It can be tricky to infuse pumpkin flavor into baked goods. After a few previous experiments, I decided to invest the pumpkin’s sweet and spicy flavor into these cookies. The result was amazing!
The pumpkin chocolate chip cookies require only ten ingredients and are ready within an hour. They are studded with rolled oatmeal and melty dark chocolate chips. We’ll show you how to do it.
How to make vegan pumpkin chocolate chip cookies that are gluten-free
These cookies are made with a base of almond flour, oatmeal, and coconut flakes. This makes them healthier to avoid a sugar rush.
Brown sugar is used to sweeten these cookies, giving them a crispy texture. By day two, they will be more pillowy and tender (and their flavor will get even better! ).
We used Aquafaba to keep them vegan and retain the fluffiness/binding normally provided by eggs. It is a great ingredient that helps keep the cookies together.
Pumpkin puree is not very tasty and can add moisture to baked goods. Pumpkin cookies are even harder to make because of their dense texture.
We used pumpkin butter to solve the problem. It has a stronger pumpkin flavor. It’s easy to make our homemade pumpkin butter, but you can also use store-bought!
Ingredients
DRY
- 1/4 cup Almond flour or meal
- 1/4 cup rolled Oats (certified Gluten-free if needed)
- You can also use more almond meal or oats.
- 1/4 cup vegan dark chocolate chips
- 1/4 tsp of baking powder
- 1/4 tsp sea salt (optional)
- 1 Tbsp Pumpkin Pie Spice
- You can also use coconut sugar, but brown sugar is preferred for the best texture.
WET
- 1/4 cup Aquafaba
- 2 Tbsp Pumpkin Butter
- 2 Tbsp avocado oil or melted coconut oil
- 1/2 tsp vanilla extract (optional)
Instructions
- Mix the almond flour, oats, and coconut in a large bowl. Add baking powder, salt, pumpkin pie spice (optional) and brown sugar.
- Beat aquafaba in a separate bowl (using a hand-held mixer or whisking vigorously if you prefer, but it will take longer) until fluffy and light peaks form. If it isn’t whipping, add a bit of cream of tartar.
- Add the oil, pumpkin butter, and optional vanilla to the aquafaba and whisk or beat until combined. The mixture may deflate slightly — this is okay. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ones and mix until well combined. You should be able to get a semi-tacky, firm dough (see picture). Add more almond meal or flour if the dough is too wet. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. (176 C). Line a baking tray with parchment paper.
- I like to use this scoop. Place the dough on the baking sheet. Then, press down to form a disc. Allow about 1 inch between cookies to allow them to spread. The original recipe calls for 14 cookies. Add a few extra chocolate chips to the top.
- Bake for 14-16 min or until edges are golden brown and expanded. Take care not to burn them (especially the bottoms). They bake very quickly towards the end.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before serving. The longer they cool, the firmer they will become (they may be a little tender straight out of the oven).
- The leftovers can be stored in a container with a loose seal at room temperature for up to three days. They can also be kept in the fridge for four days or in the freezer for one month. On the first day, they’re a little crisp, but by the second and third days, they become more pillowy and tender (it’s sort of like pumpkin cookies). Once cooled, I recommend freezing them to keep their crisp exterior.