Celebrate fall with the best small pumpkin oatmeal cookies recipe. These irresistibly soft pumpkin-infused oatmeal cookies are studded with chocolate chips and cranberries. The cookies boast a delightful texture and are everything you crave in a comforting cookie!
Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
We must have a pumpkin cookie in our fall baking repertoire! We have a caramel apple oatmeal skillet cookie, pecan brown sugar cookies, and even double chocolate gluten free cookies.
This is not your ordinary pumpkin oatmeal cookie recipe though. These tasty fall cookies have the delicious addition of chocolate chips and cranberries. Which give the pumpkin cookies the best layers of flavor, and each mix-in complements the pumpkin beautifully.
Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin oatmeal Cookies
- Pumpkin is the primary flavor – We have a lot of delicious textures and flavors in the cookies, but the pumpkin really shines. Much like it does in the classic pumpkin spice whoopie pies and gluten free pumpkin whoopie pies.
- The cookies are soft and chewy – Just like a good oatmeal cookie should be!
- A generous amount of cozy spices – Pumpkin pie spice is needed in cookies, not just pumpkin pie!
- Loaded with chocolate and cranberries – They both offer texture, plus a little sweet and tart.
Everything You Need To Make pumpkin oatmeal cookies
Ingredients
- All Purpose Flour – I have only tested these cookies with traditional flour. You could try a 1:1 gluten free blend and let me know how they turn out!
- Rolled Oats – Also called Old-Fashioned oats. These are my go-to baking oats for treats like pumpkin spice latte overnight oats and citrus cream oatmeal tarts. They are the right size and texture for baking.
- Baking Soda – To give the cookies a little lift.
- Salt – Salt is key to balance and enhance all the flavors in the cookies.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice – All of the spices pair beautifully with pumpkin and what makes these cookies so tasty!
- Granulated Sugar – I like organic cane sugar because it is less processed and has a deep flavor. However, granulated white sugar will work great.
- Light Brown Sugar – The light brown sugar makes the cookies chewy and adds moisture.
- Egg Yolk – The yolk will contribute to the chew and texture of the pumpkin cookies.
- Pumpkin Puree – Pure pumpkin puree that comes in a can, and not pumpkin pie filling in the can.
- Melted Unsalted Butter – The melted will contribute to the chewiness of the cookie.
- Chocolate Chips – I use semi-sweet, but use whatever flavor you prefer.
- Dried Cranberries – The kind you eat by the handful!
Baking Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Baking Sheet with Parchment Paper
- Cookie Scoop
How to Make Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
This pumpkin oatmeal cookie recipe may be one of the easiest cookie recipes I have on the blog! There is no mixer required, and the cookie batter comes together super easy.
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees – And line a medium (half sheet) baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients – Because the dry ingredients go into the bowl with the wet ingredients, I usually use a smaller bowl for the dry.
- Mix together the wet ingredients – Use a fork, whisk or spatula to make sure everting is combined well.
- Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the wet – And gently fold until no dry streaks remain. Don’t overmix – we don’t want a tough cookie!
- Fold in the chocolate chips and cranberries – Just until combined.
- Scoop the cookies into equal portions onto the baking sheet – Leave about 2 inches between the pumpkin oatmeal cookies.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes – Or until the cookies are golden around the edges.
- Cool the cookies – On the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then on a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
Tips For Making chocolate chip pumpkin oatmeal cookies
- Use canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling – The latter has added ingredients we don’t want or need in the pumpkin cookies.
- The number of cookies you get will depend on how big you make your scoops – You can make more or less pumpkin cookies by making them smaller or larger. Larger cookies will need a little more time in the oven.
- Use a cookie scoop – I highly recommend investing in a few cookie scoops if you like to bake a lot of cookies. This will ensure equal size cookies – and it is less messy!
- Chill the dough – Because this cookie recipe is made with melted butter, you need to chill the dough. Otherwise, the cookies will probably bake into puddles.
- Add more chocolate chips and/or cranberries – For a pretty presentation, dot the cookie dough balls with a couple extra chocolate chips and cranberries before you bake them.
faq’s
I haven’t tested it, so I can’t say for sure. But if you do, let me know!
Certainly! White chocolate chips would be delicious in the pumpkin oatmeal cookies. Or even a few different nuts would be great!
Yes, since we use melted butter. Otherwise the pumpkin cookies may spread into little puddles. Chilling the dough also gives time for the dough to hydrate and flavors develop.
Of course! Check out my full collection of pumpkin recipes. Or for some of the most popular recipes on the blog, try the cinnamon swirl pumpkin bread or small batch gluten free pumpkin cupcakes.
You can make a batch of flourless chocolate cookies, or tasty marshmallow meringue for a cupcake frosting, or as a filling in chocolate cakes.
The pumpkin oatmeal cookies can be stored covered at room temperature for 3 to 5 days. Beyond that, and they will probably start to dry out.
To freeze the dough, I recommend scooping the dough into cookie balls. Wrap tightly in plastic wrap and place in a Ziploc bag. You can bake frozen and will have to adjust your bake time 2 to 5 minutes longer.
Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips
Ingredients
- ½ cup + 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- 5 tablespoons rolled oats
- ⅛ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup organic cane sugar (or granulated sugar)
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
- ¼ cup pure canned pumpkin
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- ⅓ cup chocolate chips
- 3 to 4 tablespoons dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F degrees and adjust the oven rack to the middle position. Line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
- In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt.½ cup + 1 tablespoon all purpose flour, 5 tablespoons rolled oats, ⅛ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice, ⅛ teaspoon salt
- In a medium mixing bowl, add both the sugars, pumpkin, egg yolk, and vanilla extract. Stir with to combine, t hen stir in the melted butter.¼ cup organic cane sugar, 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, ¼ cup pure canned pumpkin, 1 large egg yolk, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the wet and use a spatula to fold the batter until no dry streaks remain. Fold in the chocolate chips and dried cranberries until just combined.⅓ cup chocolate chips, 3 to 4 tablespoons dried cranberries
- Cover and refrigerate the cookie dough for 20 to 30 minutes.
- Scoop (a #40 cookie scoop works great) equal portions of the batter, and place the cookie balls on the baking sheet at least 2 inches apart. Note – The number of cookies you get will depend on how big your cookie scoops are.
- Bake for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges of the cookies are golden brown. Cool the cookies on the baking sheet set on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Then transfer the cookies to the wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
RECIPE NOTES
- Serving Size – The number of cookies will depend on how large you make your cookies. I use a medium #40 cookie scoop.
- Larger Cookies – If you choose to make larger cookies, you will need two lined baking sheets. I recommend baking one sheet at a time. Keep the cookie dough refrigerated until ready to bake the second batch.
- Pumpkin – Depending on the brand, canned pumpkin can have different names, but is the same thing: Pumpkin Puree, Pure Pumpkin, 100% Pumpkin, Organic Pure Pumpkin. Just be sure it is not Pumpkin Pie Filling.
- Leftover Pumpkin – You will have leftover pumpkin, regardless of the size can you use. Check out my other pumpkin recipes to make another batch of pumpkin treats!
- Storing Cookies – The cookies can be stored covered at room temperature for 3 to 5 days. Beyond that, and they may start to dry out.
- Freezing Cookies – You can freeze baked cookies for up to 3 months. Place in a tightly sealed Ziploc bag. Thaw at room temperature.
I had to bake them for over 20 min to get them firm enough. (Yes, my oven works. :). Interesting taste. I didn’t have cranberries, so I used walnuts. I would add more chocolate chips if I made it again.
Made these and even my extra picky teen son enjoyed them. Thank you for sharing the recipe! It’s nice to have a small batch so we can have fresh baked goodies and it’s a great, quick recipe for sharing with others.
Thank you Carla – So glad your family enjoyed the cookies!