Infusing pumpkin flavor into baked goods can be a bit tricky. But learning from a few past experiments, I got to work infusing all of the sweet, spicy flavor of pumpkin into these cookies. The result was a dream!
These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are naturally gluten-free and vegan, studded with rolled oats and melty chocolate chips, require just 10 ingredients, and are ready in 1 hour! Let us show you how it’s done.
How to Make Gluten-Free Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
The base for these cookies is a combination of almond flour, oats, and shredded coconut, which makes them more wholesome to fend off a sugar crash.
Then come the cookie basics like chocolate chips for bits of sweetness, baking powder for rise, and optional sea salt to enhance all the flavors. And for that quintessential fall flavor, we added pumpkin pie spice!
For sweetener, brown sugar provides these cookies with a slightly crispy texture. But by day two, they’ll be more tender and pillowy (and the flavor gets even better!).
To keep them vegan without losing the fluffiness/binding usually provided by eggs, we used aquafaba. It whips up beautifully and helps hold the cookies together.
Making pumpkin baked goods can be challenging because pumpkin purée doesn’t taste like much and can add a lot of moisture. So, pumpkin cookies are even more of a challenge because they’re generally more dense in texture, meaning there’s less room for error.
To solve that problem, we used pumpkin butter, which has a more concentrated pumpkin flavor. Our DIY pumpkin butter is simple and delicious, but store-bought will work, too!
We hope you LOVE these cookies! They’re:
Fluffy
Tender
Chocolaty
Pumpkiny
& Perfectly sweet
They’re a delicious treat for fall and beyond! Step up the cozy factor by enjoying them with a Pumpkin Spice Latte or glass of dairy-free milk. Or, for an extra special treat, sprinkle bits of cookie over vegan ice cream. Swoon.
More Pumpkin Baked Goods
- 1-Bowl Pumpkin Bread (V + GF)
- 1-Bowl Pumpkin Muffins (Vegan + GF)
- Vegan Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
- Vegan Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Chewy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies (V/GF)
Ingredients
DRY
- 3/4 cup almond flour or meal (we prefer almond flour // if nut-free you could try a seed meal/flour)
- 3/4 cup rolled oats (certified gluten-free as needed)
- 1/4 cup finely shredded (desiccated) unsweetened coconut (or you could try subbing more almond meal, oats, or even a GF flour blend)
- 1/4 cup vegan dark chocolate chips
- 3/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt (optional)
- 1 Tbsp pumpkin pie spice (yep, that much)
- 1/2 cup packed organic brown sugar or muscovado sugar (or sub coconut sugar, but we prefer brown sugar for best texture)
WET
- 1/4 cup aquafaba (the brine/liquid in a can of chickpeas)
- 2 Tbsp pumpkin butter (or sub pumpkin purée, but know it will have less flavor and be more soft & tender // or sub a pumpkin-flavored nut butter!)
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil or melted coconut oil
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, stir together almond flour, oats, coconut, vegan chocolate chips, baking powder, salt (optional), pumpkin pie spice, and brown sugar.
- In a separate bowl, beat aquafaba (using a handheld mixer or by whisking vigorously, though it takes longer) until light and fluffy and loose peaks have formed. (Add a little cream of tartar to help it along if it’s not whipping.)
- To the aquafaba, add the pumpkin butter, oil, and vanilla (optional) and beat or whisk to combine. (The mixture will deflate a little — that's okay). Then add to dry ingredients and mix until combined. You should have a firm, semi-tacky dough (see photo). If too wet, add a bit more almond flour or meal. Cover and chill in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes or overnight.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (176 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop chilled dough into roughly 2-Tablespoon amounts (I like this scoop) and place onto prepared baking sheet. Press down slightly to form a disc (see photo). Leave about a 1-inch gap in between each cookie to allow for spreading. There should be about 14 cookies (as the original recipe is written). Option to add a few more chocolate chips on top.
- Bake for 14-16 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden brown and they’ve expanded. Be careful not to burn (especially on the bottoms) — they bake quickly toward the end.
- Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes on the baking pan before serving. They will firm up the longer they cool (they can be a bit tender right out of the oven).
- Store completely cooled leftovers in a loosely sealed container at room temperature up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for 4 days, or in the freezer for 1 month. On day one they are a bit crisp, but on days 2 and on they are more tender and pillowy (it’s kind of the nature of pumpkin cookies). I recommend storing them in the freezer once cooled to help retain their crispy exterior!
Video
Notes
*Adapted from our Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies — a concept we have adapted from Sprouted Kitchen.
Sue says
I subbed a quarter cup canned pumpkin for the aquafaba, lowered the brown sugar to a quarter cup and subbed walnuts for the chocolate chips. Delicious!!!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Sue! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications!
Atara Dahan says
Perfect. Moist. 10/10. Didn’t have pumpkin pie spice, but cinnamon + nutmeg worked fine.
Mimi says
can I freeze the dough (after flash freezing the rolled, pressed disks, balls)?
That should work!
Leptosiphon says
Loved these cookies!!! I tried a couple other pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip cookie recipes from the Internet, but this version is the best! Only complaint is that for a pumpkin cookie, they aren’t nearly pumpkin-y enough.
We’re so glad you enjoy them overall! Are you using pumpkin purée or pumpkin butter? Pumpkin butter will give it more pumpkin flavor =)
Margo says
I doubled the recipe and these turned out delicious! Very easy to prep the dough and pop in the oven. I missed the direction to store in the freezer so they are super pillowy today – the flavor is still good but we enjoyed the crispiness yesterday. Will definitely make again!
Love your website for all the wonderful vegan recipes – keep it up!
Yay! Thanks so much, Margo! So glad you find our recipes useful!
Georgia says
Turned out great, my husband and I both liked them. I used pumpkin puree and worked just fine. Moist, chewy and just sweet enough! Thanks will make again!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Georgia. We are so glad you enjoyed them! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Jessica says
Wow! Made these as a healthy reward for my kids (8 & 10). Everyone one, adults included, LOVED them. So easy. So delicious. So healthy. Yet another winner from @MinimalistBaker!!! Since I was forced to adopt a gluten free diet and have now been voyaging into an entirety plant-based diet, your recipes feed my family (and friends)!!!!
Yay! Thanks so much for sharing, Jessica. So glad everyone enjoys the recipes!
Clioh says
I recently had a craving for these cookies, but aquafaba I had stored in the fridge the first time I made these cookies had gone bad. Since I’m not vegan, I substituted the aquafaba with two tiny eggs from my mom’s bantam hens, which amounted to exactly a 1/4 cup in volume. I just beat the eggs, didn’t stiffen the egg whites, and they turned out Perfectly. Fluffy and chewy and hard to stop eating.
In the future I’ll probably use eggs again unless I’m baking with vegans in mind.
We’re so glad that worked well! Thanks for sharing!
Emma says
What can I swap the aquafaba for? I cook for one and can’t est so much chickpeas everytime i need a can for the aquafaba in your recipes
Hi Emma, if not vegan, maybe 1 large or 2 small eggs or 1/4 cup whipped egg whites? Otherwise, maybe a flax egg, but it probably won’t have the same fluffiness. We haven’t tried either though so can’t guarantee results. Let us know if you try it!
Giulia says
Just made them, they turned out really good, I stored the dough overnight in the fridge, first in the morning I baked them( the smell in my kitchen was great!)
I did not have shredded coconut (it would have been a great addition, I will make sure to put it next time) , I put less sugar (I don’t like it very much), and I simply smashed my roasted pumpking, adding a tbsp of peanut butter, I made smaller cookies and make sure to bake them less time, carefully watching the edges as you wrote. They are so good, chewy but they have a very nice texture. As an European, thank you so so much for having metric on your website!!! You cannot imagine how easier you are making thing for us!! :)
We’re so glad you enjoyed them and that you find that feature helpful. Thanks so much for sharing, Guilia! xo
Maggie Johnson says
Shoot! These turned out way too dry! So crumbly I couldn’t even make into cookies! I followed the recipe exactly but used coconut sugar instead of brown sugar. Could this be why?
Hmm, did you modify anything else? If anything they’re on the sweet / sticky side? Did you whip your aquafaba!
Ryna says
Wow, simply amazing!
Ryna says
Keyboard bug, here are the 5 stars 😍
Thanks, Ryna! xo
Brenda says
I absolutely love everything that I have tried on your website from main meals to treats that are delicious and nutritious! I am not a great cook , but your with practical, easily accessible ingredients, your instructions, your videos and great photos make your website my go-to!! I love how easy it is to put an ingredient in the search bar ( eg., pumpkin) and then have the variety of deleicious, nutritious meals and treats as well as basic instructions! Today, I discovered that there was a use for chick pea water and how to make it for the pumpkin cookies! Brilliant website! I’m sharing your website with everyone who a I know!
Thanks for sharing, Brenda!
Lisa says
This was my 1st time making a vegan gluten free cookies. i was so afraid to do it but i did and it came out real good. I used pumpkin butter that was bought for me from a farmers market. I also used regular brown sugar. I also used hershey’s dark chocolate chips. I baked for 15 to 16 mins cause i liked the crispy bottoms. I was super surprised about the brine from the chickpeas it fluffed up just like egg whites. My family enjoyed these as well. The more they cooled the better they were! Thank u for sharing this recipe.
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Lisa!
Amy says
best cookies ever! I double the recipe because 14 are not enough for a cookie monster. I used eggs but increased the pumpkin butter and coconut oil. added some flaxseeds as the dough was too wet. I will decrease the coconut sugar next time though.
Whoop! So glad you enjoyed them, Amy! Thanks for sharing!
Katherine B. says
These are so yummy!
I subbed a large egg for the aquafaba, used cocnut oil and all of the optional ingredients. Oh, and I used your pumpkin butter that I made recently!
I think I will add more pumpkin butter to my next batch of cookies, as mine were a little drier than I like them.
Amazing flavor combinations! Keep the recipes coming!
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Katherine!
Marie-Michele says
I made these cookies yesterday and they are delicious! Any tips as to how to substitute the rolled oats? I used whole chia seeds as I have done this in other recipes with fairly consistent and good results. With this recipe: I had to cook the cookies for an extra 10 minutes. As I said, they taste great but I am concerned they will be rock hard in a few days. Thanks.
Hi! Perhaps quinoa flakes for oat-free?
dee says
can the actual cookie dough be frozen
We haven’t tried it, but we don’t see why not! Just let it defrost before baking.
J says
What a wonderful recipe! I made your pumpkin butter as well and this cookie turned out great! I added 2 scoops of collagen powder for some extra protein and they baked fine. I used s mini oven to bake them so it took a little longer, but very yummy and chewy insides and crispy outsides! Will make again :)
J says
Oh and i used one large egg instead of aquafaba!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for sharing =)
Aman says
Hello Dana,
I made these cookies 2 weeks ago and I am making them again today. These are so incredibly delicious. My husband who is not a fan of vegan cookies ate most of them.
My question is do you think I can sub the brown sugar for processed dates? Do you think it would still turn out? If not, what else could I use…? We really love these and want to make a big batch and freeze. So we could enjoy them more often. Thank you for creating and testing so many amazing recipes. I love it!
You may be able to but they’ll be more chewy vs. caramelized if that makes sense. Let us know if you try!
Penny says
OMGeeeeee can’t wait to try this recipe! Regarding using the cream of tartar…can you explain why this helps whipping? Would it work with whipping things like coconut milk, fluffy frostings, vegan mayo? Thank you!
It’s magic! And is also used in making classic whipping cream with dairy dream.
Jan says
😋 These were so yummy… the perfect ratio of crunch on outside, a bit gooey on inside‼️ I will have to double the recipe next time 😜. I did use 1/8 tsp cream of tartar with aquafaba which worked great. Also, love the pumpkin butter recipe. It made a nice gift w/ some homemade GF muffins. Thanks for yet more fab recipes, Dana!!! 😁
Such a lovely gift, Jan! We’re so glad you enjoyed both recipes! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Anna says
I have made these twice now using the pumpkin butter recipe you provided and wow, they are lovely. These are perfect on a cold, rainy day. Thank you for another delicious, easy, creative recipe.
Aw, yay! We’re so glad you enjoy them, Anna! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Tawnie says
I made these today and this recipe is a keeper! I followed the recipe almost exactly, down to making pumpkin butter and mixing pumpkin pie spice from the recipes linked. Only change was that I don’t have a cookie scoop, so I ended up with 11 slightly larger cookies, which I baked for an extra two minutes at a very slightly lower temperature.
Although I adore chocolate, I think these would also be delicious with currants, craisins, or sultanas.
Husband and I just ate three cookies each; I’m not confident any of the remaining five will see tomorrow!
Whoop! Thanks for sharing, Tawnie! xo
Robyn says
These cookies are so yummy, your recipes never disappoint! I subbed out the aquafaba for “Just Egg”, which I’ve been experimenting with recently. Used 1/4C Just Egg in place of the aquafaba. I also used the Pumpkin Butter from Trader Joes.
Right out of the oven they were a tad too sweet for my taste but this morning I think the flavour and sweetness is well balanced.
We’re so glad you enjoy them, Robyn! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
xenia solea says
How can I sub aquafaba in the recipe?
Hi Xenia, if not vegan, maybe 1 large or 2 small eggs or 1/4 cup whipped egg whites? Otherwise, maybe a flax egg, but it probably won’t have the same fluffiness. We haven’t tried either though so can’t guarantee results. Let us know if you try it!
Kelsey says
Another fantastic MB recipe! I took a shortcut and used Trader Joe’s pumpkin butter rather than homemade – they came out delicious!
Whoop! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Kelsey. We are so glad you enjoyed them! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
Tea Dot says
These were so delicious! I used a 1/4 cup of egg whites, 1/2 C white sugar plus 1 tsp molasses and almond butter since that is what I had in the house. They were perfectly crispy on the outside and slightly chewy on the inside.
We’re so glad they turned out well! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modifications! xo
Marcel says
I can’t wait to try these recipes. Can I substitute oat flour for almond flour?
Hi Marcel, we haven’t tried that, but another reader mentioned doing so with success. Let us know if you give it a try!
Patricia Eilers says
I made these per the directions, using pumpkin puree (vs pumpkin butter), and they never spread out like cookies (thus the 4 stars instead of 5). The dough was refrigerated for about 40 minutes. Any idea why the dough balls didn’t spread out into flatter cookies?
They are quite tasty though!
Hmm, next time skip the refrigeration if they didn’t spread. It could have been affected by which GF flours you used (any modifications there?). Did you press them down into discs before baking?
Natalia says
Hi! Will pumpkin seed butter work instead of pumpkin butter?
Hi Natalia, we don’t think it would have much pumpkin flavor, but we haven’t tried it. Let us know if you do!
Tracy says
Your recipes NEVER disappoint— and these are no exception. Sooooo yummy!! I made them exactly as written— why change anything when I know I can count on you?
Whoop! So kind, Tracy! xo
Amanda says
These are incredible – perfectly spiced, nice and chewy from the oats, and an ideal amount of chocolate. I subbed oat flour for the almond flour (personal preference) and it turned out perfect. These are going to be a new autumn favorite – yum!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Amanda! Thanks so much for the lovely review and for sharing your modification! xo
Campbell says
I’m vegetarian but always looking for good vegan baking recipes, and this one hits the spot! I made a mistake making a half recipe because it made 6 cookies and I ate 2 in the first hour… whoops! I used your pumpkin butter recipe that I’d made a few weeks ago which is also delicious. The only sub I made was grapeseed oil instead of avocado oil.
We’re so glad they turned out well! Thanks so much for sharing, Campbell! xo
Nami says
Hi! I’m wondering if I could use whole wheat flour instead of almond flour in this recipe. Thanks!
Hi Nami, we haven’t tried that, but maybe? We’d suggest starting with less as it may be more absorbent. You can use the photos/video for reference on texture. Let us know how it goes!
Cathy Eville says
I think my daughter would like these cookies. She’s GF, but not vegan. How many eggs would I use instead of aquafaba? Thanks Cathy
Hi Cathy, we haven’t tried that, so we can’t guarantee results. But perhaps 1 large or 2 small eggs? Let us know if you do some experimenting!
Steph V says
Hi there. I would love to try this recipe. I’m gf but not vegan. Can i replace the aquafaba with eggs? if so, how many? Thank you and thanks for such amazing recipes.
Hi Steph, we haven’t tried that, so we can’t guarantee results. But perhaps 1 large or 2 small eggs? Let us know if you do some experimenting!
Lisa Kugler says
This looks super yummy. Not a fan of aquafaba seems I’m not alone. Will try with flax egg but only have pumpkin purée on hand. What else could I add to that to give it more flavor like the pumpkin butter? Hard to find that where we live sadly.
Thanks in advance- love your recipes!!!
Hi Lisa, You can make pumpkin butter: https://minimalistbaker.com/20-minute-pumpkin-butter/. Let us know how it goes with the flax egg!
CK says
Everything looks yummy, except the aquafaba…it’ll give my family serious gas if i use it…what can I sub?
Hi, if not vegan, maybe 1 large or 2 small eggs? Otherwise, maybe a flax egg, but it probably won’t have the same fluffiness. We haven’t tried either though so can’t guarantee results. Let us know if you try it!
Sandi Roth says
These are amazing! Made a few substitutes like you suggested and they still tasted great! Perfect for fall!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Sandi. We are so glad you enjoyed them! Next time, would you mind leaving a rating with your review? It’s super helpful for us and other readers. Thanks so much! Xo
a says
is there a way to sub out the aquafaba? looks yum :)
Hi, maybe 1 large or 2 small eggs? Otherwise, maybe a flax egg, but it probably won’t have the same fluffiness. We haven’t tried either though so can’t guarantee results. Let us know if you try it!
Suzanne Brady says
Would regular flour work as well here?
Hi Suzanne, we haven’t tried that, but maybe? Let us know if you try it!
Kaitlan says
These look amazing, Dana! But my bf hates coconut (I know, he’s crazy). Do you think I could substitute it for something else? Maybe more oats? I’d love your input! Thanks so much :)
Kaitlan says
I just reread the recipe and see you already included a substitution! Thanks so much!
Molly says
These were awesome! I used one tablespoon pumpkin purée and one tablespoon cashew butter instead of pumpkin butter. Super good!
Whoop! Thanks for sharing, Molly!
Hilary Green says
Is there anything you can sub aquafaba for?
Hi Hilary, maybe 1 large or 2 small eggs? Otherwise, maybe a flax egg, but it probably won’t have the same fluffiness. We haven’t tried either though so can’t guarantee results. Let us know if you try it!