The pumpkin and chocolate cookies are truly delicious autumn desserts. These delicious pumpkin treats have a soft texture and a slightly spiced flavor, vaguely reminiscent of Apulian sasanelli. They are made with pumpkin pulp and plenty of dark chocolate chunks, flavored with cinnamon and orange zest. If you love autumn flavors and aromas, you absolutely have to try them, along with these other pumpkin cookies I recently made.
Making them is very simple: you don’t need any sophisticated kitchen tools. You will only need a bowl, a spoon or spatula, and a scale. You won’t need to roll out the dough or use a cookie cutter, just place small amounts of the mixture on the baking sheet. They are really quick to prepare and stay soft for several days.
The recipe calls for steaming the pumpkin. However, you can also bake the pumpkin or use an air fryer. I don’t recommend boiling, as the pumpkin would absorb too much water and the cookies would become too soft.
Let’s prepare these delicious pumpkin and chocolate cookies together, but first, I’ll leave you with some links to other simple cookies. At the end of the recipe, you’ll also find the method for making Bimby pumpkin and chocolate cookies.
- Difficulty: Very easy
- Cost: Very economical
- Preparation time: 15 Minutes
- Portions: 16 Pieces
- Cooking methods: Steam cooking, Oven
- Cuisine: Italian
- Seasonality: Autumn, Winter
- Energy 116.65 (Kcal)
- Carbohydrates 15.73 (g) of which sugars 6.96 (g)
- Proteins 2.33 (g)
- Fat 5.36 (g) of which saturated 3.29 (g)of which unsaturated 1.87 (g)
- Fibers 1.37 (g)
- Sodium 176.60 (mg)
Indicative values for a portion of 33 g processed in an automated way starting from the nutritional information available on the CREA* and FoodData Central** databases. It is not food and / or nutritional advice.
* CREATES Food and Nutrition Research Center: https://www.crea.gov.it/alimenti-e-nutrizione https://www.alimentinutrizione.it ** U.S. Department of Agriculture, Agricultural Research Service. FoodData Central, 2019. https://fdc.nal.usda.gov
Ingredients for pumpkin and chocolate cookies
- 1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 4 1/4 oz pumpkin (raw weight, peeled)
- 1 egg
- 3 1/4 oz dark chocolate (or chocolate chips)
- 3 tbsp butter (or room temperature margarine or 2 tbsp of vegetable oil)
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- as needed orange zest (or 1/2 vial of orange aroma)
Tools
- Steamer basket
- Bowl
- Cutting board
- Knife
- Spatula
- Kitchen scale
Steps to prepare pumpkin and chocolate cookies
Let’s prepare the pumpkin and chocolate cookies together. Scrolling through the recipe, you will also find the procedure for making Bimby pumpkin and chocolate cookies.
Peel the pumpkin, cut it into pieces, and steam it. I used a pot with a little water and a steamer basket. Cook for about 20-25 minutes until soft.
Meanwhile, chop the dark chocolate with a knife. Do not chop it too finely: this way, you will find chocolate pieces in the cookie.
Once cooked, transfer the pumpkin to a bowl. Add the grated orange peel or half a vial of orange aroma. Mash with a fork to turn the pumpkin into a puree. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, mix the dry ingredients. First, add the flour, then the half teaspoon of baking powder and half teaspoon of baking soda.
Add half a teaspoon of cinnamon. Mix with a spatula.
Also add the soft butter and integrate it with the dry ingredients using a spatula.
You should obtain a crumbly mixture.
Add the sugar and mix again.
At this point, pour the dry ingredients into the first bowl containing the pumpkin puree.
Add the chocolate chunks
and finally, the egg.
Mix all the ingredients. You should obtain a fairly soft and runny mixture.
Use a spoon to take small amounts of the mixture and place them on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. Space the mounds well apart as they tend to spread a bit during baking.
Bake in a preheated static oven at 375°F for 10-11 minutes. After this time, take them out of the oven and let them cool.
Pumpkin and chocolate cookies are very soft when hot. Wait for them to cool before removing them from the tray.
If you want to make pumpkin and chocolate cookies with Bimby, here is the procedure.
Peel the pumpkin, cut it into pieces, and place it in the Varoma tray. Put some water in the bowl and cook for 25 minutes Varoma temp. Once cooked, let the pumpkin cool. Remove the water from the bowl and dry it well.
Add the grated orange peel with half a teaspoon of cinnamon and sugar: 10 sec. speed 10. Bring down with a spatula.
Add the cooked pumpkin: 20 sec. speed 7. Bring down again.
Add all other ingredients except the chocolate: 40 sec. speed 5.
Separately, coarsely chop the chocolate with a knife. Add the chocolate to the bowl and mix: 30 sec. Reverse speed Soft.
Place small mounds of the mixture on a baking sheet with parchment paper. Space them apart as they will spread a bit during baking. Bake in a preheated static oven at 375°F for 10-11 minutes. Once ready, take them out of the oven and let them cool.
Storage and Variations
– Pumpkin and chocolate cookies keep for 3-4 days in a well-sealed container.
– They can be frozen: once cold, place them in food bags and put them in the freezer. To prevent them from sticking together, you can place a piece of parchment paper between each cookie.
– The amount of cinnamon is indicative. You can add more, less, or omit it according to your taste.
– You can replace the orange peel with vanilla or lemon peel. If you don’t have oranges or lemons, you can use aroma vials (although it’s not quite the same).
FAQ (Questions and Answers)
Can the butter be replaced?
Yes, you can use lactose-free butter, margarine, or about 2 tbsp of vegetable oil. You can also use olive oil, but choose an oil with a mild flavor.
Can raw pumpkin be used?
Not in this recipe, as it would release water into the dough and the cookies would become too soft.
What type of pumpkin is best for pumpkin cookies?
It’s best to use Delica or butternut squash, which have firm flesh and are not too watery.
