Ultra-Chewy Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

My new and improved gluten-free chocolate chip pumpkin cookies are ultra-chewy and oh-so-soft and, of course, bursting with spicy pumpkin and cinnamon flavors. This post contains affiliate links. Please see my disclosures.

These gluten-free chocolate chip pumpkin cookies are everything you want in a pumpkin cookie and more. They’re soft and chewy. Soft-baked to perfection. And loaded with pumpkin pie spices, hints of cinnamon, and loads of melty chocolate chips.

Unlike most pumpkin cookie recipes you’ll find today that are more cake-like in texture, these are true cookies in both taste and texture.

So get ready to bake up delicious gluten-free chocolate chip pumpkin cookies using simple ingredients and in just a few easy steps.

Step #1: Assemble the Ingredients

Before baking, gather and measure all your ingredients. You’ll need the following:

• 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted but not hot. Melted butter is necessary for getting a chewy vs. crispy cookie result.
• 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar 
• 1/4 cup (50 grams) packed light brown sugar 
• 6 tbsp pumpkin puree (86 grams)
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 1/4 cups (185 grams) Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour Blend (use a kitchen scale for best result)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/4 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus extra for adding to the tops of the cookies before baking

Step #2: Prepare the Cookie Dough

To prepare the cookie dough, combine the melted butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar in a medium bowl and mix until smooth. Next, add the vanilla and pumpkin and continue to mix until well combined. Set aside.

In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.

Add the flour mixture to the pumpkin mixture and mix well until the flour is fully incorporated. Fold in the chocolate chips, cover, and place the cookie dough in your fridge for 30 minutes or longer to chill.

Step #3: Bake the Cookies

After the cookie dough has chilled, preheat your oven to 350°F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. Set it aside.

Scoop the refrigerated dough with a medium-sized cookie scooper into about 14 mounded dough balls. Alternatively, roll the dough by hand into medium-sized dough balls that are about 2″ in diameter. Add a few extra chocolate chips into the tops of each dough ball (optional), then slightly flatten the dough, allowing it to maintain its mounded shape. Do not flatten the dough.

Bake the cookies for 12-13 minutes or until the cookies are set but still soft. Allow them to remain on the cookie sheet to fully cool and set.

Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Once the cookies are slightly cooled, it’s time to dig in. These soft-baked cookies are chewy and soft in texture. They taste sweet yet offer up spicy hints of pumpkin pie and cinnamon.

You’ll notice that other pumpkin cookie recipes have a cake-like texture. These gluten-free chocolate chip pumpkin cookies are all cookie in both taste and texture. No faux-cookies here!

Be sure to store leftover cookies in a zip-top bag or airtight container on your countertop. They’ll stay moist and chewy for 4-5 days thanks to the intense moisture from the pumpkin puree.

FAQs

Canned Pumpkin: Be sure to use canned pumpkin puree and not pumpkin pie filling. Use the leftover canned pumpkin to make gluten-free pumpkin bread or gluten-free pumpkin donuts.

Measuring Your Flour: Measure the flour using a kitchen scale. Measuring flour in grams is essential to getting the right amount of flour in a recipe. Too much flour will result in a dry and crumbly cookie vs. one that is chewy and moist.

Flour Options: If using a different all-purpose gluten-free flour than Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Flour, be sure to measure it in grams vs. cups. You’ll need 185 grams of any flour you use. If your blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum, add 1/4 tsp of it.

Dairy-Free Option: To make this recipe dairy free, use dairy-free butter sticks. I recommend Earth Balance vegan butter sticks. Also, use dairy-free chocolate chips.

Melt Your Butter: Melting your butter will ensure these cookies are soft and chewy. Softened butter will result in a more cake-like cookie, whereas melted butter makes these cookies much chewier, which is what you’d expect from a soft-baked cookie.

Spice It Up: For a more intense pumpkin flavor, increase the pumpkin pie spice by a 1/4 tsp.