Calling all pumpkin spice latte lovers! I have your new obsession: chewy pumpkin spice latte cookies overloading with warm spice, a hint of deep espresso, and these fun, custom-made white chocolate shards (I promise it’s not as extra as it sounds).
This cookie captures the whole pumpkin spice latte experience, but in a cookie!! These cookies are delicious, they’re wonderfully chewy, they have those crinkly edges that I look for in a good cookie, and they are absolutely on point with that PSL flavour.
The real star here is the homemade white chocolate. Instead of just tossing in plain chips, I’ve infused the white chocolate itself with both espresso and pumpkin spice!! It makes a HUGE difference. Every bite gives you a combo of sweet, spicy, and coffee notes all at once. If you’re a pumpkin spice latte devotee, this is THE recipe you need in your life. :)
Let’s Talk About Those Homemade Chocolate Chunks
Tbh, I could have just thrown some store-bought white chocolate chips into these pumpkin spice latte cookie but what’s the fun in that?! For a truly special experience, I knew we needed something more. Something that screams ‘pumpkin spice latte‘ from the first bite. That’s where these custom white chocolate shards come in. You get two flavours swirling through the cookies. They melt into these beautiful puddles that are just so perfect.
Using homemade white chocolate shards also gives you that rough, uneven texture you just don’t get with uniform chips. Those craggy edges are what give you those beautiful molten pools of chocolate in the baked cookies.
Making the homemade chocolate shards is probably the most ‘involved’ part of the process, but it’s still so easy. You’ll melt down some good quality white chocolate (wafers are your friend here, they melt so smoothly). Then, you divide it and stir instant espresso powder into one half, and pumpkin pie spice into the other.
A quick note about the espresso: don’t stress if it doesn’t completely dissolve into the melted chocolate. Instant coffee powder (or espresso powder) is designed to dissolve in water, not fat. So, you might see tiny flecks, but that’s totally fine! It still provides all that delicious coffee flavour without any grainy texture in the final cookie. You’ll spread these two colourful chocolates side-by-side on parchment paper, then pop them in the freezer. A few minutes later, you’ve got solid slabs ready to be chopped into beautiful, uneven shards. You can even save a few of the prettier shards to press onto the tops of your cookies right before baking!
Ingredients
- High-quality white chocolate wafers or melting chocolate
- Instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder
- Pumpkin pie spice
- Unsalted butter
- Light brown sugar
- Granulated sugar
- Large egg yolk
- Vanilla extract
- Pumpkin puree
- All-purpose flour
- Baking soda
- Salt
*These are the main ingredients. The full list of ingredients and measurements can be found at the bottom of this post!*
Equipment
- Kitchen scale (I like to weigh out most of my ingredients for accuracy, I also think it’s more efficient when measuring things out over measuring cups!)
- Large and small mixing bowls
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula
- Cookie scoop (1.35 oz / 50 g)
- Large baking sheet
- Parchment paper
- Wire cooling rack
Baking these homemade pumpkin cookies is quick, around 10 minutes. You’re looking for edges that are set and lightly golden, a little wrinkled, but the centres should still look a bit soft and puffed. They’ll firm up as they cool, so pulling them out when they look just set in the middle is key to keeping them wonderfully chewy. If you bake them until they look completely firm, they’ll lose that wonderful soft interior.
For those lovely chocolate puddles on top, I always press a few extra white chocolate shards right into the tops of the dough balls before they go into the oven. It makes a big difference in how they look, and we eat with our eyes first afterall. :)
Tips for The Best Pumpkin Spice Latte Cookies
- Use good quality white chocolate: Since the homemade white chocolate shards are such a star here, don’t skimp on the chocolate. Wafers or a good melting chocolate will give you the smoothest melt and best flavour.
- Don’t overmix the dough: Once you add the dry ingredients, mix only until just combined. Overmixing develops too much gluten, which can lead to tougher cookies. We want tender and chewy!
- The espresso powder will not fully dissolve: As mentioned, instant espresso powder (or instant coffee powder) won’t completely melt into the fat of the white chocolate. That’s fine! You’ll still get the flavour without a gritty texture.
- Press extra shards on top: For those pretty chocolate puddles, press a few of your white chocolate chunks onto the tops of your dough balls right before baking.
- Don’t overbake: For chewy pumpkin cookies, pull them from the oven when the edges are set and golden, but the centres still look a little soft. They will continue to set as they cool on the hot baking sheet.
I am so ridiculously happy with how these chewy pumpkin spice latte cookies turned out. They are everything I wanted in a PSL cookie and then some. I really hope you make them! If you do, please tag @theflournook on socials or leave a review below to let me know how you liked your pumpkin spice latte cookies. You can also save this recipe for later using the pin button on the recipe card, the buttons around the post, or any of the photos.
Happy baking!
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Pumpkin Spice Latte Cookies
- Total Time: 45 mins
- Yield: 14 1x
Description
These chewy pumpkin spice latte cookies are full of warm spices and pumpkin puree, with HOMEMADE white chocolate shards infused with both espresso and pumpkin spice. These cookies are soft, chewy with beautiful chocolate pools and a delicious PSL flavour.
Ingredients
Homemade Espresso and Pumpkin Spice White Chocolate Chunks
- 1 1/4 cups (180 g) high-quality white chocolate wafers or melting chocolate
- 1 tsp (2 g) instant espresso powder or instant coffee powder
- 1/2 tsp (1 g) pumpkin pie spice
Cookie Dough
- 1/2 cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1/2 cup (110 g) light brown sugar, packed
- 1/2 cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- 1 large egg yolk
- 1 tsp (5 ml) vanilla extract
- 1/3 cup (80 ml) pumpkin puree
- 1 1/2 cups (180 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp (3 g) pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp (5 g) baking soda
- 1/2 tsp (3 g) salt
Instructions
Make the Custom Chocolate Shards
- Melt the white chocolate wafers over a double boiler (heat safe bowl over a boiling pot of water) OR in a microwave-safe bowl in 20-second bursts, stirring until smooth.
- Divide the melted white chocolate evenly into two separate small bowls.
- Stir the espresso powder into the first bowl. Depending on how hot your white chocolate is, this powder will likely not melt or dissolve in the chocolate. That’s okay! You’ll still taste the coffee flavour, there won’t be a granular texture.
- Stir the pumpkin pie spice into the second bowl.
- Line a small sheet pan with parchment paper. Pour both chocolates onto the pan side-by-side and spread them thin with a spatula.
- Place the pan in the freezer for 10–15 minutes until solid while you make the cookie dough.
- Chop or break the frozen chocolate into chunks. Keep the shards in the fridge or freezer until ready to use.
Mix the Cookie Dough
- Add the brown sugar and granulated sugar to the melted, cooled butter and whisk gently to blend.
- Whisk in the egg yolk and vanilla extract until smooth and glossy. Stir in the pumpkin puree.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to fold the mixture together until just combined.
- Gently fold in the chilled custom espresso and pumpkin spice white chocolate shards. Save some shards to top the cookie dough before baking.
- Cover the bowl and refrigerate the dough for 30 minutes.
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two large cookie sheets with parchment paper.
- Use a cookie scoop to divide the dough into 14 balls or weigh 50 g of dough for each ball. Roll the dough into smooth balls, place them 2 inches apart on the sheets, flatten the tops slightly and add the extra shards on the top of the ball.
- Bake for 10 minutes. The edges should be set, golden and wrinkled, with the centres puffed and slightly cracked.
- Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Instant coffee powder won’t dissolve in fat, so it’s best mixed directly into the melted white chocolate for the shards.
- White chocolate melts quickly. For visible chocolate puddles on top, press a few shards into the cookie dough balls right before they go into the oven.
- Prep Time: 35 mins
- Cook Time: 10 mins
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Baking
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