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These pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip cookies have crisp edges, chewy centers, hearty oats, warm pumpkin spice, and plenty of melty chocolate chunks.
And unlike so many pumpkin cookies, they aren’t cakey! The secret is one simple extra step: blotting the pumpkin puree to remove excess moisture before adding it to the dough.
There’s something about the first batch of pumpkin cookies that instantly makes it feel like fall. The second cinnamon and pumpkin spice hit the oven, I’m ready for changing leaves, football, crisp weather, and all the pumpkin desserts.
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
- Chewy, not cakey: Blotting the pumpkin removes excess moisture for tender centers and crisp edges.
- Loaded with texture: Old fashioned oats and chocolate chunks make every bite thick and satisfying.
- Full of fall flavor: Pumpkin, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice give them plenty of warm spice.
- Easy to make: No mixer required and the dough comes together quickly.
- Stay soft for days: They’re just as delicious a few days later, making them perfect for fall gatherings or make-ahead treats.
Ingredients You’ll Need
These simple pantry staples come together to create the ultimate soft, chewy, bakery-style fall cookie packed with pumpkin spice flavor.
- Pumpkin Puree: Adds pumpkin flavor and moisture. Blot it well to keep the cookies chewy, not cakey.
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure while keeping the cookies tender.
- Baking Soda: Helps the cookies spread, brown, and develop crisp edges.
- Cinnamon: Adds warm spice and enhances the pumpkin flavor.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice: Gives the cookies their classic fall spice flavor.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the other flavors.
- Old Fashioned Oats: Add hearty texture and plenty of chew.
- Unsalted Butter: Adds rich flavor and helps create crisp, golden edges.
- Brown Sugar: Adds moisture, caramel flavor, and extra chewiness.
- Granulated Sugar: Adds sweetness and helps the edges crisp.
- Egg Yolk: Adds richness without the extra moisture of a whole egg.
- Vanilla Extract: Enhances the pumpkin, spice, and chocolate flavors.
- Semisweet Chocolate Chunks: Add pockets of rich, melty chocolate throughout.
Why These Cookies Aren’t Cakey
The secret to chewy pumpkin cookies is blotting the pumpkin puree. Pumpkin contains a surprising amount of water, and all that extra moisture can make pumpkin cookies puff up soft and cakey instead of baking with chewy centers and crisp edges.
Spread the pumpkin puree on a plate and press it firmly with paper towels. Stir and spread it out again, then repeat the process 3–4 times until you’ve removed as much excess moisture as possible.
Don’t skip this step! It makes a huge difference in the final texture.
How to Make Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
These pumpkin oatmeal cookies come together quickly and bake up perfectly soft and chewy every time.
- Prep: Preheat the oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Blot the Pumpkin: Spread the pumpkin puree on a plate and blot well with paper towels 3–4 times to remove excess moisture. This helps create chewy cookies instead of cakey ones.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and oats.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together the melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg yolk, blotted pumpkin, and vanilla until smooth.
- Combine: Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined, then fold in the chocolate chunks.
- Scoop and Bake: Scoop about 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie onto the prepared baking sheets and flatten slightly. Bake for 13–14 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden.
- Cool: Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Troubleshooting Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
The pumpkin likely still contained too much moisture. Be aggressive when blotting the puree and repeat the process 3–4 times. Also be sure to measure the flour correctly so you don’t accidentally change the wet-to-dry ingredient ratio.
Too much flour or oats can make the dough too stiff. Spoon and level the flour rather than packing it into the measuring cup, and use old fashioned oats, not extra-thick oats. Be sure to flatten the cookie dough slightly before baking since these cookies don’t spread a ton on their own.
Make sure the melted butter isn’t piping hot when you mix the dough. If the dough seems unusually warm or soft, let it sit for a few minutes before scooping. Also double-check that you completely blotted the excess moisture from the pumpkin.
They were probably baked a little too long. Pull the cookies from the oven when the edges are lightly golden but the centers still look slightly soft. They’ll continue to set as they cool on the baking sheet.
Let them sit on the baking sheet for the full 5 minutes before moving them. The cookies are delicate when they’re hot but firm up as they cool.
Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookie FAQs
Old fashioned oats work best for chewy texture, but quick oats can work in a pinch. The cookies will be slightly softer.
No. Pumpkin pie filling contains added sugar and spices that will change the texture and flavor of the cookies.
Storing and Freezing
Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days. For longer storage, freeze them for up to 3 months. Let the cookies cool completely, flash freeze until firm, then transfer to a freezer-safe container or bag.
If you love pumpkin cookies but wish they were a little less cakey and a whole lot chewier, these pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are the answer. Don’t skip blotting that pumpkin, load them up with chocolate chunks, and prepare for your kitchen to smell like fall!
More Fall Cookies to Try…
- Chewy Pumpkin Cookies
- Apple Crisp Cookies
- Pumpkin Pie Cookies
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Brown Butter Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Watch How These Cookies are Made…
Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- ¾ Cup Pumpkin Puree
- 2 Cups Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 2 teaspoons Cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 ½ Cups Old Fashioned Oats
- 1 Cup Unsalted Butter, melted or browned and cooled
- ¾ Cup Brown Sugar, packed (light and dark work)
- ½ Cup Sugar
- 1 Egg Yolk, large
- 2 teaspoons Vanilla
- 1 ½ Cups Semisweet Chocolate Chunks, or chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 ℉ and line baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats.
- Spread the pumpkin on a plate and blot repeatedly with paper towels until dry. Try blotting, stirring together and spreading again, then blotting for a total of 3-4 times. Set aside.¾ Cup Pumpkin Puree
- Whisk the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, cinnamon, pumpkin pie spice, salt, and oats together in a large bowl. Set aside.2 Cups Flour, 1 teaspoon Baking Soda, 2 teaspoons Cinnamon, 2 teaspoons Pumpkin Pie Spice, ½ teaspoon Salt, 1 ½ Cups Old Fashioned Oats
- Whisk the melted butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, egg yolk, blotted pumpkin, and vanilla together until combined.1 Cup Unsalted Butter, ¾ Cup Brown Sugar, ½ Cup Sugar, 1 Egg Yolk, 2 teaspoons Vanilla
- Pour the wet ingredients into dry and using a wooden spoon, mix everything together until completely combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chunks.1 ½ Cups Semisweet Chocolate Chunks
- Scoop 2 Tablespoons of dough per cookie, and place on baking sheets. Flatten slightly.
- Bake for 13-14 minutes or until lightly browned on the sides. Remove from the oven and let sit 5 minutes before removing from the baking sheet.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
