Ingredients
Equipment
Method
Prep and bake
- Preheat the oven to 375°F and line baking sheets with parchment or a silicone mat, with a clear, ready-to-bake setup.
- Blot the pumpkin puree dry so it looks less wet and more scoopable.
- Beat the softened butter and both sugars until light and fluffy, with the mixture noticeably paler in color.
- Add the blotted pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla and mix until smooth and incorporated.
- Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt, until evenly speckled.
- Fold in the whisked dry ingredients just until no dry streaks remain.
- Fold in the semi-sweet chocolate chips until evenly distributed, with visible pockets throughout the dough.
- Scoop the dough into 2-tablespoon rounds and space them on the prepared baking sheets.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes at 375°F until the cookies are golden at the edges and still look slightly soft in the center—do not overbake.
- Sprinkle flaky sea salt immediately after baking while the tops are hot, so it sticks and sparkles.
Notes
For the best soft texture, do not overbake—pull the cookies when edges are golden and centers still look slightly underdone. Store airtight at room temperature for up to 3 days; freeze baked cookies up to 2 months. Dietary swap: use a gluten-free 1:1 all-purpose flour blend in the same amount if you want a gluten-free version (choose one that includes xanthan gum).