These Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies are soft, chewy, and packed with cozy fall flavor. Made with nutty brown butter, pumpkin puree, warm spices, and melty dark chocolate.
Soft, chewy, and cozy—these Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies bring together nutty brown butter, warm fall spices, hearty oats, and melty chocolate chunks. Unlike most pumpkin desserts, these cookies are not overly sweet, making them perfect for both weekday snacking and holiday baking.
close up of a chewy pumpkin oatmeal cookie
Why You’ll Love These Cookies
Nutty brown butter: adds depth and richness.
Pumpkin puree: keeps them moist without making them cakey.
Rolled oats: create a chewy texture with a rustic bite.
Dark chocolate: balances the spices and keeps them from being too sweet.
Warm spices: cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves (or just pumpkin pie spice).
These cookies are a perfect middle ground—sweet but not cloying, spiced but not overpowering.
Ingredients to make brown butter pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip cookies
Ingredient to make Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
Unsalted Butter (¾ cup / 170g) – Browning the butter adds a toasty, caramel-like flavor that pairs beautifully with pumpkin.
Light Brown Sugar (¾ cup / 157g) – Provides moisture and chewiness.
Granulated Sugar (¼ cup / 50g) – Balances sweetness and helps the edges crisp.
Egg Yolk (1 large) – Gives richness without extra moisture, keeping cookies chewy instead of cakey.
Pumpkin Puree (⅓ cup / 80g) – Adds fall flavor, color, and softness without making them fluffy like cake.
Vanilla Extract (2 tsp) – Enhances both the pumpkin and chocolate notes.
Rolled Oats (1 cup / 90g) – Add chew and a hearty, rustic texture.
Cornstarch (1 tsp) – Ensures softness and helps prevent spreading.
Baking Soda (½ tsp) & Baking Powder (¼ tsp) – Provide lift and slight puff.
Salt (¾ tsp) – Balances sweetness and enhances chocolate.
Spices – Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, with optional cardamom. These layer warmth and depth. (Option: swap in pumpkin pie spice if you prefer.)
Chocolate Chips or Chopped Chocolate (1 cup / 170g) – Semi-sweet or dark chocolate keeps the cookies from being too sugary.
Step-by-Step Instructions to Bake Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips
Brown the Butter – In a saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Stir constantly until it foams, turns golden, and smells nutty (about 5–7 minutes). Transfer to a bowl to cool slightly.
Mix Sugars + Butter – Whisk the cooled brown butter with the brown sugar and granulated sugar until smooth.
Combine Dry Ingredients – In a separate bowl, whisk flour, oats, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and spices.
Mix Wet + Dry – Gently fold the dry mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined.
Add Chocolate – Stir in chopped chocolate or chocolate chips.
Chill the Dough – Refrigerate for 30–60 minutes. (This step helps control spread and intensifies flavor.)
Bake – Scoop dough (about 2 Tbsp per cookie) onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. With the palm of your hand gently flatten each cookie, then bake at 350°F (177°C) for 10 minutes until edges are set but centers look slightly underdone. Cookies will firm up as they cool so they don’t overbake.
Cool & Enjoy – Let cookies cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Cookies.
Storage & Freezing Tips
Room Temperature: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container for up to 5 days. They’ll stay soft and chewy. These cookies taste even better the next day as the flavors deepen, making them perfect for meal prep or holiday baking ahead of time.
Refrigerator: Keep in a sealed container for up to 1 week. Let them come to room temp before serving.
Freezer (Baked Cookies): Place cookies in a freezer-safe bag or container with parchment between layers. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm for 15 seconds in the microwave.
Freezer (Cookie Dough): Scoop dough into balls, freeze on a tray, then store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Bake directly from frozen at 350°F (177°C), adding 1–2 minutes to the bake time.
More Pumpkin Recipes You’ll Love
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3/4 cup (170g) unsalted butter (that will be browned and then slightly cooled)
3/4 cup (157g) light brown sugar, packed
1/4 cup (50) granulated or cane sugar
1 large egg yolk, room temp
1/3 cup (80g) Pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
2 tsp vanilla extract
2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
1 cup (90g) uncooked rolled oatmeal
1 tsp cornstarch
½ tsp baking soda
1/4 tsp baking powder
3/4 tsp salt
1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon powder
1/2 tsp ground ginger powder
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1 cup (170g) chopped dark or semi-sweet chocolate bar or chocolate chips
pinch of ground cardamon (optional for that unquie Fall flavor)
Instructions
Brown the butter– In a small saucepan over low-medium heat, melt the butter. Stir constantly until it foams, then turns golden brown with a nutty aroma (5–7 minutes). Remove from heat and pour in a heatproof large mixing bowl and let cool for 10 minutes. Make sure to scrape in the browned milk solids at the bottom of the pan—they hold the most flavor!
Whisk butter + sugars – In a same large mixing bowl that the cooled brown butter is in, whisk in the brown sugar and granulated sugar until well combined and looks like wet sand. For at least 2 minutes.
Add wet ingredients – Whisk in the egg yolk, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
Mix dry ingredients – In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, oats, cornstarch, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom (if using).
Combine mixtures – Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Stir with a spatula until just combined—do not overmix.
Fold in chocolate – Gently stir in chopped chocolate or chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
Chill the dough – Cover the bowl and refrigerate for 30–60 minutes to allow flavors to meld and dough to firm up.
Preheat oven – Set oven to 350°F (177°C) and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
Scoop dough – Using a cookie scoop (about 2 tablespoons per cookie), place dough balls on prepared sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. Gently flatten each dough flat with the palm of your hand before baking.
Bake – Bake for 9-10 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers still look slightly underdone. Cookies will firm up as they cool so they don’t overbake.
Cool – Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Baking Notes & Tips
Bake Time: These cookies are best when baked for 10 minutes. The edges will be set, but the centers should still look slightly soft. They’ll continue to firm up as they cool.
Sweetness Level: These cookies are not overly sweet—the dark chocolate balances the warm pumpkin spice flavors perfectly. If you prefer a sweeter cookie, you can swap in semi-sweet chocolate chips or add an extra 2 tablespoons of granulated sugar.
Pumpkin Spice Shortcut: If you don’t want to measure out multiple spices, you can substitute 2 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice for the cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
Chilling the Dough: Don’t skip this step! Chilling prevents excess spreading and allows the browned butter and spices to infuse deeper flavor.
Storage: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
Freezing: The dough can be scooped and frozen on a baking sheet, then transferred to a freezer bag. Bake straight from frozen at 350°F (177°C), adding 1–2 minutes to bake time.
Make-Ahead: The dough can be made up to 48 hours ahead and kept chilled in the refrigerator.
How to Brown Butter Browning butter is the key to these cookies’ rich, nutty flavor. Here’s exactly how to do it:
Use a light-colored pan – This makes it easier to see the color changes. A stainless steel or enamel saucepan works best.
Melt the butter – Place unsalted butter in the pan over medium heat. Stir or swirl the pan often to keep it cooking evenly.
Watch for foam – The butter will first melt, then start to bubble and foam. This is the water cooking out.
Smell the aroma – After 4–6 minutes, the butter will shift from a creamy yellow to golden brown, and tiny browned milk solids will appear at the bottom of the pan. You’ll notice a nutty, toffee-like aroma—this means it’s ready.
Pull it quickly – Remove the pan from the heat as soon as the butter turns golden brown (before it becomes too dark, which can make it bitter).
Cool it down – Pour immediately into a heat-safe bowl to stop the cooking. Let it cool for 10 minutes before mixing into the cookie dough.
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