Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies {Honey-Sweetened}

These soft and tender pumpkin chocolate chip cookies have a delicious melt-in-your-mouth texture that really can stand in competition with the best of their kind. Honey-sweetened with options for including whole-grain flour, these cookies are pretty much amazing in every way.

Hello Hello Hello.

I  just wonder what it must like being a reader of this blog hearing me rave about each and every recipe I post. Do you actually believe me when I tell you these recipes really are what I say they are?

I hope so, my friends.

Because I work hard to make sure that every recipe I post is one I can write a whole blog post raving about. If I don’t have enough good to say about it, then there’s a pretty good chance it’s not deserving of my accolades and not worth posting.

Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies that are worthy of the spotlight

It’s another pumpkin recipe for you today, but it’s not your ordinary pumpkin chocolate chip cookies today. These are honey-sweetened, tender little bites of goodness that have a delicious melt-in-your-mouth texture. If you love the combo of pumpkin and chocolate like I hope you do, make sure you give these a try.

Yes these cookies, my friends.

They deserve ALL the accolades I can give them.

They really are my favorite pumpkin chocolate chip cookies ever. And we make them all the time.

Now for some ingredient variations & tips

I’ve made this recipe with half whole-grain flour and they turned out delicious. I used equal parts of spelt, brown rice, and barley, but I bet other whole-grain flour combinations would also work. I love finding places to add whole-grain flour where it enhances, rather than detracts from the eating experience.

And just a little note about pumpkin puree. I mentioned in my pumpkin chocolate chip muffins post that all pumpkin purees are not the same. That includes canned pumpkin purees. Because of this, pumpkin can be a tricky ingredient to use in recipes. I’ve based this recipe off of homemade pumpkin puree which is usually more runny than store-bought canned pumpkin puree and what I usually use. I don’t add any water when I use homemade pumpkin puree in this recipe.

I have tested the recipe with canned purees and I’ve found that it comes out equally delicious as long as the canned puree gets “watered” down a bit. Make sure you don’t buy pumpkin pie filling for this recipe. You want 100% pure pumpkin, also called solid pack pumpkin. Using Libby’s as a standard, I’ve found that if you add 2 tablespoons of water along with the canned pumpkin puree, the texture of these cookies came out similar to when I made this recipe with homemade pumpkin puree. If you are using other brands of pumpkin puree keep in mind you may get slightly different results. Add more or less water, as needed depending on the pumpkin puree consistency. You know you have enough water in the batter if the cookies flatten just a bit when they are cooled.

Yes they are drool worthy

When eaten slightly warm, they are kind of get-all-over-your-face type cookies with their soft, tender texture. But they are totally worth licking your lips (not to mention your fingers) after the experience.

And when served with a glass of milk…well let’s just say that those cook’s treat privileges definitely got the best of me again.

Yes this gal took too many for the team in making double-dog sure that you were getting exactly what you hoped you were getting. They’re pretty much the best, just so you know.

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Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies {Honey-Sweetened}

These soft and tender pumpkin chocolate chip cookies have a delicious melt-in-your-mouth texture that really can stand in competition with the best of their kind. Honey-sweetened with options for including whole-grain flour, these cookies are pretty much amazing in every way.

Course Cookies, Dessert

Cuisine American

Keyword Cookies, Pumpkin

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 11 minutes

Total Time 26 minutes

Servings 3 dozen

Author Heather @ thecookstreat.com

Ingredients

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter softened
• ¾ cup (9 ounces) raw honey
• 2 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup (9 ounces) pumpkin puree see note
• 2 tablespoons water see note
• 2 ½ cups (12.5 ounces) all purpose flour see note
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground ginger
• ¼ teaspoon all spice
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ⅛ teaspoon cloves
• 1 ½ cups (9 ounces) chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. 

2. In a large bowl with an electric mixer or the bowl of a stand mixer with paddle attachments, cream together softened butter and raw honey 2-3 minutes until light and fluffy. Add vanilla, pumpkin puree, and water and mix until combined.

3. In a separate medium bowl, add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice, and cloves and whisk until combined. 

4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and the chocolate chips on top. Stir to combine just until the flour is mixed in, being careful not to overmix.

5. Scoop the soft dough with a spoon in heaping tablespoonfuls (I use a #40 cookie scoop) onto the parchment-lined baking sheet. 

6. Bake in preheated oven for 10-11 minutes or until edges of cookies are set but cookies are still soft in the center. Let them cool for 3-4 minutes on baking sheet before removing to wire rack to cool completely. If cookies bake too long they will still be good but have a little bit more of a cakey texture.
   

Recipe Notes

1. Pumpkin can be a tricky ingredient to use in recipes because there is such a different consistency brand to brand. I’ve based this recipe off of homemade pumpkin puree which is usually more runny than store-bought canned pumpkin puree and what I usually use. I don’t add any water when I use homemade pumpkin puree in this recipe. I have tested the recipe with canned purees as well and I’ve found that it comes out equally delicious as long as the canned puree gets “watered” down a bit. Using Libby’s as a standard for the canned varieties, I’ve found that if you add 2 tablespoons of water along with the canned pumpkin puree, the texture of these cookies came out similar to when I made this recipe with homemade pumpkin puree. If you are using other brands of pumpkin puree keep in mind you may get slightly different results. Add more or less water, as needed depending on the pumpkin puree consistency. You know you have enough water in the batter if the cookies flatten just a bit when they are cooled.

2. I’ve made this recipe with half whole-grain flour (I used equal parts of spelt, brown rice, and barley) and they turned out delicious.

3. My preferred chocolate chips in this recipe are the Ghirardelli brand of dark chips but you can try any kind you like.

Recipe Source: Heather @ The Cook’s Treat, adapted from a recipe from Mel’s Kitchen Cafe, changed spices and converted to be honey-sweetened.

All images and text ©The Cook’s Treat

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