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A must-make fall recipe to add to your list is this one, for easy gluten free pumpkin chocolate chip cookies. Not only are they gluten-free, they’re also vegan, and soft on the inside with a bit of crispiness on the outside.
They’re packed with warm pumpkin spices and loaded with chocolate chips. You, your family, and your friends will love them!
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Well, we're here, it's pumpkin everything season, and I, for one, am fully immersed at the moment! Pumpkin purée, pumpkin bread, pumpkin pudding...it's all about the pumpkin recipes right now...and I like it!
I started working on this recipe for gluten free pumpkin chocolate chip cookies back in the summer (food bloggers work far in advance!) and I originally wanted them to be similar to my double chocolate cookies.
Like those cookies, I wanted to make these with oat flour, but the texture wasn't coming out right. Each time I tested, the cookies came out like little fluffy cakes, which for me, is not the right texture for a cookie.
So I scratched the oat flour idea and went for a gluten-free flour blend and I'm very happy with the results, I hope you are, too!
Are you new to vegan gluten-free baking? If so, be sure to read all of my vegan gluten-free baking tips!
Ingredients You'll Need
All you need to make these cookies is 10 ingredients, and as you know, this recipe is both vegan and gluten-free, so they're 100% egg-free, wheat-free, and dairy-free.
Ingredient Notes
- 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour Blend (I use Bob’s Red Mill brand, the one in the BLUE bag, make sure to measure it correctly!)
- Pumpkin Purée (NOT pumpkin pie filling)
- Brown and Granulated Sugar (not sure if you’re sugar is vegan? Buy organic, it will be 100% vegan (I use organic cane sugar for this recipe))
- Unsalted Vegan Butter (use your favourite brand or see below for some recommendations)
- Vanilla Extract (for more flavour)
- Pumpkin Pie Spice (you can't make a pumpkin recipe without this spice blend!)
- Baking Soda (make sure it's fresh!)
- Salt (to balance the sweetness)
- Chocolate Chips (the ingredient that makes this recipe perfect, check out this article for a list of vegan chocolate chip brands to look for.
NOTE: If you don't need this recipe to be gluten-free, check out my recipe for vegan pumpkin chocolate chip cookies instead of changing this one to suit your needs.
How to Make Them
(Note: I’ve outlined the step-by-step on how to make this recipe here, but find the full recipe, ingredients, and directions at the end of this post.)
This recipe is easy, there's nothing unusual about it, and whether you've made cookies before or not, you'll breeze right through!
Start by mixing all of the dry ingredients together in a bowl and then setting it aside.
Once you've done that, cream the butter and both sugars together, I use my electric hand mixer to do this.
Next, add the pumpkin purée and the vanilla to the butter mixture and mix again until everything has combined.
For this next step, I switch over to using a wooden spoon to avoid flour flying everywhere. Gradually add the flour mixture and mix until everything has combined. Then fold in the chocolate chips.
Something important to know is that these cookies don't flatten or spread much while baking, so you need to give them a little help. The size and shape they go into the oven with is the same one they'll come out with.
Use a cookie scoop or a tablespoon to scoop the cookie dough out onto the baking sheet and once you've done that, flatten each one slightly using the back of a spoon, the bottom of a glass, or your hand, they should look like the picture below on the right.
The next step is to, of course, bake them, and when they're done, you'll have a batch of golden, delicious vegan gluten free pumpkin cookies that you're going to have a hard time controlling yourself around!
What Do They Taste Like?
They're spiced perfectly (the spice flavour comes through even more the day after you make them), and each bite has chocolate. Pumpkin and chocolate are a nice combo (like in my pumpkin chocolate bread!)
What's the Texture Like?
Right after they're baked, they're a little crispy on the outside, and they're firm, but soft on the inside.
I have a timing range in the recipe below, so be sure you pay attention to that so you can end up with the texture you prefer when you make them.
Storing Leftovers
When the cookies have cooled completely, place them in an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to 5 days. They start to dry out after the 5 day point. They also soften and become less crispy on the outside the longer they are stored.
Freezing Baked Cookies
Place the baked cookies in an airtight container or freezer bag and when you’re ready to serve, just place them on a plate, bring them to room temperature, and enjoy.
Freezing Unbaked Cookie Dough
The dough can also be frozen for baking later. Just scoop the dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet, flatten each cookie, and place the whole cookie sheet in the freezer.
Once completely frozen, place each cookie in an airtight freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to bake them, no need to thaw them, just add about 2 minutes onto the baking time, same temperature.
If You Make This Recipe…
…tell me how things went in the comments below or post a pic on Instagram and tag me, I want to see your remake! I’m @delightfuladventures on Instagram.
And If You Like This Recipe…
…you may also like these other vegan gluten-free cookie recipes:
Gluten Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Suggested Equipment:
Ingredients:
- 1 ½ cups (222g) gluten free flour **see important note about flour below**
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (113g) unsalted vegan butter
- ¼ cup (50g) brown sugar
- ⅓ cup (67g) granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup (80g) unsweetened pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (180g) chocolate chips
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350°F (177°C).
- Prepare your baking sheet(s) by lining with parchment paper (if needed).
- In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, using an electric mixer, cream together the butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar until blended and creamy. Add pumpkin puree and vanilla extract, blend again.
- Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and mix until everything has combined together well.
- Add chocolate chips to bowl and stir until incorporated evenly into the dough.
- Using a tablespoon (or a medium sized cookie scoop), scoop equal amounts onto the cookie sheet(s). Flatten each cookie slightly, they will not spread very much as they bake.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes (see note below).
- Leave cookies on the cookie sheet to cool for about 2 minutes, then remove and place on a cooling rack.
Video:
Recipe Notes:
- Please read all of the information above, as well as the notes below before making this recipe.
- This recipe makes 26 cookies, which is the amount you'll get if you use a make them with a medium sized cookie scoop (medium scoops are usually 1.5 tablespoons).
- It’s important to know that different gluten-free flour blends use different ingredients and ratios, so results may vary if you substitute. I have never used any other brand of gf flour to make this recipe other than Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour (Amazon link) in the blue package, NOT the red package, so please know that your results may not be the same as mine if you substitute with another gluten-free flour blend. The weight listed above is for this specific brand of flour.
- If the gluten-free flour blend brand you are using does not contain xanthan gum, add ¾ teaspoon to the dry ingredients.
- This recipe will NOT work with coconut flour.
- Make sure to measure your flour correctly.
- Coconut sugar can be used in place of the brown sugar.
- Bake for 8 minutes for cookies that are softer on the inside, 9 minutes for cookies that are firm but soft on the inside and crispy around the edges, and 10 minutes for a crispier cookie (I bake mine for 9 minutes).
- Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.
- To bake the cookies and freeze them for later: Place them in an airtight container or freezer bag and when you’re ready to serve, just place them on a plate, bring to room temperature, and enjoy.
- To freeze the cookie dough for baking later: Scoop the dough onto a parchment lined cookie sheet, flatten each cookie, and place the whole cookie sheet in the freezer. Once completely frozen, place each cookie in an airtight freezer safe bag or container and freeze for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to bake them, add about 2 minutes onto the baking time, same temperature.
- Inspired by this recipe.
- Nutrition info is based on 1 of 26 cookies and the recipe made as written and is only to be used as a rough guide. Click to learn how nutrition info is calculated on this website.
Julia says
I just made these cookies and they were great! The only thing I did different is instead of 1 cup chocolate chips I used 1/2 cup chocolate chips and 1/2 chopped walnuts!
Thanks for the great recipe!
Gwen Leron says
Half walnuts and half chocolate chips in these cookies sound like a great ideae, Julia! I want to try that next time! I'm so glad d you like the recipe, enjoy.
Christina says
Can you use oil instead of butter?
Gwen Leron says
Hi Christina, you can try using softened (not liquid) coconut oil, same measurement, and see how that works. Coconut oil will give the cookies a slight coconut flavour, so if you want to avoid that, use refined coconut oil. I have not used a liquid oil to make this recipe, but I think it will work with a small modification. Instead of 1/2 a cup, I would try using 6 tablespoons of the oil. The finished texture may also be different from the butter version. If you try this, please let me know how things go!
Virginia says
This recipe is fantastic; I made these cookies tonight for my son to bring to his Halloween party at school tomorrow. My son is allergic to wheat, dairy, eggs and peanuts, so I am always on the look out for recipes that are allergy friendly and are not gross. My GF vegan baking has come very far in the almost 5 years since his diagnosis. I have learned a few tricks/lessons in regards baking without "the essential" ingredients, i.e. eggs, butter, gluten. This recipe fits into my criteria. I had all the ingredients and followed the recipe, I actually doubled the recipe and ended up with 36 similar size and shaped cookies. Thank you Gwen!
Gwen Leron says
I am so happy to know this, Virginia! And you're very welcome, I hope all the kids enjoyed the cookies. Thanks for taking the time to come back and leave your note 🙂
Sherryl van says
WOW‼️ My picky husband & I absolutely love these cookies 😋
I shared my doubled recipe with two neighbors who also raved about them‼️ Definitely a keeper in my household 👍👍
Thank You 😊
Gwen Leron says
Hi Sherryl! I am so happy to hear you like the recipe and that they were a hit with those you shared them with. Thanks you so much for taking the time to leave your note and rating, I appreciate it very much 🙂
Elle Masters says
Theses cookies are delicious! And you're right, even better the next day!
Gwen Leron says
I'm so happy you like them, Elle! We just ran out, and I've been asked to make more this weekend 🙂 Thanks so much for taking the time to leave your note, I appreciate it!