Recently, I have been really craving chocolate chip cookies. I know they’re really simple, but there is just something about chocolate chip cookies that makes everyone fall to their knees when they eat one. And given everything that’s going on in the world right now, I think we could all use a little simple goodness. I added some fall vibes to these pumpkin spice chocolate chip cookies by adding a little bit of pumpkin spice. These cookies are the perfect remedy for cold fall days.
Ingredients, Substitutions & Adjustments
- All purpose flour – AP flour is the main dry ingredient in these cookies. Make sure to use a spoon to scoop your flour into the measuring cup. Using your measuring cup to scoop out the flour will compress the flour which results in more flour in the dough. Too much flour causes the dough to not spread properly.
- Pumpkin spice – Adds a bit of fall to these cookies. Pumpkin spice is a mixture of cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and other warm spices you would find in pumpkin pie. I normally buy pre-made pumpkin spice from the store but feel free to make your own!
- Baking soda – Baking soda helps the cookies rise and give it that airiness.
- Butter – Adds a bit of a nutty flavor to the cookies. Make sure to bring the butter up to room temperature before creaming the butter and sugars.
- Granulated sugar & light brown sugar – Both add sweetness to these cookies and help the cookies spread/rise. Granulated sugar helps the cookies spread, and brown sugar helps the cookies rise. Brown sugar also adds a bit more sweetness and moisture to these cookies because it has molasses.
- Eggs – Adds richness to these cookies. Make sure to use room temperature eggs for this recipe.
- Salt – The salt helps balance out the sweetness of these cookies.
- Vanilla paste – I am now a vanilla paste convert. I use it in everything I bake. You can substitute vanilla paste with an equal amount of vanilla extract or 1 vanilla bean.
- Chocolate chips – Use a lot of chocolate chips because they’re just that good lol. I like to use chocolate chips that are on the more bitter side because I think it helps balance out the sweetness from the sugars. I would recommend using any kind of chocolate chips you choose!
Making my pumpkin spice chocolate chip cookies
First combine all your dry ingredients in a bowl. Add all purpose flour, pumpkin spice, and baking soda to a bowl and mix until combined. Set aside. Next combine your butter, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar in a large bowl. Use a hand mixer or stand mixer to whisk until light and fluffy (~1 minute). Add the eggs and vanilla paste and whisk until combined. Next add your dry ingredients into your wet ingredients. Mix until combined. Lastly, add in your chocolate chips. Use a spatula to incorporate it into the cookie dough. Let the dough rest in the fridge uncovered for 30 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Prepare 2 baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper. Use a 2 tablespoon (medium sized) cookie scoop to scoop your cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Make sure there is 2 inches of space between each cookie. Bake for 9-11 minutes until the edges are brown. Rest for 5 minutes on the baking sheets and then for 10 minutes on a cooling rack before serving. Enjoy!
Tips on how to make the perfect pumpkin spice chocolate chip cookies
Make sure to thoroughly cream the butter and sugars
It is crucial to whisk the eggs and sugars for at least 1 minute. This helps give the cookie structure and prevents it from collapsing in the oven.
Be careful about over mixing your dough
After you add the flour, make sure to stir only until just combined. As you mix the flour into the wet ingredients, gluten will start to form with each subsequent mixing motion. Gluten formation will make your cookies tough.
Why it’s important to rest the dough
Resting the cookie dough is important because it helps to solidify the fat (ie. the butter). This is important because as the cookies bake, the fat will take longer to melt. The faster the fat melts, the more the cookie will spread.
Use an oven thermometer for even temps
This is perhaps my #1 tip for baking in general. Most ovens, even nice ones, don’t have accurate temperatures. The oven I’ve been using has a 25 degree discrepancy between what it says on the oven and the internal temperature. So an oven thermometer has been a life saviour for me.
Use a cookie scoop for even sized cookies
Not only does a cookie scoop make your cookies look uniform, they also help your cookies bake evenly. I used a medium sized (~2 tbsp) cookie scoop for this recipe.
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Pumpkin Spice Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all purpose flour
- ½ tsp pumpkin spice
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup butter softened, room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs room temperature
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp vanilla paste
- 1 ½ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- First combine all your dry ingredients together. Combine all purpose flour, pumpkin spice, and baking soda in a bowl. Mix until well combined and set aside.
- In a separate bowl, add butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, whisk for ~1 minute until the mixture is nice and fluffy.
- Add eggs, salt, and vanilla paste to the bowl. Whisk until combined.
- Combine your dry ingredients from step 1 with your wet ingredients. Make sure to stir the mixture until just combined. The more you stir the mixture, the more gluten will form which will make your cookies tough. I like to start mixing with my hand mixture and finish with a spatula to ensure I don’t over mix.
- Add chocolate chips and incorporate them into the dough.
- Let cookie dough rest in the fridge uncovered for 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees F.
- Prepare 2 baking sheets by lining them with parchment paper. Use a 2 tablespoon (medium sized) cookie scoop to scoop your cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets. Make sure there is 2 inches of space between each cookie.
- Bake for 9-11 minutes until the edges are brown.
- Rest for 5 minutes on the baking sheets and then for 10 minutes on a cooling rack before serving.
Notes
- Make sure to thoroughly cream the butter and sugars – It is crucial to whisk the eggs and sugars for at least 1 minute. This helps give the cookie structure and prevents it from collapsing in the oven.
- Be careful about over mixing your dough – After you add the flour, make sure to stir only until just combined. As you mix the flour into the wet ingredients, gluten will start to form with each subsequent mixing motion. Gluten formation will make your cookies tough.
- Why it’s important to rest the dough – Resting the cookie dough is important because it helps to solidify the fat (ie. the butter). This is important because as the cookies bake, the fat will take longer to melt. The faster the fat melts, the more the cookie will spread.
- Use an oven thermometer for even temps – This is perhaps my #1 tip for baking in general. Most ovens, even nice ones, don’t have accurate temperatures. The oven I’ve been using has a 25 degree discrepancy between what it says on the oven and the internal temperature. So an oven thermometer has been a life saviour for me.
- Use a cookie scoop for even sized cookies – Not only does a cookie scoop make your cookies look uniform, they also help your cookies bake evenly. I used a medium sized (~2 tbsp) cookie scoop for this recipe.
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by Becca Du