Best Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies for Kids: Easy Fall Cookie Recipe

Pumpkin chocolate chip cookies recipes are not lacking on the interwebs; in fact, we venture to guess you ended up here because you googled said general recipe idea and landed on this particularly one. If we're not your first recipe rodeo, you may have also already figured out that nearly all of the recipes are carbon copies of one another, with the same ingredients, proportions, and process. Good news: you probably can’t go wrong here. Bad news: that one recipe is just…okay?

You/we can do better. Our take o pumpkin chocolate chip cookies uses maple syrup instead of granulated sugar—it’s less sweet, yet also somehow richer and fuller in taste than what you would get with the processed white stuff. We use butter, and less of it than the whopping 1/2 cup of vegetable oil you find in all those other recipes; the extra hit of pumpkin pie spice we add makes it moist and zesty like a pumpkin pie or loaf cake—you could serve it as or at breakfast, even.

Yes, this is really a cake masquerading as cookie: if you and/or your child love the crispy-chewy edges that come with using copious amounts of butter in a chocolate chip cookie batter, you’re not going to get that here—there’s just too much moisture from the pumpkin, maple syrup, and butter. Silver lining for at least one of you, though: the texture here is absolutely perfect perfect for infants and toddlers whose teeth are coming in; throw in enough chocolate chips and older toddlers will love it, too. (If you're the sort of connoisseur who appreciates the savory side of cookies--read: brown butter--as much as the sweetness, see our tip in the instructions for how to make these more like traditional chocolate chip cookies.)

Check out our best pumpkin recipes and our favorite sweet treats!

🧈 Ingredients Overview

Let’s talk ingredients before you preheat that oven—because the right balance is what makes these cookies special.

• Butter: Melted, not softened. Melted butter blends smoothly with the pumpkin and keeps the cookies soft without becoming greasy.
• Pumpkin Purée: The star of the show. Use 100% pure pumpkin (not pie filling). It adds flavor, moisture, and that signature fall color.
• Maple Syrup: The secret upgrade. Its caramelized depth gives sweetness without the sharpness of white sugar.
• Egg + Milk + Vanilla: Together they create a richer dough and help it bind beautifully.
• Flour: Standard all-purpose works best for light, fluffy texture.
• Pumpkin Pie Spice: Think cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger—essential for that warm autumn vibe.
• Baking Powder + Baking Soda: The lift you need for that soft, cakey rise.
• Chocolate Chips: Dark or bittersweet are our favorites, but semisweet works just fine.

👩‍🍳 Instructions Summary

1. Melt the butter. Microwave or stovetop—it doesn’t matter, just don’t scorch it.
2. Mix the wet stuff. Stir in pumpkin purée, maple syrup, egg, vanilla, and milk until smooth.
3. Whisk the dry ingredients. In another bowl, combine flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, and baking soda. (Add a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter.)
4. Combine and fold. Mix dry into wet until a thick, sticky dough forms. Stir in chocolate chips.
5. Chill it out. Refrigerate the dough 30–60 minutes. This helps prevent spreading and deepens the flavor.
6. Scoop and bake. Drop spoonfuls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. For soft, cake-like cookies, keep them mounded; for thinner, crispier edges, press them down a bit.
7. Bake at 350°F. About 12 minutes for thinner cookies, 14 for thicker ones. Let cool on a rack before devouring.

💡 Tips and Variations

• Want that “real cookie” chew? Brown your butter first—cook it over low heat until golden and nutty, then let it cool slightly before mixing. It adds a caramelized flavor that plays perfectly with pumpkin.
• Mini version for toddlers: Scoop half-size portions and bake for 10–11 minutes. Softer, smaller, and easier to hold.
• Make-ahead magic: The dough keeps in the fridge for a full day or freezes beautifully for up to two months.
• Add-ins: Try white chocolate chips, chopped pecans, or a sprinkle of flaky sea salt for contrast.
• Breakfast cookie hack: Skip half the chocolate, add rolled oats—instant justification for eating cookies at 8 a.m.

🍂 Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

Soft without being mushy. Sweet without being sugary. Kid-friendly but not childish. These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are the perfect middle ground between “fall treat” and “snack that disappears before the coffee’s done brewing.”