These Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cookies are soft, chewy, and infused with sweet, warm flavors. Studded with rich chocolate chips, they’re a quick, easy, dairy-free, oil-free, and low in refined sugar for a better-for-you dessert even picky eaters love!
These pumpkin cookies came to me on a total whim. I was making my almond butter breakfast cookies the other week when I thought, “These would be amazing with pumpkin instead of banana.” And I was right—pumpkin brings that warm fall flavor and spice, plus a soft, and slightly cakey texture (just what you want in a pumpkin cookie).
With allergy-friendly swaps in mind, I tested this recipe more than a dozen times—so yes, my freezer is officially stocked with pumpkin cookies. I hope you love them as much as we do!
Lindsay’s Tips Before You Begin
- Canned pumpkin puree can vary by brand. Some varieties are thicker, others more watery. If your pumpkin looks runny, blot lightly with paper towels before adding it to the batter. This prevents an overly soft, cake-like texture.
- Consistency matters. Choose a drippy almond butter (the kind that pours easily but is not too oily. Thick or dry nut butters can make the cookie dough harder to mix and the cookies more dense.
- Use a flour blend. I like using a mix of gluten-free 1:1 flour with a little oat flour for structure and chew. Not all blends contain oat flour, and without it, the cookies turn out more cake-like. So, while you can use just a gluten-free blend, the texture of the cookies will be softer, almost like muffins.
- Skipping the Mix-ins. These cookies are great on their own without mix-ins. If you skip them, be sure to add the optional flax meal for extra hold.
- Chill the dough! Chilling the dough for at least 20 -30 minutes is key. It balances the extra moisture from pumpkin and maple syrup, lets the flours hydrate for better texture, and firms up the almond butter so the cookies bake up chewy instead of flat.
Ingredients and Notes
Please be sure to scroll down to the recipe card for the complete ingredients and instructions!
- Pumpkin Puree – Use plain pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling, which has added sugar and spices).
Note: Canned pumpkin varies by brand. If it looks watery, blot with paper towels before using to prevent overly soft, cakey cookies.
- Whole Egg – For best results, use a large egg at room temperature. I haven’t tested this gluten-free pumpkin cookie recipe with an egg substitute like flax eggs or chia eggs, and I can’t guarantee your results if you do. Since this recipe is so similar to our almond butter breakfast cookies (which include an egg substitute), it’s definitely worth trying!
- Almond Butter or Seed butter – Make sure to use a smooth, drippy almond butter! Sunflower seed butter, cashew butter, or peanut butter can be substituted for the almond butter, though the texture and flavor will be slightly different. Peanut butter gives the cookies a stronger peanut flavor that can overshadow the pumpkin, while sunflower seed butter tastes great but will make the cookies less orange in color.
- Sweetener – A mix of cane sugar and maple syrup makes the cookies chewy. Cane sugar alone gives a firmer bite, while maple syrup adds moisture similar to light brown sugar or dark brown sugar without the need for more refined sugar. If using maple syrup, be sure to chill the dough so it doesn’t spread too much.
- Gluten-Free Flour Blend – Use our homemade gluten-free flour or a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour and gluten-free oat flour for soft cookies that hold their shape.
Gluten-Free Flour Tips: If your gluten-free 1:1 flour blend already lists oat flour in the ingredients, use more gluten-free 1:1 flour, and skip the extra oat flour. See recipe card for details.
- Optional Flax Meal – This is optional, but it does make the cookies extra soft and chewy.
- Flavor Enhancers – Salt, vanilla extract, and pumpkin pie spice create the sweet, warm flavor we want in a pumpkin dessert. If you don’t have pumpkin spice, you can substitute ground cinnamon and ground nutmeg instead.
- Leavener – Use baking powder, NOT baking soda, to help the cookies rise in the oven. Make sure it’s fresh for the best results!
- Optional Mix-In – I like to use dairy-free dark chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips. However, chopped nuts and dried cranberries also taste great.
How to Make Healthy Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Before you begin, preheat your oven, and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Prep the ingredients. In a medium or large mixing bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients and sugar until smooth. In a separate bowl, whisk the dry ingredients—the flours, spices, salt, and baking powder—until well combined.
- Combine the dough. Working in batches, stir the dry flour mixture into the bowl of wet ingredients just until combined.
- Add the chocolate. Next, gently fold in the chocolate chips. I do this all by hand. There’s no need for an electric mixer!
Pro-Tip: Be careful not to overmix! The dough will be softer than typical drop cookies and will have a slightly sticky consistency.
- Chill. Cover the bowl, and chill the dough in the fridge. Don’t skip this step!
- Portion and bake. Use a medium cookie scoop to portion the dough, placing the cookie dough balls on the prepared baking sheet, leaving space between each ball of dough. Bake until the edges are set and the centers look just barely soft.
Note: If the cookies bake up too thick, gently press them down with your palm or the back of a spoon right after they come out of the oven.
- Cool. Let the cookies cool on the pan until they’re no longer soft to the touch. Then, enjoy, or transfer to wire racks to cool completely.
If you’re feeling fancy, top your cookies with a sprinkle of powdered sugar or maple cream cheese frosting.
How to Store and Freeze
Once cool, leftover cookies can be transferred to an airtight container and stored at room temperature for up to 2 days.
For a longer-lasting option, freeze baked or unbaked cookies for up to 2 months. If baking from frozen (unbaked dough): Add 3–5 minutes to the baking time. Cookies baked from frozen tend to be slightly chewier in the center. If thawing baked cookies: Let them sit at room temperature or warm briefly in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes.
More of Our Favorite
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Recipes
Gluten-free Pumpkin Cookies Recipe
- Total Time: 50 minutes
- Yield: 14–16 cookies 1x
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Soft, chewy, and loaded with chocolate chips—these gluten-free cookies are naturally dairy-free, oil-free, and lower in refined sugar. A quick, better-for-you dessert that even picky eaters will devour!
Ingredients
- ½ cup canned unsweetened pumpkin purée (100 -105 g)*
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup drippy almond butter (200 g) (see notes for substitutes)
- ¼ c cane sugar
- 2 Tablespoon maple syrup
- ¼ cup gluten-free 1:1 flour (35-40 grams)
- 2 tbsp gluten-free oat flour (15 grams) (see notes).
- 1 Tablespoon flax meal (optional) – creates a more chewy texture
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½–1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (or cinnamon + nutmeg mix)
- Mix-ins: ⅓-1/2 cup dairy-free or dark chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or dried cranberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the pumpkin, egg, vanilla, almond butter, maple syrup, and sugar until smooth.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour(s), flax meal (if using), baking powder, salt, and spices.
- Working in 2 batches, gently add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing just until combined (avoid overmixing). The dough will be thick and slightly sticky — this is normal.
- Fold in the chocolate chips. Cover and refrigerate the dough for at least 20–30 minutes to firm up.
- Scoop the dough with a medium cookie scoop (about 1.5–2 tablespoons each) and place on the prepared baking sheet, leaving 1–2 inches between cookies.
- Bake for 10–12 minutes, until the edges are set and the centers look just barely soft. Begin checking at 9 minutes; if they still look underdone, bake for 1–2 minutes longer. Avoid overbaking, as they will dry out.
- Remove from the oven and let the cookies cool on the pan until they are no longer soft to the touch, about 15 minutes. Tip: If the cookies bake up too thick, lightly press them down after baking before they cool.
- Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Notes
*Canned pumpkin varies by brand. If it looks watery, blot with paper towels before using to prevent overly soft, cakey cookies. The color of the purée also differs by brand, which may affect how orange the cookies turn out.
Gluten-Free Flour Tips: If your gluten-free 1:1 flour blend already lists oat flour in the ingredients, use ⅓ cup gluten-free 1:1 flour (50–55 g) and skip the extra oat flour. The added oat flour increases chewiness, while leaving it out will make cookies more cake-like. If you prefer extra chewy cookies, swap the GF 1:1 flour for this flour blend instead: 3 tablespoon gluten-free oat flour (25 g) + 2–3 tablespoon tapioca flour (25 g). This mix creates a chewier texture than using GF 1:1 flour alone.
Batter Notes: The dough will be softer than most drop cookie batters — that’s normal! After chilling, if the dough still seems too wet and doesn’t scoop easily, gently mix in 1 additional Tablespoon of flour until it holds together.
Almond Butter Substitutes – Peanut butter or sunflower seed butter may be used in place of almond butter. Peanut butter gives a stronger flavor, while sunflower seed butter changes the color. Always use a drippy nut/seed butter, not a thick one.
Freezing Tips : Store baked or unbaked cookies in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 2 months. If baking from frozen (unbaked dough): Add 3–5 minutes to the baking time. Cookies baked from frozen tend to be slightly chewier in the center. If thawing baked cookies: Let them sit at room temperature or warm briefly in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- chill time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: dessert
- Method: oven
- Cuisine: american
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie with chocolate chips
- Calories: 138
- Sugar: 7.6 g
- Sodium: 27.8 mg
- Fat: 8.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 13.3 g
- Fiber: 1.9 g
- Protein: 3.7 g
- Cholesterol: 12.4 mg
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