Soft and Chewy Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

I can’t think of a better way to spend a fall afternoon than baking these vegan pumpkin chocolate chip cookies made with canned pumpkin purée. They’re pillowy soft, perfectly chewy, and jam-packed with melty chocolate chips and warm spices.

Chewy, chocolate-y, pumpkin spiced: AKA my new favourite cookie

Think of them as the fall version of my incredibly popular chewy chocolate chip cookies. While they’re just as soft and gooey in the centre and loaded with pools of melted chocolate, it’s when I added their cozy pumpkin spice flavours that the were set apart. I usually bake up a batch for a “just because” sweet treat or when I need something irresistible to bring to Thanksgiving dinner.

Once they’re done baking, sprinkle the tops with coarse salt and pair them with an iced brown sugar shaken espresso or a vegan pumpkin spice latte for an unforgettable and indulgent fall treat.

Why these are the only cookies I’m baking this pumpkin season

• Soft, chewy, and warmly spiced. I really wanted a cookie that’s chewy on the inside with gooey melted chocolate chips and cozy pumpkin flavours throughout (who doesn’t)?? I’ve found the perfect blend of ingredients and dialed in just the right amount of cooking time to achieve just that!
• No chilling needed. I don’t know about you but I hate getting through a cookie recipe only to find out I have to chill the dough for hours before baking. When I was recipe testing, I decided to skip this step and luckily, this recipe still gives you perfectly puffy cookies in a matter of minutes.
• Simple baking staples only. These soft pumpkin chocolate chip cookies come together quickly with ingredients you likely already have in your pantry, like flour, sugar, pumpkin purée, and vegan butter. I never liked complicated egg replacers or other fancy ingredients, so you don’t have to worry about those here!

Want to jazz up your cookies?

When I was testing this recipe, I couldn’t help but wonder what would happen if I strayed from the usual chocolate chip route. I quickly snapped out of it and decided to keep the chocolate chips for obvious reasons, but I did try a few different mix-ins. some amazing, some… less so. Chopped pecans added a buttery crunch that I loved, and crushed pretzels brought a salty crunch that surprisingly elevated the sweetness that reminded me of these delicious gooey pretzel bars. I also tested white chocolate chips, which gave a sweet, creamy contrast like these pumpkin spice white chocolate snickerdoodles. It’s definitely worth finding a good-quality vegan version if you go that route.

What I learned baking for a crowd: how to scale

When I scaled this recipe up for bigger gatherings, I found it’s easy to keep the same soft, gooey texture – just stick to the ingredient ratios and mix your wet and dry ingredients separately for even distribution. Using a cookie scoop helped me keep each cookie the same size, so they bake evenly, especially when using multiple trays (no brainer).

Baking bigger batches is also perfect if you’ve got a little recipe tester running around the house (who’s always eager to “help” and sample). Since I made these cookies to intentionally not have to chill in the fridge, I can whip up batch after batch quickly. Though I don’t always remember to do this (if i’m being honest), rotating the oven racks halfway through makes sure every cookie is just right.

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