Pumpkin Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies have a lot going on in the best way! They are soft and chewy, with pumpkin, chocolate chips, and little bits of toffee in every bite. The toffee gets a little crispy around the edges, and I love the extra crunch it adds to these cookies.
These are just the kind of cookies I want to bake in the Fall (or anytime, for that matter)! If you love pumpkin and chocolate together, try my Browned Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies next. And if you are ready for more pumpkin baking, check out my Fall Recipes to Bake in October.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Butter: Use unsalted butter, melted and cooled before mixing. If using salted butter, reduce or omit the salt in the dough.
- Pumpkin: Use pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. Start with â…” cup, then squeeze out excess liquid until about â…“ cup remains. Bring to room temperature before adding.
- Sugars: Granulated sugar and packed light brown sugar add sweetness and help keep the cookies chewy. Dark brown sugar can also be used.
- Egg yolks and vanilla: Egg yolks add richness and help keep the cookies soft and chewy without the extra moisture from egg whites. Use room-temperature yolks for smoother dough. Vanilla adds a little extra flavor.
- Dry ingredients: All-purpose flour, pumpkin pie spice, and baking soda make up the base. Homemade pumpkin pie spice can be used in place of store-bought.
- Sea salt: Sea salt balances the sweetness. If you don’t have sea salt, use ¼ teaspoon table salt instead. An extra sprinkle over the warm cookies is optional.
- Chocolate: Use semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped chocolate. Milk or dark chocolate can also be used. Reserve some for topping the cookies.
- Heath toffee bits: These add buttery crunch throughout the cookies. If you don’t have Heath bits, chopped toffee can be used.
Tips for the Best Pumpkin Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Squeeze the pumpkin well: Removing the excess liquid is important for the right cookie texture.
- Cool the butter: Make sure the melted butter has cooled before mixing it with the eggs.
- Don’t overmix: Once the flour is added, mix just until everything comes together.
- Leave room to spread: These are large cookies, so give each one plenty of space on the baking sheet.
- Save some chocolate for the tops: Pressing a few extra chocolate chips or chunks into the cookies before baking makes them look even better.
- Watch the baking time: Take the cookies out when the edges are golden, and the centers still look soft. They will continue to set as they cool.
FAQs
Why do I need to squeeze the liquid out of the pumpkin?
Pumpkin has a lot of moisture, and too much can make the cookies cakey or cause them to spread differently. Squeezing out the excess liquid helps give these cookies their soft, chewy texture.
Can I use pumpkin pie filling instead of pure pumpkin?
No. Pumpkin pie filling has added sugar and spices that will change the flavor and texture of the cookies. Use pure pumpkin.
Can I add nuts or other mix-ins?
Absolutely! Chopped pecans or walnuts would be delicious with the pumpkin, chocolate, and toffee. You could also add white chocolate chips, butterscotch chips, or chopped pretzels. Keep the total amount of added mix-ins close to 1 ½ cups so the dough is not overloaded.
Can I use a different kind of chocolate?
Yes! Milk chocolate, dark chocolate, chocolate chunks, or another type of chocolate chip can be used. You can also mix and match chocolates.
Can I use kosher or table salt instead of sea salt?
Yes. You can use ¼ teaspoon of table salt instead of the ½ teaspoon of sea salt. For kosher salt, the amount can vary by brand, so check the package or use about ½ teaspoon of a typical coarse kosher salt.
How do I know when pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are done?
The edges should be golden, while the centers should still look soft. The cookies will continue to set as they cool on the baking sheet, so there is no need to wait for the centers to look completely firm in the oven.
How do I keep pumpkin chocolate chip cookies soft and chewy?
Be careful not to overbake them. Squeezing the excess liquid from the pumpkin and taking the cookies out when the edges are golden and the centers are still soft will help keep them chewy.
How To Store Pumpkin Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
Room Temperature: Let the cookies cool completely before storing. Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Freezer: Once completely cooled, place the cookies in a freezer-safe container or bag, separating layers with parchment paper. Freeze for up to 3 months. Let them thaw at room temperature before serving.
Pumpkin Toffee Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup (2 sticks / 227 g) unsalted butter, melted, cooled
- â…” cup pure pumpkin, excess liquid squeezed out (about â…“ cup pumpkin remaining), room temperature
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large egg yolks, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 â…” cups + 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt, plus more for sprinkling, optional
- ¾ cup (136 g) semi-sweet chocolate chips or chunks, divided
- ¾ cup (120 g) Heath toffee bits
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, whisk the cooled melted butter and both sugars for 1 minute, or until the mixture looks like wet sand.
- Whisk in the egg yolks, vanilla, and drained pumpkin until combined.
- Add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and sea salt. Fold until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Fold in most of the chocolate chips and all of the toffee bits, reserving about ¼ cup of the chocolate for the tops.
- Using a 4-tablespoon scoop, scoop the dough into 12 balls and place them about 3 inches apart on the prepared baking sheets. Press a few shallow indentations into the tops, then add the reserved chocolate.
- Bake for 8 to 13 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the centers still look slightly underbaked.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. If desired, sprinkle with a little sea salt while the cookies are still warm.
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