Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

It’s a fall day, and vegan pumpkin chocolate chip cookies just sound good, don’t they? Or it’s the middle of summer, and you long for the day you can bundle up in flannel by the fire and gorge on hot chocolate and cookies (does that happen to you, or is it just me?) No matter the season, this vegan pumpkin cookie recipe makes for a delicious dessert.

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Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• So autumn: This pumpkin cookie recipe combines every element of fall, from the star ingredient pumpkin to the nutty almond flour to the seasonal spices and the caramelly maple syrup. 
• Quick: From batter to baked perfection in just 12 minutes. 
• Vegan: No FOMO with these egg-free and dairy-free pumpkin cookies – great for anyone with allergies to lactose or eggs. 

Nutrition For Mental Health

One cup of pumpkin puree contains 19 grams of carbohydrates (7 grams of fiber), 7 grams of fat, and 3 grams of protein. It is rich in vitamins A, K, and E, as well as copper. Pumpkin is also a good source of iron, magnesium, riboflavin, potassium, and vitamins B6 and C. A meta-analysis found that beta-carotene and vitamin A intake are associated with a reduced risk of depression.

Ingredients + Substitutions

Here are the main ingredients for these vegan pumpkin cookies, along with some helpful options for substitutions.

• Flour: These vegan pumpkin cookies call for both whole-wheat pastry flour and almond flour. If you would like to make them gluten-free, then I recommend subbing the whole-wheat pastry flour for a gluten-free all-purpose flour mix.
• Sugar: A combination of cane sugar and maple syrup makes these vegan cookies perfectly sweet. If you want a lower sugar option, then replace the cane sugar with monk fruit sugar or stevia. You can also use white sugar in place of the cane sugar.
• Spices: Ground cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves. (This combination is similar to using pumpkin pie spice, but instead, you are using individual spices.)
• Pumpkin purée: I recommend using real pumpkin purée or homemade pumpkin purée. Make sure to avoid using canned pumpkin pie filling.
• Coconut oil: Ensure that your coconut oil is solid. If it’s not, stick it in the fridge for a few minutes before including it in this recipe. If you don’t have coconut oil on hand, then vegan butter works well too!
• Chocolate chips: To keep these cookies dairy-free, you want to make sure to use vegan chocolate chips. If you’d like to add extra chocolate chips, go for it! Who doesn’t like more dark chocolate chips?

A full list of ingredients with exact amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Recipe Variations

This recipe is perfect as is. However, here are a couple of variations if you are looking for a twist on a classic recipe.

• Walnuts: The best vegan pumpkin cookies taste wonderful, with some chopped walnuts added into the mix.
• Almond butter: This may seem odd, but a little drizzle of almond butter on top after they come out of the oven.

How To Make Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F/175°C.
2. Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl until combined.

3. Stir in the wet ingredients, including pumpkin, coconut oil, maple syrup, and vanilla extract, until well combined. Using a wooden spoon works for this recipe. Add the vegan chocolate chips and stir with a spoon until evenly dispersed. (Feel free to leave one to two tablespoons of chocolate chips on the side. Then place them on top of the cookies once they are on the cookie sheet.)

4. Scoop dough rounds onto a large baking sheet using a spoon or a cookie scoop. Then lightly flatten with your fingers. (To keep your cookies from sticking, spray the pan with cooking oil, line it with parchment paper, or use a silicone baking mat. 

4. Bake for about 10-12 minutes. (This will give you nice soft cookies with a slight cakey texture. (For chewy cookies, I would recommend checking them at 10 minutes, but then potentially baking them for an additional 1-2 minutes.)

How to make the perfect cookie dough rounds:

Ever wondered what the trick to perfectly even round cookie dough balls could be? Here is my (now worst-kept) secret. 

For these dairy-free pumpkin cookies, use a round ice cream scoop to measure out a uniform amount of dough for each cookie. If they are still a little misshapen, you roll the dough in your hands to round it out before placing the balls on the silicone baking sheet or parchment paper. That’s the secret, an ice cream scoop. You’re welcome. 😉

Pro Tips: 

• If the dough is particularly difficult to shape, it may help to refrigerate the dough for 20 minutes before rolling. 
• Roll with cold hands. Simply run your hands in cold water for 15 seconds and dry before molding your dough.  

Serving Tips

Here are some tasty pairings for these dairy-free pumpkin cookies.

• Drinks: Enjoy a warm cup of dairy-free hot cocoa or golden latte. For a refreshing option, sip on a glass of this winter orange spritz or oolong boba tea.
• Soup: Warm up with a bowl of homemade minestrone, pressure cooker butternut squash soup, or creamy dairy-free broccoli soup.
• Mains: Imagine chowing down on a mini veggie pot pie, meatless pot pie, or personal-sized lasagna!

Storage Tips

Store leftover cookies from this pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe in an airtight container. Store them at room temperature for 2-3 days or in the fridge for 4-5 days.

If you are looking for another tasty winter treat, try these Vegan Peppermint Mocha Cookies or these Vegan Pumpkin Scones.

If you tried this Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!

Recipe

Reference

Zhang, Y., Ding, J., & Liang, J. (2022). Associations of Dietary Vitamin A and Beta-Carotene Intake With Depression. A Meta-Analysis of Observational Studies. Frontiers in nutrition, 9, 881139. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnut.2022.881139