Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies With Molasses

Pumpkin cookies turn into little cakes more often than not, and that’s not what I’m going for here. These stay chewy, with gooey chocolate chips in every bite. The molasses in them gives them a rich taste that sports team kids and my hubby absolutely love (though he loves these keto coffee cookies as well!).

I make a batch of these on repeat all fall: homework afternoons, team parties, whatever the week throws at me. No chilling, no fuss, just mix, scoop, and bake. Easy peasy. Make-ahead treats like this and my date oat bars recipe (coming soon!) or apple pie muffins with pie filling, make busy sports seasons and holiday parties so much more manageable.

What Makes Them Different💭

Molasses: It’s in there so the pumpkin spice actually shines through. Skip it, and these taste more like a plain sugar cookie with canned pumpkin mixed in.

Texture: Light, chewy, real chocolate chip cookie texture, not a pumpkin cookie that’s secretly a muffin.

No chill time: Dough goes straight from the bowl to the pan. No forgetting a bowl of dough in the fridge for three hours.

Ingredients and Substitutions

• Canned Pumpkin: Make sure you’re using 100% canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. They’re not the same thing; the pie filling is already sweetened and spiced and will throw off the recipe.
• Molasses: I use fancy (mild) molasses here, not blackstrap. Blackstrap has a much stronger flavor that comes through a bit too much in the cookie.
• Egg Yolks: This recipe uses just the yolks, not whole eggs. It keeps the cookies rich without adding extra moisture that would push them toward cakey.
• Pumpkin Spice: Store-bought pumpkin pie spice works great here. If you want a stronger fall flavor, feel free to add a little extra or some cinnamon (if you love a cinnamon flavor, try these cinnamon stewed pears).
• Chocolate Chips: I use semi-sweet, plus a few extra on top before baking. Milk or dark chocolate chips would work too if that’s what you have on hand.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Flavors To Try

Want to switch things up? Here are a couple ways we’ve topped or adjusted these chewy pumpkin spice cookies.

• Pumpkin caramel cookies: Swap the chocolate chips (or even half of them) for butterscotch chips and drizzle the easy pumpkin cookies with coconut milk caramel sauce before you serve them.
• Cream Cheese Drizzle: If you want to turn these into more of a dessert, a simple cream cheese frosting drizzled over top once they’ve cooled would be delicious.

How To Make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies With Molasses.

Step 1: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, sugar, and pumpkin spice.

Step 2: Add in the pumpkin, egg yolks, melted butter, and molasses. Stir until mostly combined, it’ll look pretty dry at this point, that’s normal. Fold in the chocolate chips.

Helpful Hints

• Don’t skip the pumpkin check: use canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. The filling already has sugar and spice mixed in and will throw off the recipe.
• Pull them early: take the cookies out when the tops are mostly firm but still a little soft. They’ll keep cooking on the hot pan as they cool, which keeps them from drying out.
• Give them room: these spread more than you’d expect, so leave a couple inches between each scoop.
• Stick with the scoop: a 1.5-inch scoop keeps the cookies a consistent size so they all bake evenly in the same 21 to 23 minutes.
• More spice, more flavor: if you want the pumpkin spice to really come through, add a little extra to the batter.

How To Store Them

Room Temperature: Once the cookies have cooled completely, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-5 days.

Fridge: You can pop these in the fridge as well for up to 7 days but know that they will firm up a bit. If enjoying from the fridge, they taste best reheated slightly in the microwave (though my kids eat them any which way!).

Freezer: I haven’t tested these pumpkin cookies in the freezer yet but I think they’d hold up texture- and taste-wise. Just make sure to separate layers with parchment paper and let them thaw in the fridge overnight and then come to room temperature before serving.

If I’m making a batch for a team party or a Sunday get-together, I’ll scoop and freeze the dough ahead of time so I’m not scrambling to bake right before we walk out the door. Then just add 2-3 minutes onto the baking time.

How To Enjoy Them

These pumpkin molasses cookies work for pretty much any fall occasion, which makes them an easy one to keep in your back pocket.

• Set a batch out for trick-or-treaters along with these Halloween witch cookies for a Halloween class party.
• Pack a few in a lunchbox or team snack bag for an after-school or after-practice treat.
• Add them to a fall dessert table alongside chocolate pecan pie bars for Thanksgiving or a holiday party.

Pumpkin Molasses Chocolate Chip Cookies FAQs

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Are pumpkin cookies supposed to be cakey?

Pumpkin has a lot of moisture in it, which is what tends to push pumpkin cookies toward a cakey texture. Using just egg yolks instead of whole eggs, and not adding extra liquid, is what keeps these light but still chewy instead of falling into cake territory.

Do I need to chill the cookie dough?

Nope. This dough goes straight from the bowl to the baking sheet, no chilling required.

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If you tried this Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes!