Name: Gluten Free Pumpkin Cookies
Prep time: 8 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 23 min
Yield: 30
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin; 3/4 cup vegan granulated sugar; 1/2 cup dairy free butter, melted; 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract; 2 tablespoons fresh ground flax seed; 2 1/2 cups gluten free all purpose flour; 3 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice; 1 tablespoon baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon salt; 8-10 ounces mini vegan chocolate chips

The vegan gluten free pumpkin cookies are here! Warmly spiced and perfectly chewy, these soft cookies are a fall favorite!

recipe originally published November 17, 2013

PUMPKIN COOKIES TABLE OF CONTENTS

Gluten free pumpkin cookies

My cookie cravings change like the weather on a Portland fall day (today we have seen bright sun, torrential rain, and an unusual funnel cloud / tornado).

While I often crave a crisp, crunchy cookie, there are certain cookies that need to be soft. and not just soft, but cakey too. These chewy vegan gluten free pumpkin cookies are the perfect soft cookie with a wonderful cakey crumb.

I will even say you'd be surprised to hear these pumpkin cookies are gluten free, really. They are a perfect match to their classic soft pumpkin cookie. (see also: our best gluten free baking tips.)

This vegan pumpkin cookie recipe is based on my pumpkin whoopie pie from college.

How to make cakey cookies

A cakey result is what you want with this gluten free pumpkin cookie. To make a cakey cookie, I add more flour than a cookie recipe usually asks for - about a half cup more for these pumpkin cookies.

I also add a bit more baking powder than normal. Just be careful here, too much baking powder or soda can leave a bitter chemical taste.

While mixing the wet ingredients, I really whip it with a whisk for a good couple few minutes. Adding air helps achieve a fluffy cakey cookie.

One bowl cookie recipe

Gather your ingredients, turn on the oven to preheat.

Grab a spatula, a whisk, and one large mixing bowl - this recipe is as easy as it gets.

Start with the wet ingredients - cream together the pumpkin puree, sugar, melted butter and vanilla. Whisk, whisk, whisk.

Flax is the egg replacement to make this a vegan Pumpkin Cookie recipe - add that in and whisk again.

Here's why you only need one bowl: you add the flour to the top of the wet ingredients, but do not mix in. Add the remaining dry ingredients - baking soda, powder, salt, pumpkin spice... mix those into the flour, then fold the flour into the pumpkin mixture.

Add the chocolate chips and you are ready to scoop and roll the cookie dough:

Should I freeze cookie dough or cookies?

We freeze cookie dough all the time, and it is what I prefer. Then you can fill your kitchen with the warming spice aroma of fresh baked cookies, and, you have fresh baked cookies. The method could not be easier - scoop cookie dough as per the cooking instructions, placing the cookie dough rounds onto parchment lined sheets. Freeze, then transfer the frozen cookie doughs into a freezer baggie or other freezer safe container. Remove as few or as many as you need, and bake!

How to bake frozen cookie dough - defrost first?

You do not need to defrost the cookie dough before baking. This is how I always bake frozen cookie dough:

Line a baking sheet with parchment
Remove the cookie doughs from freezer
Arrange cookies on parchment, at least one inch apart
Preheat oven as per original recipe instructions
Place cookies in preheated oven
Set timer for 3-4 minutes more than original recipe

How to store gluten free pumpkin cookies

Because I know so many people who love these cookies, we often make a double batch. I have wrapped individual cookies to freeze - they make fantastic treats later on. You can arrange a single layer of Pumpkin Cookies on a parchment lined baking sheet, freeze, then transfer to a freezer proof container once frozen.

We usually just stack them (with parchment between so the cookies don't stick together) in an airtight container and keep them in the fridge. They don't last too long around here... and they WILL stick together - I once put two of these cookies in a baggie to take to a friend, and when I took them out of my handbag, they were one big round cookie. or cake. It was a delicious new thing altogether.

More gluten free vegan cookie recipes

Classic New York Black and White: Look To The Cookie! if you are a New Yorker, you knew about these gems way before Seinfeld told us about them...
Vegan Twix: yes, definitely a cookie! caramel coated shortbread dipped in chocolate? what could be better than this? (vegan AND gluten free!)
Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake Cookies: one of the most popular on the blog! these infuse the best summery flavors into a tasty cookie you will want again and again.
Vanilla Crescent Cookies: this buttery soft wedding style cookie is a must at my holiday table - once I taste these, the holidays are here.
Flourless Chocolate Chip Cookies: another super popular cookie that everyone loves! a grain free goodie that's gluten free and vegan.
Soft Frosted Sugar Cookies: a gluten free vegan Lofthouse cookie! the nostalgic flavor and texture of the favorite childhood cookie can be yours again!

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Yield: 30

Gluten Free Pumpkin Cookies

Soft and chewy, these pumpkin cookies are a warmly spiced taste of fall, all year long.

Prep Time 8 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 23 minutes

Ingredients

1 (15 ounce) can pumpkin
¾ cup vegan granulated sugar
½ cup dairy free butter, melted
2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
2 tablespoons fresh ground flax seed
2 ½ cups gluten free all purpose flour
3 tablespoons pumpkin pie spice
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon salt
8-10 ounces mini vegan chocolate chips

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350 °F. Line baking sheets with parchment.
In a large mixing bowl, combine pumpkin, sugar, melted butter and vanilla. Stir until smooth.
Add ground flax and whisk vigorously, about 2 minutes.
Add the flour to the top of the pumpkin mixture - do not mix! Add the rest of the dry ingredients to the top of the flour: pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, soda, and salt. Mix these ingredients into the flour before then folding the dry into the wet ingredients. Stir to combine.
Add chocolate chips, stirring to combine completely.
Using a tablespoon, scoop a golf ball size amount of pumpkin cookie dough. Roll in your hands to a smooth ball, then flatten slightly.
Place pumpkin cookies about one inch apart on the parchment lined cookie sheet. Bake cookies in a 350 °F oven for 13-15 minutes.
Remove pumpkin cookies from oven, transfer to a cooling rack. Store covered in refrigerator.

Notes

pumpkin cookies are dairy, egg, and gluten free, vegan

about Kristina:

Kristina is spabettie! She found cooking at an early age, and created spabettie in 2010 to share vegan recipes. Kristina turned her culinary training into sharing vibrant vegan food! Read more...

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