What’s fall without a good seasonal sugar cookie? I’m glad you agree. Onto the dough!
These cookies were inspired by fall, first and foremost, but also by my 1-Bowl Vegan Funfetti Cupcakes!
I overfilled the muffin tins with batter on my first try and quickly realized that the overflow baked perfectly into a sugar cookie-type consistency! In that moment, I knew vegan sugar cookies were not far out of reach.
This recipe is easy and fast! Just 1 bowl, simple methods, and 1 hour start to finish (frosting and all). And they just so happen to taste like the sugar cookies of your youth, just without (real) butter, eggs, or milk. Huzzah!
And what would a sugar cookie be without frosting?
I’ve included a basic vegan buttercream recipe below that’s infused with pumpkin butter and fall spices. It makes the perfect addition to these fluffy gems and sends the pumpkin flavor over the top.
You’re going to love these cookies. They’re:
Tender
Fluffy
Slightly crisp on the edges
Pumpkin-y
Subtly spiced
Perfectly sweet
Amazing with pumpkin buttercream
Satisfying
Simple
& Shareable
What are you waiting for? No seriously?
If you make this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, tweet at us, or take a picture and tag it #minimalistbaker on Instagram!
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Vegan Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
Ingredients
COOKIES
- 1/2 cup vegan butter (such as Earth Balance // softened* // 1 stick yields 1/2 cup)
- 1/2 cup organic cane sugar (plus more for topping)
- 1/4 cup brown sugar
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup pumpkin puree*
- 1 1/2 heaping cups unbleached all-purpose flour (sub up to 1/3 whole-wheat pastry)
- 1/2 Tbsp cornstarch or arrowroot powder (for thickening/binding)
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 3/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 Tbsp unsweetened almond milk (or other non-dairy milk)
FROSTING (optional)
- 1/2 cup vegan butter (such as Earth Balance // softened* // 1 stick yields 1/2 cup)
- 1 1/2 Tbsp 1 1/2 Tbsp pumpkin butter* (optional)
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
- 2 1/2 - 3 cups powdered sugar
- 1/4 tsp each ground cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice
- 1 splash non-dairy milk
Instructions
- Add softened butter to a large mixing bowl and cream with a mixer for 1 minute.
- Add sugar, brown sugar and vanilla and beat for 1 more minute. Add pumpkin and mix once more.
- Set your sifter over something that will catch fall out and add dry ingredients. Use a spoon to briefly stir, then sift over butter and sugar ingredients, to combine.
- Mix until incorporated, being careful not to over mix. Then add almond milk and mix until a soft dough is formed. Freeze dough for 15 minutes, or refrigerate for 30 minutes (or chill overnight), preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (176 C), and position a rack in the center of the oven.
- Scoop out heaping 1 Tbsp amounts of dough and roll into balls. Place on a clean baking sheet 2 inches apart to allow for spreading. Dip a glass into cane sugar and then gently smash the cookie ball down into a disc (see photo).
- Bake on the center rack for 10-12 minutes or very slightly golden brown.
- Let rest on pan for a few minutes. Then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Prepare frosting in the meantime.
- FOR FROSTING: Wipe/rinse your mixing bowl clean and add softened butter. Beat until light and fluffy. Then add vanilla, spices, and pumpkin butter (optional) and mix once more.
- Add powdered sugar 1/2 cup at a time and continue mixing until thick and creamy. Drizzle in a little non-dairy milk to thin. You want this frosting to be pretty thick so it will hold its shape once on the cookies, so only add a little milk and add more powdered sugar if it gets too thin.
- Once cooled, frost cookies and top with a sprinkle of pumpkin pie spice or cinnamon. Store leftovers covered at room temperature for up to a few days. Freeze for longer-term storage.
Notes
*If you are trying to speed-soften your butter, simply cut it into thin slices from the stick and it will soften much quicker.
*Pumpkin butter can be subbed for pumpkin puree, but hold back 1 Tbsp (amount as original recipe is written // adjust if altering batch size) of cane sugar.
*Pumpkin Butter recipe can be found at Oh She Glows. Or you can use store-bought.
*Loosely adapted from my Vegan Funfetti Cupcakes!
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated without optional frosting.
Abigail Garcia says
Made these cookies for myself on Mother’s Day. I enjoyed them very much! Thank you for the recipe. Due to my baby’s food intolerances I am avoiding dairy, soy and corn so these hit the spot!!!! Instead of corn start he I used tapioca starch and it turned out well! thank you from sharing!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Abigail! Happy belated mother’s day and thanks so much for the lovely review!
Robin says
These cookies turned out great! Instead of cornstarch, I used a flax egg, and I just didn’t add the almond milk at the end. They are perfectly crunchy on the outside and soft on the inside! Super delicious recipe.
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Robin! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Katherine says
Perfect!
Andrea says
This was my first foray into vegan baking and it was a huge success!!! These cookies are amazing and I could eat the whole batch by myself. I didn’t use the pumpkin butter in the icing, but I did add a touch of fresh ground nutmeg. Thanks for the recipe.
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Andrea! Thanks so much for the lovely review!
Ari says
These were amazing! I made them a day ahead for my daughters class, but taste tested and they came out great!! Would you recommend refrigerating these over night or storing out in an air tight container? Thanks!
We’re so glad you enjoy them! Storing at room temp in an airtight container would be best.
Bailey says
So good!!! I made them exactly as stated above with icing and all. I could not be more happy with how they turned out. My fiancé even loved them which is always a toss up. We will be making these again!
Whoop! So glad you both enjoyed them. Thanks for sharing!
Allison says
These were ??. Did not last long in our house.
=) We’re so glad you enjoyed them! xo
Rachel says
I made these for dessert when my boyfriend and I had a vegan couple over for supper and I cannot believe how incredible they were. I’d never used vegan butter before, even though it’s similar to margarine right? Anyway I used the Earth Balance sticks as the recipe suggested, and I prefer to weigh all my ingredients so I went metric – and this is one of my favorite things about all the recipes here actually.
I digress.
I was fairly heavy handed with the spices, but I find it’s very hard to overdo it. Also I used almond coconut coffee creamer instead of milk – delish. The frosting was unquestionably the best frosting I’ve ever made. I sifted the powdered sugar to avoid lumps – but it was so thick and delicious. My friends were blown away, but I was more shocked I think. I’m not vegan (neither is my boyfriend) but I love cooking for people and trying new things so this was really exciting and I’m so please at how well it came out. I wish I’d taken pictures but all the cookies got devoured.
Oh and the tip about the glass, I couldn’t get the sugar to stick to it, so I just dipped the rolled cookie dough balls into sugar and smashed it with the glass after. That was the best tip – they looked great! I’m already planning to make these again.
We’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Rachel! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Maryse Guevara says
My daughter loves these! We use the Earth Balance vegan butter in the tub, and then half the amount of almond milk added at the end of the recipe. I need to calculate the calories, because it’s discouraging that a tablespoon of dough has 184 calories. Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Hi Maryse, we’re so glad she enjoys them! Thanks for bringing the nutrition issue to our attention. We rechecked it and updated!
J. C says
Hi,
I would love to make this recipe, but I’m refined sugar free. Do you think I could use maple syrup?
Hi J.C. we haven’t tried that, but it might work! However, the switch to a liquid sweetener may impact the texture. If you can have coconut sugar, that might be a better 1-1 substitute. Let us know if you do some experimenting!
Jen says
These are amazing! Delicious and fluffy. A huge hit at the pumpkin carving party! I ran out of confectioner’s sugar so I improvised and added some pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon to a jar of vanilla icing. Still vegan and delicious! Will definitely make again. Thank you!
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Jen! Thanks so much for the lovely review! xo
Katia says
I can’t wait to make these! I’m going to make them for my Halloween bake sale at work! I like making people taste vegan things & being like “what this is vegan?” Haha so I have one question! In step 5 you say to use a glass & to dip it in cane sugar & then push down on the cookie with it. I’m just wondering exactly what you mean by that. Do you mean you take the bottom of a glass cup & dip it in cane sugar & then push down on the cookie? If so, how would the cane sugar stick to the cup for us to be able to do that? Could you please clarify what you mean please? Thank you!
Yes, that’s what I mean! Only as much sugar as will coat the bottom of the glass. It sticks more as you go. Thanks for sharing, Katia!
Cindy says
Would it be possible to use coconut oil instead of the butter?
Hi Cindy, We haven’t tried it, but another reader mentioned doing so with success! If you give it a try, let us know how it goes!
Kelly says
I want to make these for my daughter but she is allergic to corn so I can’t use baking powder due to the added corn starch. I was happy to see the substitution to arrow root but I am wonder since this calls for both baking powder and soda, should I increase the amount of baking soda I use? If so by how much?
Hi Kelly, we haven’t tried these without baking powder and aren’t sure whether they will be quite as fluffy without it. But some people say you can use 1/2 tsp cream of tartar + 1/4 tsp baking soda as a substitute for 1 teaspoon of baking powder. Let us know if you give it a try!
Traci says
I made these today for the first time…absolutely delicious! Light and fluffy…oh and the icing is unbelievably out of this world!
Yay! We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Traci! Thanks for sharing! xo
Amanda says
I made these and they tasted great but they cane out chewy and won’t hold together. I even baked them longer than suggested and left them on the hot cookie sheet. I was trying the recipe out for my sons class next week, now what??
Hmm, did you make any modifications?
Melonie N Fletcher says
Is there a way to make these gluten free?
Hi Melonie – try adapting this recipe instead!
Nani says
I a so eager to make these for my nieces and nephews for Halloween but I’m curious could the dough be rolled out and cut out with cookie cutters?
Yeah! That should work! Just be sure to refrigerate the dough before rolling.
Shauna says
The dough was easy to work with after chilling and even fancier shapes like reindeer came out well. Most importantly the cookies were yummy! I really enjoyed the hint of spice and pumpkin.
Thanks for sharing, Shauna!
Angela says
Such a hit! I like to play with recipes so for the flour i used 1 cup white, 1/4 cup almond flour, 1/4 cup whole wheat. I also used real butter. I mixed it all by hand and they turned out great! Saving the recipe. I want to try some other purees like in the comments.
Do you think the dough would freeze well for later baking?
We’re so glad you enjoyed this recipe, Angela! Thanks for sharing! Yes, we do think the dough would freeze well!
Amy says
I could not stop thinking about these cookies after seeing the pictures and finally made them last night. The cookie has a nice soft texture and the flavor is perfection. The cookies are seriously good alone, but the creamy sweet icing takes them to a whole new level. They look so beautiful on a tray, I wish I had a party to attend! For the cookie, I subbed Trader Joe’s pumpkin butter for the pumpkin puree with your suggested alteration (less one tablespoon of sugar). Thanks for another great vegan recipe!
haha yay! Thanks for sharing, Amy! So glad you enjoyed them.
Lindsay says
These were so good! I made them for a party and I got so many comments that they were the best treats there (I didn’t even tell people they were vegan). Highly recommend making these!
Lovely! Thanks for sharing, Lindsay!
Anne says
Plan on making these this weekend! Ever since I’ve come back from living in England, I’ve baked using grams instead of cups and I’m not quite sure how to convert 1½ ‘heaping’ cups! ? (Not even sure I know where my measuring cups are!)
Ah! It would essentially be the equivalent of 1-2 Tbsp more!
Rachel says
Super delicious! I’m not vegan, so I used cow butter & milk and an egg to bind and they turned out great! I also used sweet potato puree instead of pumpkin, since I already had some on hand. Perfect cozy fall treat! Thanks for another great recipe Dana!
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Rachel! So glad you improvised and it went well!
Mallie says
I made these today and they were awesome! I used a 1:1 gluten free flour blend and they turned out great!
So glad to hear it, Mallie! Thanks for sharing! xo
Isaac says
Great recipe, made these with fresh roasted acorn squash instead of pumpkin and it turned out lovely!!! Used gluten free 1 to 1 flour and it worked well, just had to bake two more minutes. Love the pumpkin or squash butter icing too. It’s almost too good. Using the extra squash butter in oatmeal, V.yogurt, and V.ice cream.
Yay! Thanks for sharing!
Dawn says
Great flavor but they turned out grainy and fell apart. Admittedly, I am not much of a baker. Perhaps, I should added more liquid? I am also cooking at over a mile above sea level which usually means more flour. However, I followed the recipe this time. Any thoughts? Thanks! I love your recipes.
Hmm, sounds like the dough was either too dry on the front end or they got over-baked or both. Try adding less dry ingredients next time and also baking for slightly less time!
Isaac says
Must be the altitude, will dry everything out. I would add small amounts of almond milk at the end to soften it up and make sure you chill the dough before baking, so the corn starch sets. I used gluten free flour which is generally drier but they turned out soft and yummy, so must be your location.
Debbie Patterson says
Just made these cookies and they turned out wonderful! Soft and tasty! I also used all whole wheat flour and just sprinkled with sugar (no icing). It will definitely be a fall favorite as I love anything pumpkin!!
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Debbie!
Kristyna says
Just made these today, hands down the most successful and delicious pumpkin cookie ever. Icing is bomb and the crispy yet airy texture of the cookie is spot on texture. I swear I can never fail a good meal with mb ???
yay yay! Thanks for sharing, Kristyna!
Lexi says
This recipe is AMAZING!!!! I’ve been vegan for 4 years and these are by far the best cookies I’ve ever made! Thanks for the awesome recipe!!
Thanks so much for the lovely review, Lexi! We are so glad you enjoy this recipe! xo
Autumn Gelgut says
These are honestly the most delicious pumpkin cookies ever. I’m wondering if I store them in the refrigerator how long do you think they’re good for? Also the icing oh my goodness ??
Thank you so much for the lovely review, Autumn! We are so glad you enjoyed these cookies! xo
Dhara says
Would it be possible to use normal milk or would it mess up the consistency?
That will work!
Alexis says
I made these last October for a bake sale to benefit Breast Cancer at my work. Yesterday a lady came up to me and said that multiple people requested that I make them again this year! I used the icing in bags and did designs. This recipe was easy and came out amazing looking and tasting!! I can’t believe I got a group of non-vegans to request my vegan cookies a year later! I gave them the recipe, but they asked me to make it. Really excited for this year’s bake sale! Going to try more recipes from Dana. Thank you girl for the amazing recipes! You do such a great job and you’re helping so many animals in the process! ??? I wanted to post a photo, but there is no option here. I will tag you in my photos from last year.
Donna says
My twelve-year-old daughter made this recipe all on her own this afternoon, and they turned out AMAZINGLY!! Rich flavors, soft texture, and just heaven in my mouth. Cannot wait to try another vegan recipe on your blog, as this was our first!! Thank you for sharing!!
We’re so glad you all enjoyed these, Donna!
Ela says
Love this cookies, came out very flat (need a little practice ;) ) , but I will keep this recipe as my new favorite basic cookie dough recipe. Sooo tasty. I did not made the frosting. I can add on nuts, seeds or chocolate, whatever I like! Thank you :-)
Brandi says
So delicious! The cookies are moist with a bit of chew but still so soft. The icing is delicious and not too sweet. I made them into whoopie pies and my family raved! Will definitely make again
Oksi says
So delicious! Made them tonight for our Thanksgiving desert. Amazing!
Ann Wylie says
I just made these for Thanksgiving and they turned out awesome! The frosting is delicious and the sugar cookie texture is perfect. Thank you!
Yvette says
DELICIOUS! I made these last night. It took A LOT of will power not to just eat this dough!
The first tray I baked, I didn’t flatten the cookies enough (maybe about 1″ thick)… oops! The second tray, I flattened them more – to about ½” thick.
BOTH came out amazing! The thicker ones had a soft-baked, pillowy texture. The flatter ones were still amazing – slightly crisp edges and tender center.
The frosting is pretty tasty too and, quite honestly, the cookies don’t even need it! I find that the earth balance makes the frosting slightly salty.
Hi Yvette! We are so glad you enjoyed this recipe. Thanks for sharing the process!
Amanda says
These were truly fabulous. I didn’t have vegan butter so made them with regular unsalted butter. I halved the frosting which still left enough to frost each cookie, and I felt that the cookies were appropriately sweet at that. The kids loved helping to make these as well. Will definitely make these again as an easy “wow” cookie!
LS says
I used GF flour blend and they came out amazing. The easiest yummiest cookies I’ve made in years!
Yay! Thanks for sharing :)
Maryann says
Thx! I used a mesh strainer. They came out amazing! I made the frosting too and ate too many. Lol. I made homemade almond butter and spread that on the cookie then spread the frosting on top of that and omg… Ridiculous. Lol. Thx!
Emily says
Wow! These are just so delicious. They were so easy to make and I will definitely be making these again since it’s the holiday season. With or without icing they were the bomb.com! Vegan or not, the entire family loved them.
Yay! Thanks for sharing, Emily!
Maryann says
In step 3, Do i have to sift my ingredients or can I just add them in? I don’t have a sifter.
If you don’t have a sifter, you can just add them in and that should work fine!
Ruth Lynam says
Doubled the spices, used whole wheat flour, didn’t have cornstarch (or tapioca, etc.), and they turned out great! Texture and moistness were good, although I didn’t sift my flour at all, which was a mistake. Still, amazing flavor, and quick to make; I don’t own an electric mixer, and hand-mixing was no problem. I dusted some powdered sugar on top instead of frosting. I might try adding some walnuts or dark chocolate in the future.
Great! Thanks for sharing, Ruth!
Lauren says
Absolutely loved this recipe! It was such a huge hit with my family! I used vegan becel spread as I didn’t have earth balance on hand and it worked great. The cookies were a bit flatter and chewier but still so soft and amazing! Great fall flavour and super yum
Janet says
Has anyone tried substituting a GF flour blend? Thanks!
Yes! Scan the comments above as others have had success with GF flour :)
Fanny says
when i saw this recipe i wanted to make it right away! and i did. in the spirit of fall i substituted calvados for vanilla. Yum! with the sugar topping they did not need the frosting… although my husband said that frosting would have only made them better. I love fall and i always make a vegan halloween pumpkin cookie and this is a new favorite.
Reba says
Hello! I was excited to try this recipe and followed all the steps with a result of flat cookies. If I am using whole wheat flour are you saying to use 1/3 cup only? I’m thinking this is where my mistake was.
Nicole says
I bought the ingredients to make these and am so excited! Being a baker, I am a little nervous about the “heaping” flour. You really don’t level off the flour?? So it’s probably closer to 1 3/4 C flour? Can anyone who has made them weigh in on what you did and how the texture turned out?
Amanda says
These are unreal!! I’ve made 6 batches already, and everyone who I’ve shared with loves them!
Michele Tannenbaum says
I made these tonight for the first time….. delicious! You will not be disappointed ~
Yay!
Jo says
I would like to use whole-wheat pastry and was confused by subbing. So would I use 1 1/3 cups of whole-wheat pastry? Sorry may be a dumb questions but wanted to make sure I got it correct.
1 1/2 heaping cups unbleached all-purpose flour (sub up to 1/3 whole-wheat pastry)
Carmen says
Made these today… Best cookies I have ever eaten! Delicious. I made half the amount and I made around 10 cookies. I also used regular butter and it worked perfectly. I skipped the cornstarch as I did not have any and the texture is perfect and very chewy. I wish I added a bit more cinnamon, could be because I didn’t add the frosting or cinnamon on top! Great recipe, thanks!!
Whoop! We are so glad you enjoyed them, Carmen!
Bekah says
I have made these multiple times and every time they come out ridiculously amazing. I have made some good cookies in my day but these top the list!
Love bringing them to potlucks because the plate is always empty by the end.
Ella Pyne says
Can I roll them out and shape them?
Yes, I think that will work!
Baylie says
These are delicious! So glad I made a double batch. My husband said that they’re some of the best cookies he’s ever had. :)
Brittany says
I made these for Thanksgiving today and they turned out amazing! Thank you so much for the recipe!
Yay! So glad to hear, Brittany!
Kim says
Oh wow! I made these and they turned out amazing it was so easy and fun, the batter was delicious,and the smell made my heart skip! Even if the batter got a little sticky on my hands after freezing and waiting 50 seconds too much , I didn’t mind eating it off!!!!
Sydney says
Made these today and oh my goodness, they are amazing! My boyfriend, who is a sugar cookie lover, said these are his favorite cookie I have ever made! I have made probably 20 of your recipes so far and none of them have let me down! Thank you, Dana!
Sydney says
For the frosting, can I use the canned pumpkin instead of the pumpkin butter? Same amounts?
Hi Sydney! That should work!
Kristin says
I found mine were chalky to the taste when done. We used gluten free flour though. Any ideas on how to make it less chalky?
Valerie M. says
These are absolutely delicious (made them without the frosting). My 10 year old is absolutely addicted, and I have to admit, I am too! My daughter has many food allergies, so I’m always thrilled when I can find something yummy to make her at home. Thanks for the stellar recipe, we will be making these often!
Doug says
I make these for our halloween party and they were outstanding. The flavor was excellent and the icing was creamy goodness. The only thing I did different was to roll the chilled batter on a pastry cloth and use a glass to cut them out. That way I could make sure they were all uniform. Thanks for the recipe. It’s a keeper.
Lilly says
These are amazing!! I used pumpkin pie filling instead of puré and didn’t add the pumpkin spice but they were still so good! I found it made less than the recipe states but still absolutely wonderful!! Will be adding to my fall baking list!
Amber Rea says
I just made these for my son’s Halloween Pumpkin Patch adventure at school tomorrow. They are all about a year old so I decided not to make the frosting to save on the sugar. These are perfect! Not too sweet, soft and easy for little hands and mouths with the perfect amount of pumpkin and spice to remind you of the fall without being overwhelming and in your face. Love these! I will definitely be making these, with the frosting, for the holidays!
Lindsey says
Hi, could I substitute coconut butter for the earthbalance butter? Thanks! Love your site! :)
Hi Lindsey! Yes you can!
Lindsey says
Great, thank you!!
Lindsey says
Hi, could I substitute coconut butter for the earthbalance butter? I don’t have access to vegan butter. Thanks! Love your site! :)
Nat n says
Do you think these could make good whoopie pies?
Hi! That should work!
Nat says
Already did it and tagged you on Insta ;). Worked like a dream! Thanks always yr my fav!
Tfro says
These turned out delicious! I can’t stop eating them. Next time I’ll have to double the recipe. I made the dough at night and baked them in the morning. I am at high altitude and they turned out perfect with no adjustments.
Bianca says
Hi, this recipe looks great what can I use to replace the all purpose flour?
Hi Bianca! You could use GF flour, or whole wheat flour!
Sara says
So good! I used mashed banana because I didn’t have pumpkin and used half applesauce in place of half of the “butter”… so good! And almost healthy, right?! ;)
Kali says
These are fabulous! I used gluten free flour and even used stevia “sugar” instead to save calories! So yummy!! Thank you. Vegan and Gluten Free!!! ????
Samantha says
The GF flour didn’t mess with the recipe? What kind did/do you use?
Emily says
I have been vegan for over 1.5 years and this was my first time really experimenting with vegan baking! I usually just buy pre-made items from whole foods because I am afraid to mess up in the kitchen. However, this recipe was so easy to follow, and the batter was amazing… so I knew they were going to turn out great! I brought them to a family gathering and everyone liked them and I didn’t even broadcast that they were vegan. So excited to continue baking in the future! :)
Amber says
This recipe is fantastic! I’m not vegan normally but some of my friends are. They turned out amazing. 5 stars
Michael says
Instead of 1/4 C. pumpkin or apple sauce, I enjoy making these cookies using two flax eggs with some strong green tea as the liquid.
Felicia Trevett says
Hi Dana!
Will using gluten-free flour mess with the recipe?
Thanks,
Felicia (:
Yes, but I have a V/GF recipe coming soon!
Felicia Trevett says
Oh, wonderful! Thanks for the response! ?
Samantha says
Have you created the GF cookie version yet? I can’t find it…
Not of these, but you may be interested in our Fluffy Vegan GF Sugar Cookies!
Christina says
My family and I loved these! They were so good!
Teresa Endress says
I am excited to try these cookies out. I will let you know how they turn out. I use a lot of your recipes, so thank you.
Sam says
Made these yesterday… hands down the BEST sugar cookies I’ve ever tasted. You know how usually the dough tastes better than the actual cookie? Well, this cookie tastes just as good as the dough! I was skeptical making it without eggs (a first, for me) but I am so happy with how they turned out! Next time I need to make cookies, I’m heading straight to this website!
Nice! Thanks Sam! xoxo
Barb says
I made these for the first time yesterday and brought them to a family get together. Every single person raved over them. They are simply delicious! I did use the optional pumpkin butter (store bought) and vanilla in the frosting and it was seriously some of the best frosting I’ve had. I can’t wait to make another batch to bring to the office. Thanks for the recipe. It’s a definite keeper!
Lorraine says
Just made these! They smell delicious and taste even better! We’re sending them with our daughter to a Halloween function tomorrow (but I will admit – we’re keeping a few for ourselves ;P )
LOVE your recipes Dana – every single one I’ve tried has been a smashing success!
Nina says
Everything turned out perfect! It is pretty sweet.. I had two in a sitting. Frosted decadence! That’s not store bought ;)
Also, thank you for the spot on measurements, icing to cookie, and cookie dough, I love when recipe works out that way!
The Pie Lady says
I made these for a vegan friend and of course I had to try some and they turned out super yummy! I did omit the almond milk as I had none and the dough was soft already. Left them in the fridge overnight and popped them in the oven the next morning. They turned out soft, a little cakey, and perfect.
Lauren says
I am a huuge pumpkin spice fan, so I was looking for the perfect recipe, and I definitely found it! Your recipes never ever disappoint :) I wish I could rate this more than 5 stars!
These were like autumn in cookie form. I made a batch and it was gone in like, 3 hours. (a.k.a my fam approves)
I didn’t have any pumpkin butter for the icing, but it turned out very tasty without it :)
Thank you so so much for this recipe!
Monika says
I make these all the time and they are my favourite cookie! I want to make a batch of the dough (I have some pumpkin puree leftover that I do not want to waste), and I was wondering if the raw dough can be frozen? If so, how long will it keep in the freezer? Many thanks! :-)
Parmis says
Hey :) is it normal that the batter is very doughy more like cake dough? Can i save it with more flour?
Daynah says
These are delicious! I added extra pumpkin and added flax when I made them. They are really pumpkiny which is great because pumpkin is so yummy and good for you. And my house smells amazing because of them. Thanks for the great recipe!
Colleen says
These were one of your first recipes for me to try, browsing one night for a solution to a craving. I used real butter and left out the pumpkin in the frosting and they were so good and soft.
Mariana says
So I didn’t realize the pumpkin butter recipe was from oh she glows and I made yours instead…. that will work fine, right?
Chris Gibson says
My 16 year old daughter has been vegan since she was twelve years old. I made these yummy cookies and she said these were the best cookies she has ever had! These were the only request she had for Thanksgiving! The pumpkin butter we love on toast, bagels, and sliced apples!
martha says
Hi – the instructions say “Dip a glass into cane sugar and then gently smash the cookie ball down into a disc (see photo).” — I don’t see a pic of this – can you point me toward it or email it to me? thanks!
Just as it says, dip the bottom of a class in cane sugar, then use it to smash down the cookie into a flat disc.
Katie says
These. Are. Amazing! I made them for one of my guy friends for his birthday. I bought a big cookie jar and put cute October themed labels on it before I put the cookies in. However, my dad sneakily ate a couple cookies without my notice. Even so, he said those were the best cookies I have made so far! He would have been surprised if I told him they were vegan! My guy friend also said they were extremely delicious along with his sister. I will definitely make these again!
Rachel says
My new favorite cookie! Fun to make on a date night, and we ended up with some amazingly yummy cookies! Thank you!
NHParry says
Veganism doesn’t include sugar – brown sugar or organic cane sugar.
Sub coconut sugar if you’re concerned.
Mariana says
Actually raw cane sugar is vegan ?
Kate says
I’ve made these twice now and both times they were blooming marvellous. I used GF flour (Doves Farm for UK people) so they were a little crumblier, but still utterly delicious. The first time I made them I iced them all and the added moistness made them disintegrate a bit over the few days before they were all gone. So the second time I made a pot of the icing (sorry – frosting!) and kept in the fridge so we could add as we ate. Big thumbs up!!
Jenna says
I was very excited for these cookies, but was disappointed in the results. My cookies came out extremely thin and crumbly. Not one of the cookies survived without breaking or crumbling. The only recipe substitution I made was using turbinado sugar for all of the sugar. Any thoughts on what happened with my batch?
Turbinado is much grainier and doesn’t act the same in these cookies as cane. That’s probably what went wrong!
Chey says
Do you think substituting applesauce for the vegan butter would negatively impact the final product?
Yes, I wouldn’t recommend it.
Laurena says
These were absolutely amazing. I was almost wishing there was more pumpkin, but I was also looking for a sugar cookie recipe. We never got to make the frosting, but I am sure that would bump up the delicous pumpkin flavor. My boys and I were too excited to wait to make the frosting and they tasted great with out it. Next time we will try to wait and make it.
Mouse says
I’m so confused with the first step. It states: “Add softened butter to a large mixing bowl and cream with a mixer for 1 minute.” But in the ingredient list there is no mention of cream. What kind of cream do I mix with the butter?
Oh, cream is using the mixer to blend it into a cream! Sorry to confuse.
Silbia says
I would love to make these for Halloween, but they need to be gluten free. Do you think that if I substitute the flour for gluten free flour, will it make a difference?
Cherry says
I made these cookies this morning to take to a pumpkin carving party this evening and they were a huge, gigantic, enormous hit. I even had adults hoarding the last of them from the kids! My husband managed to swipe one and shared it with me or I’d have no idea how awesome they tasted. Really good cookie. The texture was perfect and the frosting totally rocked it. Thank you.
Caroline says
Wow… These turned out amazing for Thanksgiving. Also followed your mashed potato recipe and oh my word. Thank you!
Wonderful! So glad you enjoyed them, Caroline!
Kristi says
Posting again because I meant to rate it also. Five stars for sure!!
Kristi says
Thank you so much for this recipe. These might be the most amazing cookies I’ve ever tasted. The frosting is perfect!
Wonderful! Thanks for sharing, Kristi!
Karen says
I just made these for Canadian Thanksgiving and they turned out perfectly! Thanks for the recipe.
I subbed an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend for the flour, which worked well, and they’re still nice and soft.
Yay! Thanks for sharing!!
Emma says
Can I make these without vegan ingredients? I was curious because it may effect the cookie itself, but I’m unsure. These look delicious though!
Yes, I think so! Let me know if you give it a try ;D
Alexandra says
I really loved these cookies! I do have a question though – they taste more like gingersnaps than pumpkin cookies – has anyone else experienced this? I am a VERY inexperienced baker, so I am not sure what adjustments would be appropriate? (It’s also quite possible that its me, and not the recipe turn out that way) In either case, what do you think? More pumpkin filling, or just less spice? And if more pumpkin, should I use more flour to keep the consistency?
Any help would be appreciated! I am hoping to make my second batch this week! Thanks!!!!
Perhaps try let spices next time. That’s probably what did it!
Dominic Borrelli says
I LOVE these cookies. I made them this morning and they turned out fantastic! They are perfect for fall and are very pumpkiny, which I love. Even my dad (who’s anything BUT vegan) loved them. Will definitely make them again.
Michelle says
I made these last night and they are amazing! I’ve been passing them out for everyone I know to try and they all love them! This is definitely a keeper. Thanks for the awesome recipes, everything of yours that I’ve tried has turned out fantastic :)
Erin Smith says
Okay Dana, listen:
#1 – These cookies are AMAZING. Seeing as how I’m a “basic bitch” of a vegan and my blood is currently made of pumpkin spice, these cookies were perfect.
#2 – I didn’t have the ingredients for the frosting, so since I’m too lazy to go to the grocery store, I made your pumpkin cashew frosting instead. Still awesome.
#3 – I’ve decided that you are #lifegoals.
#4 – Your last name is almost the same as my maiden name (Shults), so I’ve legally declared that we’re related and I expected to be invited to your holiday dinners.
K thanks bai!
Joy says
I just made these and they are sooooooo good!!!!!! Thank you!!!! I give these a perfect 10!
Yay! thanks for sharing!
Monika P. says
I just made these as I had some leftover pumpkin puree that I had to use it. All I can say is, wow! These are soooo good! Perfect for Fall weather time, and gets one in the mood for Halloween. I will definitely be making these again at Halloween, maybe with cookie cutters and some decorations. I did not frost mine, as they were perfect as is, and I wanted to keep them simple (plus, why mess with perfection!). Can’t wait to see how they are tomorrow, as I have discovered that many vegan baked goods (esp cookies and cupcakes) taste even better the next day or two. Thanks, once again, for another superb recipe! You are now my go-to person for vegan recipes, as they almost always come out perfect and delicious! :-)
Lorn says
I made a test batch and was so impressed by how simple and how delicious this is that I baked a bigger batch the next day. I quadrupled the recipe (2 cups of vegan butter, 6 cups of flour, etc). I forgot to add almond milk; placed the dough in 2 big pastry bags with star tip before chilling. I piped the dough onto the parchment paper creating lovely 1 1/2 inch rosettes. This yielded 220 cookies which were devoured quickly by 20 appreciative adults and kids! They couldn’t believe the cookies were vegan! (Btw, my cookies turned out crispy which I so much.)
(p.s. I have included this recipe in my “Prized Recipes” notebook. Thanks very much for this! More power to you!)
Hilary says
I saw these cookies and I kid you not, I went in the kitchen and roasted my pie pumpkin for homemade puree, then I baked the seeds and made these FANTASTIC cookies!!! I’m in love :)
Lindsey says
This looks great but I dont understand step 3. Is it saying I should add all dry ingredients to a sifter, then stir, then sift over the wet ingredients? OR am I sifting dry ingredients together, then stirring, then adding to wet ingredients?
emily says
Made these yesterday and were awesome. I did half butter and half vegan shortening I know strange but it’s all I had and they were great. I formed 2 disks and wrapped them in seran wrap. I refrigerated an hour and then put in freezer to firm up more and then roll out 3/4 of the dough and did cookie cutter trees and then did the remaining as you said and both are great . I like traditional sugar cookie no icing and these were so nice being pumpkin and not overpowering. I did homemade royal icing on my trees.
Thank you another great recipe
Emily
Whitney says
I’m trying to make something quick tomorrow before work, to bring to my co-workers, so I have a couple of questions.
1) I’m a little confused about the instructions for whole wheat flour. I’ve never used it before in my baking.
2) I would love to make the frosting, but I don’t have enough pumpkin purée to make the pumpkin butter. Are there any alternative frosting recipes for this recipe, or if I could just use pumpkin purée instead of the butter.
Thanks!
Sarita Shoemaker says
WOW these were off the scale DELICIOUS! I blew it on mixing the items separately but that didn’t seem to matter. They were so light and fluffy. I think I’ll be leaving them in a tad bit longer because I love that crunchy edge of a cookie.
I shared with friends and got a 100% WOW THANKS back too.
I used GF OAT FLOUR for the gluten-free attempt.
Thsnkd@
Melissa says
I have made these about 5 times in the last two weeks. This is my favorite recipe I’ve made so far, with the pb&j pie close second. They are absolutely amazing! Even my family, who are the furthest thing from ever being vegan, devoured them. They couldn’t even tell. Such a big hit.
I can’t wait to try out the vegan shephard’s pie and cinnamon rolls tonight, and I’m sure they’re going to be delicious.
PS, I have been following your blog for a little over two years and every single recipe I have tried has been a hit! (breakfast potatoes, mint brownie cashew ice cream, one pot vegan pasta, best damn mashed potatoes, no bake pb&j pie!) Please don’t ever stop!
Bonnie says
I needed to flatten them more, but these are delicious! I used this spiced buttercream icing instead: http://ohsheglows.com/2010/10/02/pumpkin-gingerbread-with-spiced-buttercream/
Corinn says
Question for you.
As mentioned above, I made there and they were a HUGE hit. Since my post last week, I have made 3 batches to share at my daughters 2nd birthday party.
I’m wondering if you have experimented with using cookie cutters? Or is the dough too sticky for that? I saw the same question asked above, but did not see a response.
Elli says
Can I substitute some other plant-based fat in place of the vegan butter? Do you think substituting melted coconut oil would work?
It may, but I’m not sure! If you give it a try, let me know how it goes!
Jennifer Gagne says
Not good. The flavor didn’t even do it for me. I’m considered the “cookie lady” so I know my way around the kitchen but these failed worse than any cookie ever has. Sorry
Melanie says
These are absolutely delicious – it’s as if a spice cookie and a pumpkin whoopie pie had a love child. My 6 and 8yo love them too and proclaimed that when I take them to a neighborhood gathering this evening, they’re going to get them all first! Luckily, there is extra icing so I will be making another batch for us tomorrow. These took me back to pumpkin cookies my mom made when I was little (the recipe has long since been lost) but much, much better.
One small note on the frosting recipe: It says to add the vanilla but there is no amount specified. So, I added 1/2 tsp. Not sure if that was what you intended but the icing was, as my son said, “the best icing I’ve ever tasted.” Thanks for another great recipe and lovely site! I look forward to every email! :-)
Thanks! And thank you for the vanilla note. Amending that now.
Bryanna Duca says
Just made these tonight with my sister to get into the Halloween spirit and they were sooooo delicious!
They’re everything that a sugar cookie should be (cruchy corners and soft inside) and super fitting with the “all pumpkin everythaaaang” theme in the fall.
For our frosting, we added a little pumpkin puree to the mixture and it was awesome.
Nomnom :) thank you for the recipe!!
Kathryn says
Would love to make these but am wondering — can I roll them out and cut with a cookie cutter? How should I do this?
Laurie says
I made these cookies for a family gathering this weekend, and they were a huge hit. They were absolutely delicious! I have made many different types of pumpkin cookies over the years, but these were my favorite by far! Thanks for the great recipe!
PS: I featured these cookies on my blog today
Molly R says
Hi Dana,
Is the dough okay to refrigerate/freeze for a few days? I’m hoping to prep a batch to make on Friday!
Cheers,
Molly
I think it would, but I haven’t tried it! Of course, if you do I’d recommend letting it come back down to room temp before trying to work with it. Let me know how it goes!
Corinn says
Made these tonight. Not usually a fan of Pumpkin flavored treats, but my husband is. Gotta say though, they were delicious. Let my almost two year old lick the beaters because it would be bedtime for her when they were ready to eat. She thoroughly enjoyed her portion :)
Only used 2 cups of sugar in the frosting. Made a nice consistency and perfectly sweet. Also, used more pumpkin purée, because we were sans pumpkin butter. They flavor was great, we will just keep them in the fridge to avoid spoiling.
Thanks!
Sarah says
Love your site, cannot take my eyes off it lately, and just made these. I ran out of flour, so used half whole wheat flour, also no pumpkin spice, so I made my own sans mace and allspice, ok that was dumb- will attempt to be more prepared next time! but these turned out great Dana, thank you for your inspiration.
teresa says
can you make these gluten free?
Andria says
I used a gf all purpose flour (TJ’s) and they came out well. They spread out more than expected, but still had a good texture.
Kim says
Hello!
I just made these and they’re great! I actually used white whole wheat & pastry flour.
I don’t want to make all if the cookies right now though, can I freeze the batter?
Thanks!
Lovely!! I haven’t tried freezing the batter, but I would assume if you froze the little discs it would work fine!
Emily says
I may need a half dozen ASAP!
Joanna @ Everyday made fresh says
I will make these soon! Too many inticing words not too! (One bowl, simple, one hour start to finish, and pumpkin!!)
ha! Sorry to tempt! Let me know how it goes if you do!
Andria says
So stoked to make these tonight. I’m already imagining a variation with apple butter, for when this year’s pumpkin obsession wears off :)
Randle Browning says
Yep, it looks like I’m going to have to make these. After making different versions of those funfetti cupcakes twice already, I think the cookies can’t be far away. And that icing! Swoon.
Heidi says
Dana,
If I don’t have cane sugar, can I use regular sugar or will that create a problem?
Nope! That works!
Heidi says
Just tasted these yummy little guys….SOOOOOO GOOODDDD!!! My roommate approves too :)
Hooray! Thanks for sharing!
Erin Jenkins says
I really want to make these but have no vegan butter on hand. Would it be possible to use soft coconut oil?
I think so, but I can’t guarantee the results. Check back if you do!
Erin Jenkins says
I just wanted to share my results using coconut oil in place of the vegan butter. They came out FANTASTIC! The dough gets soft if you don’t handle it quickly but I had no real problems. I rolled mine in sugar/pumpkin pie spice and then flattened them on a parchment lined cookie sheet. I bake exactly 10 minutes and let them cool about 2 minutes once done. They don’t look quite as perfect as the ones pictured but they are super soft and delicious! Thanks for a great recipe. My kids are in heaven :)
Marilyn says
Awesome! I was scrolling through seeing if this was possible. I don’t use vegan butter but I’m going to try mine now with coconut oil!
Caitlin says
I also subbed the 1/2 c butter for 1/2 c refined coconut oil with good results. The cookies were on the cakier side, and while I prefer chewy cookies they were still very good! I will try these again sometime with the butter to compare the texture.
Also, I freezed the dough for the recommended 15 minutes and was worried when it came out slightly frozen on top, but the cookies turned out beautifully. In fact they came out very similar to the pictures which NEVER happens so I was quite pleased !
Thanks for the recipe !
Thanks Caitlin! Thanks so much for sharing!
Michele @ Two Raspberries says
Wow! I am totally going to try these they look delicious! And they look so soft I could sink my teeth into one of these right now! Yummm pinning these babies!
Matea says
Pumpkin butter sounds perfect for fall! Why haven’t I heard of it before!
Justine says
Is there anyway to get the nutritional information for this recipe? :)
Sorry about that! I’ll add it later today.
Gaby says
I love fall recipes, and these look perfect!!
Medha @ Whisk & Shout says
I’ve always made and frosted seasonal sugar cookies… but I’ve never thought about actually flavoring them to match the season! Guess my halloween cookies this year will actually fit the holiday :)
Alexandra Marie says
Wow, I can’t wait to try this recipe ! They look absolutely delicious. !
Alexandra Marie
Bird says
I have been searching for the perfect way to use my new Earth Balance buttery sticks. Score.
Bird says
These were a hit with my in-laws. Again, score.
Allison says
These remind me of those old slice and bake cookies from the refrigerator section at the shop. Love the seasonal take on them. That orange hue is just gorgeous as well. Halloween party-worthy!!!
Emily says
These look absolutely delicious! I’ll try these soon!
xx
Millie | Add A Little says
These look totally awesome Dana! I love the sound of adding frosting – there is never too much pumpkin!!
Mira says
I love cookies of any kind and these are just perfect for fall! Vegan, even better! The frosting is delicious, as I’ve made very similar one for cupcakes.
Tracy | Pale Yellow says
I just made these and the batter is so good I barely had any left to bake cookies!
ha! Good problem to have!
T. says
Those cookies look so good!
Kate @ Almond Butter Binge says
Vegan Pumpkin Lofthouse Cookies! These look outrageously good — and perfect for the season. Thanks for sharing!
Tina Jui says
I absolutely LOVE sugar cookies with frostings… yum yum yum. Pumpkin isn’t such a big spice and flavour to bake with in the UK, and I’m really missing it.
Sad day. Good thing it’s really easy to mix yourself! Just combine cinnamon, ginger, allspice, cloves and nutmeg!
Laura @ TheGreenForks.com says
WOW- these look soooooo good! Can’t wait to make them :D
Nora @ Savory Nothings says
Aaaah I agree, they are so cute! Looks gorgeous as always – and love the handmodelling going on there :)
Katie @ Veggie and the Beast says
These are so cute! That texture looks perfect. Love the bright orange board in your pics – so fun! Pinnnnnnned.
Anne says
This looks amazing! I’m going to make these.
Dana- You and I must think alike! I had a friend over 2 days ago and made your ginger cookies but instead of orange zest and orange juice (in the buttercream frosting/filling) we used pumpkin spice. Our cookies turned out pretty much like these!
Keep up all the delicious recipes!
-Anne
Thanks Anne! Sounds like you beat me to the awesomeness that is pumpkin cookies!
Danielle @.Chits and Chats and Chocolate says
These look dreamy! Sugar cookies are definitely an important part of fall, so these cookie are a must on my list!
Lenna says
Can I follow this recipe but use real butter and milk?
Allison Marks says
I did and used an egg instead of tapioca. It still worked great! So light. Yum!
Cindy says
I’ve read this recipe twice and don’t see mention of tapioca or flax egg or anything egg like? Am I blind? About to make and am worried I’m missing a step!
Christy N. says
Hi Cindy! I’ve read that when using pumpkin you don’t need to use an egg otherwise it will make your cookies have a cakey texture.
Nicole Schurdell says
It calls for cornstarch or tapioca as the thickener/binder. I just made them and they are delicious!!