These 3 ingredient pumpkin chocolate chip cookies start with one box of spice cake mix, one can of pumpkin puree, and one egg. Stir in chocolate chips, scoop, and bake at 350°F for 12 to 15 minutes. They come out soft and cakey, and nobody ever guesses how easy they are.
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The Best 3 Ingredient Pumpkin Cookies
In our family, fall isn’t complete without a batch of these pumpkin cookies. I bake them with my granddaughters every year. After all, a visit to Grandma’s means sweet treats, doesn’t it?
And honestly, how can I say no to this sweet face?
I keep these ingredients in the pantry all season. That way I can bake a batch for a last-minute gathering or a cozy afternoon with coffee. This recipe has become a go-to in our home, and I think it will be in yours, too.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Only three ingredients: Cake mix, pumpkin puree, and one egg. No long shopping list.
- Soft and cake-like: They bake up light and moist with cozy pumpkin spice flavor.
- Ready in 25 minutes: About 10 minutes to mix and scoop, then 15 in the oven.
- Easy to change up: Chocolate chips, nuts, frosting, or cinnamon sugar all work.
What You Need for 3 Ingredient Pumpkin Cookies
The cookie itself takes three ingredients. Chocolate chips are the optional fourth. In our house, they are not really optional.
- 1 box spice cake mix (15.25 oz)
- 1 can pumpkin puree (15 oz), If you grow your own, here is how I cook with Cinderella pumpkins.
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup chocolate chips (optional)
Ingredient Notes
Spice cake mix: This is the shortcut. One box gives you the flour, sugar, leavening, and warm spices.
Pumpkin puree: Use plain canned pumpkin. Do not use pumpkin pie filling. It already has sugar and spices, so the cookies turn out too sweet and too wet.
Egg: It helps the cookies hold their shape and gives them a tender bite.
Chocolate chips: Semi-sweet is our favorite.
Tip from wendy’s kitchen:
Can’t find spice cake mix? Use a yellow or white cake mix and add 1 to 2 generous teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice.
Equipment Needed
How to Make 3 Ingredient Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Step 1: Preheat the Oven
Heat the oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
Step 2: Mix the Dough
Add the cake mix, pumpkin puree, and egg to a large bowl. Mix with a hand mixer or stand mixer until smooth, with no dry streaks. The dough will be thick and sticky, more like a stiff batter than cookie dough. That is normal.
Step 3: Fold in the Chocolate Chips
Stir the chips in by hand with a spatula so they don’t break up. Add nuts or other mix-ins now, too.
Step 4: Scoop onto the Pan
Use a medium cookie scoop or a tablespoon. Leave about 2 inches between cookies. They don’t spread much, so they keep the shape you scoop.
Step 5: Bake
Bake for 12 to 15 minutes. They are done when the edges turn golden brown and a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
Step 6: Cool
Move the cookies to a wire rack to cool. Or eat one warm right off the tray, which is honestly the best way if you ask me.
Tip from wendy’s kitchen:
Don’t pull these out early. Underbaked pumpkin cookies turn gummy as they cool. Wait for golden edges and a clean toothpick.
Tips for Soft Pumpkin Cake Mix Cookies
- Use a cookie scoop. The dough is sticky. A scoop keeps every cookie the same size so they bake evenly.
- Bake one sheet at a time. The heat stays even, so the centers cook through.
- Cool the pan between batches. A warm pan starts melting the dough before it reaches the oven.
- Want a flatter cookie? Press each mound down gently with the back of a spoon before baking.
- Make them bakery-pretty. Press a few extra chocolate chips into the tops right before they go in the oven.
Easy Pumpkin Cookie Variations
I love these cookies because they are so versatile. Leave them plain or dress them up.
- Double chocolate: Add white chocolate chips along with the semi-sweet. Chocolate chunks or dark chocolate chips work, too.
- Nutty pumpkin cookies: Stir in chopped pecans or walnuts for crunch.
- Cream cheese frosted: Beat cream cheese, butter, powdered sugar, and vanilla. Spread it on the cooled cookies.
- Pumpkin whoopie pies: Sandwich cream cheese frosting or marshmallow filling between two cookies.
- Pumpkin snickerdoodles: Drop each scoop of dough into cinnamon sugar and roll to coat before baking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Many bakers make them with just cake mix and pumpkin, which turns them into 2 ingredient pumpkin cookies. Without the egg, they bake up denser and a little more fudgy.
Not with this recipe. The cake mix supplies the flour, sugar, leavening, and spices in one step. A from-scratch pumpkin cookie needs each of those added separately, so it becomes a longer recipe.
Yes. Use about 1 3/4 cups, which equals one 15 ounce can. Homemade puree is often wetter than canned, so let it drain in a fine mesh strainer for 20 to 30 minutes first
Yes. Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for up to 24 hours. Cold dough is easier to scoop. Add a minute or two to the bake time.
Yes. Swap in a gluten free cake mix and the recipe works the same way. Just check that the box is labeled gluten free.
Let them cool completely, then place them in an airtight container. They stay fresh on the counter for about three days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Absolutely. Freeze them in a single layer on a baking sheet, then move them to a freezer bag or container. They keep for up to two months. Thaw at room temperature.
Not exactly. They have a soft, cake-like texture and cozy pumpkin spice flavor. Think of them as a cross between a pumpkin muffin and a cookie.
More Fall Dessert Recipes You’ll Love
Try these delicious No bake pumpkin cheesecake bars.
15 Easy Canned Pumpkin Recipes that you can make on the fly.
Closing Thoughts
These pumpkin cookies prove a great fall treat doesn’t have to be complicated. One bowl, three ingredients, and a handful of chocolate chips is all it takes.
Bake a batch this weekend and tell me how they turn out in the comments. If you make them, please leave a star rating on the recipe card. It helps other bakers find the recipe.
Happy baking!
Print the Recipe: 3 Ingredient Pumpkin Cookies
3 Ingredient Pumpkin Cookies with Chocolate Chips
Equipment
- Cookie Sheet
- 1 Parchment Paper
- 1 Large mixing bowl
- 1 Hand mixer or stand mixer
- 1 Wire rack for cooling
- 1 Air-tight container for freezing only
- 1 Cookie scoop
Ingredients
- 1 box 15.25 oz spice cake mix
- 1 can 15 oz pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the cake mix, pumpkin puree, and egg to a large bowl. Mix until smooth, with no dry streaks.
- Fold in the chocolate chips by hand, if using.
- Scoop the dough with a medium cookie scoop onto the prepared sheet, 2 inches apart.
- Bake 12 to 15 minutes, until the edges are golden brown and a toothpick in the center comes out clean.
- Cool on a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Notes
- Do not use pumpkin pie filling.
- No spice cake mix? Use yellow or white cake mix plus 1 to 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice.
- Do not underbake. The centers turn gummy as they cool.
More about me!
Hello, I’m Wendy – a dedicated homemaker with a deep passion for decorating, gardening, cooking, and crafting. I find joy in harmonizing beautiful elements to fashion a space that is both comfortable and inspiring. I will help you create a beautiful home, one project at a time.
These look good.
I guess the pumpkin gets mixed in the same time as the eggs?
Hi Jan, yes, all the wet ingredients are mixed together first and then mixed with the flour mixture.
Wendy these look amazing! I can’t believe they are only 3 ingredients! I need to try them
They are delicious!
So easy and they look very yummy! Sharing this weekend!
yummy, chocolate and pumpkin together!
Thank you, Debra, they are delicious!
I just love a good cookie and these look delicious Wendy!
You will love it! it is the best.
Wendy, these cookies look delicious! I can’t believe they’e only 3 ingredients!
Thank you, Elizabeth. Yes, that is all it takes are three simple ingredients.
I love three-ingredient recipes! I also want to sit on the kitchen counter and eat cookies! They look so good!
If you come to my house, I will let you sit on the counter and eat cookies all day long!