Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

I made my first batch of these pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip cookies way back in 2011. I found a recipe online and used it as the starting point for what would eventually become the soft, chewy, completely addictive cookies you see today.

They’ve been a family favorite ever since, and I’ve made them approximately six million times. Whenever I tell my husband I’m baking a batch, he responds with some nerdy/adorable version of “You’re the best!” or “You really do love me!” Since they’re his favorite, one batch lasts approximately half a second before they’re completely gone, so I’ve had to cut back on how often I make them. It’s the grown-up thing to do.

Ingredients and Substitutions

Below are notes and easy substitution options to help you customize the recipe as needed.

• Butter: Use whatever butter you have on hand; unsalted or salted both work, just adjust salt if needed. Let it soften to room temperature before mixing.
• Sugar: A combination of granulated sugar + brown sugar adds sweetness while helping create a soft, chewy texture. Brown sugar also adds a subtle caramel-like flavor.
• Eggs: For best results, bring the eggs to room temperature.
• Vanilla: Use pure vanilla extract to round out the pumpkin and warm spices.
• All-purpose flour: Provides structure while keeping the cookies soft and tender.
• Whole wheat flour: Adds a slightly nutty flavor and makes these cookies a little heartier. If needed, you can replace it with an equal amount of all-purpose flour.
• Rolled oats: Use old-fashioned rolled oats, not instant oats or quick-cooking oats. Old-fashioned oats hold their shape better during baking and give the cookies their signature chewy, hearty texture.
• Baking soda: Acts as the leavening agent, helping the cookies spread properly and achieve a light, soft texture. Make sure it is fresh for the best rise.
• Spices: Cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice add classic warm fall flavor. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, you can substitute a similar blend of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
• Pumpkin puree: Use 100% pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, which already contains added sugar and spices. Homemade pumpkin puree will also work, but drain it first if it is especially watery.
• Chocolate chips: Semi-sweet chocolate chips balance the sweetness of the cookies nicely. Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, mini chocolate chips, or chocolate chunks can also be used.
• Toasted flax seeds: Add a subtle nutty flavor and a little extra texture. Toasting them brings out their flavor, but they can be omitted if you don’t have any on hand.

How to Make Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies Cookies

One of the many reasons why I love these cookies is that they are so easy to make!

1. Preheat your oven. I’ve baked these cookies at both 350 degrees F and 375 degrees F. Baking them at 375 degrees F gets them done just a little faster, so that’s what I recommend. You’ll also want to line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper. I always use parchment paper when I bake because I’m lazy, and it makes cleanup a whole lot easier.
2. Cream together the butter and sugars. Grab a large mixing bowl and beat the butter and sugars until light and fluffy. You will need room-temperature butter; otherwise, it won’t mix properly. I recommend stopping the hand mixer at least once or twice to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
3. Add the eggs one at a time. With the hand mixer going, add one egg and mix until combined, then add the next egg, mix again, and finally add the last egg. Beat in the vanilla.

4. Mix together the dry ingredients. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, whole wheat flour, rolled oats, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice. You can use a fork or a whisk, but definitely do not use the hand mixer.

5. Bring everything together. Right now, we have the fluffy butter mixture, the dry ingredients, and the pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling). Using a wooden spoon or rubber spatula, alternate adding the dry ingredients and pumpkin puree to the butter mixture, mixing between each addition. Translation: add 1/3 of the dry ingredients, followed by half of the pumpkin puree, another 1/3 of the dry ingredients, the remaining pumpkin puree, and finally the last 1/3 of the dry ingredients. Mix between each addition.
6. Add the chocolate chips and flax seeds. Gently stir them into the cookie dough until evenly distributed.
7. Scoop the cookies. Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to drop large spoonfuls of cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets.
8. Bake. Bake for approximately 10-14 minutes. Remember, altitude and individual ovens can affect baking time. Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire cooling rack or sheet of parchment paper to cool completely.

Tips and Tricks

Having made these pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip cookies more times than I can count, I’ve learned a thing or two about them. At least, that’s what I tell myself. So, here are a few tips, tricks, and things to know about these delicious little bites of pumpkin-chocolate chewy goodness.

• These are not crispy cookies. They’re soft, chewy, and, yes, a little more cake-like. That’s exactly how they’re supposed to be.
• The dough will be soft and sticky. This isn’t the same type of dough you’d get with a classic chocolate chip cookie, so don’t worry if it feels softer than expected.
• Flatten the tops slightly before baking. These cookies don’t spread much in the oven (remember: soft, chewy, cake-like cookies). I love using a cookie scoop to portion the dough, but I recommend using the back of a spoon to gently flatten the tops so you don’t end up with cookie-scoop-shaped balls.
• Don’t overbake them. The cookies should be set around the edges but still soft when you remove them from the oven. They’ll continue to set as they cool on the baking sheet.
• Add a few extra chocolate chips after baking. As soon as the cookies come out of the oven, I highly recommend gently pressing 5-6 additional chocolate chips into the top of each one. It makes them look a little prettier. Plus, more chocolate never hurt anyone.
• Try them warm and cold. My husband prefers these cookies warm, when the chocolate chips are soft and melty, but I actually love them cold straight from the refrigerator. Try them both ways and see which team you’re on.

Most importantly, don’t skip the flaxseeds. I mean, you can, but they’re a pretty important part of this recipe flavor wise. Be sure to use whole flaxseeds, not ground flaxseed. Golden roasted flaxseeds are especially irresistible (Trader Joe’s used to sell them, but they discontinued them a while back so I now purchase these from amazon).

More Delicious Pumpkin Recipes

Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins

Healthy Pumpkin Muffins

Easy Pumpkin Spice Cookies Recipe

Pumpkin Protein Muffins

And if you try making these pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, I would love to hear what you think! Please leave a comment and a star rating below. Your feedback helps other readers discover and enjoy this recipe too. Thank you so much! 💛