If you or someone you love feels left out during pumpkin chocolate chip cookie season, I’ve got an easy gluten free pumpkin cookie recipe for you that is not only delicious, but will satisfy those who don’t need to eat gluten free!
You will love this Gluten Free Pumpkin Cookie Recipe
Pumpkin cookies have the reputation for being rather cakey. This is what happens when you add pumpkin puree to cookie dough.
These cookies have a slightly cakey texture, but because of the gluten free flour blend that I use they’re just ultra soft and get a little chewy after a day or so — just the way I like them! I actually prefer them to regular pumpkin chocolate chip cookies.
I also love the puddles of dark chocolate in these cookies and the fact that this cookie recipe is naturally sweetened! Maple sugar is super delicious in this recipe, but if you’d rather use regular sugar, you can do that, too.
Gluten Free Pumpkin Cookies Ingredients
Here’s what you need to make these cookies.
- Butter – If you need to make these dairy free as well, you can use palm shortening or a dairy free butter substitute.
- Maple Sugar – I love the flavor this natural sweetener adds. Using coconut sugar is an option, but the flavor is stronger and will make the cookies a darker color. You can also use regular white or brown sugar if you prefer. I like this maple sugar on Amazon.
- Egg
- Pumpkin Puree – Make sure it’s plain pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling. You can find this anywhere. I don’t recommend using Trader Joe’s pumpkin puree because it’s more moist and will affect the outcome of your cookies.
- Vanilla
- Namaste Gluten Free Flour – I recommend this brand specifically because it does such a great job to create that denser, chewy texture in cookies. If you have a gluten free flour blend that you know works well for cookies, go ahead and use it. It’s a product local to Idaho (yay!) and is available at our Costco stores, but you can also find Namaste flour on Amazon.
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Cinnamon – I actually prefer to use just cinnamon here instead of pumpkin pie spice because it lets the pumpkin and chocolate shine more.
- Salt
- Dark chocolate — you can use chips or do what I do and buy a 70-70% dark chocolate bar and chop it into chunks. I love Lindt or Ghirardelli bars for this.
How to make Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
This will feel familiar to you if you’ve made cookies before.
- Cream the butter and maple sugar really well.
- Blend in the egg, pumpkin, and vanilla.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt to the batter. Blend again until mixed well.
- Stir in the dark chocolate. The batter will be a little stickier than regular cookie dough.
- Heat your oven to 350 degrees F and line a large cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop out balls of cookie dough that are roughly 1 1/2 inch in diameter. Lay them on the parchment a couple inches apart.
- Bake for 10 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack.
How to store GF Pumpkin Cookies
Once the cookies cool to room temperature (and assuming they haven’t all been eaten already), store them in an airtight container for up to a week. These cookies do really well for several days and keep their moist texture.
Gluten Free Pumpkin Cookies Recipe FAQs
It’s most likely due to the flour you’re using. If you aren’t using the Namaste brand that I recommended in this recipe, make sure your gluten free flour contains xanthan gum. This will help act as a binder and prevent your cookies from falling apart.
It takes a delicate balance between wet and dry ingredients. Too much wet and the cookies can get mushy. Too dry and they’re dry. They’re not as forgiving as cookies made with traditional flour. Follow the recipe closely and make sure you’re measuring carefully when you make these.
Since these cookies don’t spread much while baking, it’s probably due to mis-measuring ingredients — maybe not adding enough flour. Or using pumpkin puree that is extra wet (like Trader Joe’s brand). I’d find Libby’s pumpkin puree to ensure the best texture for the cookies.
More Gluten Free Cookie Recipes on Perry’s Plate
If you’d like more tasty gluten free cookie recipes, try one of these!
Gluten Free Ginger Cookies – A spicy, chewy, gluten free ginger cookies for the holidays! (They’re especially delicious dipped in dark chocolate.)
Vegan Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies – Make these vegan or not, but make sure to include lots of chocolate.
Best Paleo Chocolate Chip Cookies – I realllllly love these. The touch of sea salt on the top makes all the difference, too!
Apple Cookies – These are also gluten free and have a delicious maple glaze on top!
If you make one of my recipes, be sure to post it on social media and tag me at @perrysplate or #perrysplate so I can send you some love!
GF Pumpkin Cookies
If you or someone you love feels left out during pumpkin chocolate chip cookie season, I’ve got an easy gluten free pumpkin cookie recipe for you that is not only delicious, but will satisfy those who don’t need to eat gluten free!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter, room temperature
- 1 cup maple sugar
- 1 egg
- 3/4 cup pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 2 cups flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 6 ounces dark chocolate chips or chunks
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Cream the butter and maple sugar with an electric mixer or a stand mixer until it has lightened in color, about 3-4 minutes.
- Add the egg, pumpkin puree, and vanilla. Beat well, scraping down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and sea salt, then mix until just combined.
- Stir in the dark chocolate.
- The dough should be softer than regular cookie dough and a lot more airy. Use a small cookie scoop (about 1 1/2 in) to scoop the dough onto the prepared cookie sheet. Leave about 2 between balls.
- Bake for 10-12 minutes until the tops look dry and the bottoms are a light golden brown. If you press lightly on the centers, they'll feel a little too soft, but it's fine. You'll want them like that so they don't dry out quickly.
- These don't spread much, so hit the pan firmly on the oven rack before you take them out of the oven if you'd like them to spread a bit.
- Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool. Store at room temperature for up to a week.
Notes
- I do NOT recommend using Trader Joe's canned pumpkin in this recipe. It adds too much moisture to the dough and makes them mushy.
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