Notes: It’s
REALLY important to follow the instructions exactly as written! The order of ingredient additions, as well as when you stir them in, makes a big difference in the texture of your cookies!
Use canned pumpkin purée, (also called “100% pure pumpkin”) like
this! Do NOT substitute pumpkin pie mix; it contains added sugar, spices, and other ingredients, which changes the taste and texture of these cookies.
For the homemade pumpkin spice, use as follows: ¾ teaspoon
ground cinnamon (← that’s my favorite and I buy it online there!), ⅛ teaspoon
ground allspice, ⅛ teaspoon
ground nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon
ground cloves, and ⅛ teaspoon
ground ginger.
Any milk may be substituted for the unsweetened vanilla almond milk.
Brown sugar may be substituted for the coconut sugar.
This is my favorite store-bought oat flour (
this is the gluten-free version!) because it’s so fine and powdery. I also show you how to make your own at home
here!
White whole wheat flour,
whole wheat pastry flour, regular whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the oat flour.
Be very careful when measuring the flour! Use
this method or a
kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own!) Too much oat flour will make your cookies cakey, bready, or dry instead of soft and chewy.
Do NOT overbake these cookies! They’re done baking when the centers still feel soft and underdone. The heat from the metal baking sheet will continue to cook the centers all the way through while you let them rest for 10 minutes at the end of Step 3. (If you bake them for too long, your cookies will turn out with a cakey or bready texture.)
This recipe is easily doubled!
GLUTEN-FREE VERSION: Use gluten-free oat flour, like
this. For a non-oat-flour gluten-free option, use the following: ¼ cup (30g)
millet flour, ¼ cup (30g)
tapioca flour, 3 tablespoons (21g)
coconut flour, and ¾ teaspoon
xanthan gum. Most store-bought gluten-free flour blends (like
this one!) will work as well, if measured
like this.
DAIRY-FREE, EGG-FREE + VEGAN VERSION: Use coconut oil or stick-style vegan butter (
this is my favorite!). Use vegan-friendly miniature chocolate chips (
these are my favorite!).
HOW TO STORE PUMPKIN COOKIES: Store your pumpkin cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Do NOT store these at room temperature! Because of the high moisture content of pumpkin, they turn moldy really quickly if stored at room temperature. Keep them refrigerated until ready to eat. (They also freeze and thaw really well!)
{gluten-free, dairy-free, egg-free, vegan, clean eating, low fat}