Start by preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line your baking sheets with parchment paper it saves cleanup and helps keep the cookies from sticking.

In a large bowl, cream together the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. This step sets the tone for the whole recipe, so don’t rush it. Then add the pumpkin puree, egg, and vanilla. Mix until smooth and well combined.

In another bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt. The spices are what really give these cookies their warm, autumnal flavor.

Gradually stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Be gentle here overmixing can make your cookies tough. Once combined, fold in the chocolate chips.

Use a spoon or cookie scoop to drop spoonfuls of dough onto your prepared baking sheets, leaving about 2 inches between each cookie. These cookies puff up as they bake, so give them room to spread a little.

Bake for 10–12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Don’t panic if the centers look a little soft they’ll firm up as they cool.

Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for about 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack. This helps them finish setting without falling apart.