These Gluten-Free Vegan Pumpkin Cookies strike the ideal balance of pumpkin spice and chocolate. Ready in minutes and made with wholesome ingredients like oat and almond flour, pumpkin puree, and classic pumpkin spices, they deliver cozy fall flavor without refined white flour or powdered sugar. Crispy at the edges and soft inside, they combine the best of a chocolate chip cookie and a pillowy pumpkin cookie in every bite.
Why You’ll Love These Chocolate Chip Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cookies
- Quick to make: Ready in minutes for fast pumpkin satisfaction.
- Wholesome ingredients: Made with oat and almond flour, pumpkin puree, natural sweeteners, and no refined flour.
- Perfect texture: Slightly crisp edges with a soft, tender center.
- Cozy fall flavor: Pumpkin spice and chocolate chips make them irresistible.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Everything you need for tasty chocolate chip pumpkin cookies, plus easy swaps so you can adapt the recipe to what you have on hand.
Almond flour: Substitute with gluten-free all-purpose flour or a blend of GF AP flour and oat flour.
Oat flour: Replace with GF all-purpose flour or omit if unavailable.
Coconut sugar: Swap for brown sugar, granulated sugar, or maple sugar.
Pumpkin puree: Use mashed sweet potato, butternut squash, or applesauce; homemade pumpkin puree works too.
Oil: Replace with melted vegan butter, coconut oil, or avocado oil.
Maple syrup: Swap for agave nectar, honey (if not strictly vegan), or brown rice syrup.
Vanilla extract: Substitute with almond or maple extract if desired.
Pumpkin spice: Make your own by mixing cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
Baking soda/powder: Baking powder can replace baking soda; omit baking powder if your GF blend already contains it.
Chocolate chips: Replace with chopped nuts, dried fruit, or seeds.
Adjustments: Reduce oil up to 1/4 cup or reduce sugar up to 1/2 cup for less rich or less sweet cookies. Adjust spices to taste.
How to Make These Vegan Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies
Step 1: Mix the dough
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the dry and wet ingredients: almond flour, oat flour, coconut sugar, pumpkin spice, baking soda, baking powder, salt, pumpkin puree, oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Stir until the mixture is well combined and cohesive.
Step 2: Add chocolate chips
Option 1: Fold dairy-free chocolate chips into the dough, scoop onto a parchment-lined sheet, cover with another piece of parchment and press each ball flatter (this prevents sticking to your hands). The cookies won’t spread much in the oven, so flattening is important.
Option 2: Place 7–10 chips into your scoop, then add dough so chips remain on top. Release onto the sheet and gently press to flatten so the chips sit visibly on the cookie surface.
Step 3: Bake
Bake at 350°F for 11–13 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden. Watch closely near the end of baking to avoid overbaking—remove when centers are set but still soft.
Step 4: Cool and enjoy
Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Cooling helps them firm up and improves texture.
Recipe Notes
Custom spice blend: If you don’t have pumpkin spice, combine cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and cloves to taste.
Texture tips: For softer cookies bake 1–2 minutes less. For firmer, bake slightly longer. Flattening dough before baking gives a more cookie-like shape since these won’t spread much.
Mix-ins: Try chopped nuts, dried fruit, or seeds. You can also skip chips and top with cream cheese frosting for a different treat.
Serving Suggestions
- With hot chocolate: A cozy pairing for cooler weather.
- Extra chips: Press a few extra chips on top after baking for a more chocolatey presentation.
- Warm with dairy-free ice cream: Serve as a dessert with a scoop of dairy-free vanilla.
- Homemade gift: Package cooled cookies for fall gatherings or gifts.
Room temperature: Store in an airtight container up to one week. Keep away from humidity to maintain crisp edges.
Refrigeration: Store in an airtight container for longer freshness; bring to room temperature before serving for best texture.
Freezing: Freeze in a single layer until firm, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in a 350°F oven.
Layering: Separate layers with parchment to prevent sticking.
Can I replace almond flour? Yes—use other nut flours or gluten-free all-purpose flour. For nut-free, try sunflower seed flour.
Alternative to oat flour? Gluten-free all-purpose or rice flour work well.
Other sweeteners? Brown sugar or cane sugar can replace coconut sugar; liquid sweeteners like agave or brown rice syrup can substitute for maple syrup.
Chocolate chips? Regular chips can be used if dietary restrictions aren’t a concern.
Can I add nuts or dried fruit? Absolutely—mix in your favorites for extra texture.
Do you love pumpkin? Check out more easy and nutritious sweet pumpkin recipes:
- Healthy Pumpkin Muffin Recipe with Oat Streusel
- Easy Gluten-Free Maple Pumpkin Pie with Almond Flour
- Healthier Gluten-Free Olive Garden Pumpkin Cheesecake
- Fluffy Pumpkin Protein Pancakes with Cottage Cheese
- Pumpkin Cheesecake Cottage Cheese Ice Cream
- Pumpkin Banana Bread Muffins (Gluten-Free)
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies [Vegan]
Gluten-Free | Vegan
Pin Recipe
Ingredients
- 1-1/2 cups almond flour
- 1-1/2 cups oat flour
- 3/4 cup coconut sugar
- 2/3 cup pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup oil (light olive oil recommended)
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup dairy-free chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large bowl, whisk together almond flour, oat flour, coconut sugar, pumpkin spice, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Add pumpkin puree, oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract; mix until well blended.
- Option 1: Fold in chocolate chips, scoop onto parchment-lined sheet, and flatten slightly before baking. Option 2: Place chips on top of scoops and press down so chips remain visible; flatten as needed.
- Bake at 350°F for about 11–13 minutes, until edges are lightly golden. Watch closely to avoid overbaking.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 13 g
Protein: 2 g
Fat: 8 g
Sugar: 8 g
Fiber: 1 g
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Important Disclaimer
This recipe is created by a home cook and not a medical professional. Our ingredient philosophy is reviewed by RDNs, but this specific post is not personalized medical advice. Consult your healthcare provider for dietary concerns.