placing them about 1½ inches apart to allow spreading. Using a cookie scoop ensures uniform size.
Bake the Cookies: Bake the cookies in the preheated oven for 9-10 minutes, or until the edges are lightly browned but the centers remain soft.
Cool the Cookies: Remove cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheets for 5 minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely, ensuring they set properly and maintain optimal texture.

Notes

Do not use pumpkin pie filling; it contains sugar and spices that will alter the taste.
Room temperature ingredients, especially butter and eggs, help achieve a better texture and even mixing.
Use parchment paper to prevent sticking and facilitate cleanup.
Cookies may seem soft out of the oven but will firm up as they cool.
You can substitute semi-sweet chocolate chips with dark or milk chocolate chips as preferred.