Soft, fluffy gluten-free pumpkin cookies are a classic for a reason! They’re perfectly pumpkin-y, lightly spiced and loaded with chocolate chips. These are some of my all-time favorite cookies!
This recipe was originally published in 2016. With dozens of 5-star reviews, it’s a recipe my readers and I come back to every year! Fall isn’t complete without making a batch or two of these cookies!
If you want a pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe that’s delicious and gluten-free, you’re in the right place.
A combination of pumpkin, spices, and chocolate chips make these gluten-free, dairy-free cookies the ideal fall treat. Made with a moist, pillowy soft texture, these gluten-free pumpkin cookies are a total crowd pleaser!
Fall just isn’t fall without pumpkin desserts. I LOVE baking with pumpkin, and it shows! (Check out some of my other favorite fall recipes for gluten-free pumpkin chocolate chip bread, gluten-free pumpkin whoopie pies, gluten-free pumpkin pie, gluten-free pumpkin bars and gluten-free pumpkin muffins.)
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love this Recipe
- Moist and pillowy soft
- Classic fall flavors
- Easy to make
- Made with simple ingredients
- Crowd pleaser
- Gluten- and dairy-free
This gluten-free pumpkin cookies recipe is gluten-free and dairy-free, yet tastes just like the classic pumpkin chocolate chip cookies I grew up eating.
And though I sometimes want healthier versions of my favorite desserts, other times, I just want something that tastes like the classic. These soft cookies are the real deal!
This is the kind of recipe you can fearlessly make for a big group, party, or gathering of friends and nobody will even notice the cookies are gluten-free.
VIDEO: How to Make Them!
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here are all of the ingredients you’ll need to make delicious gluten-free pumpkin cookies.
- Gluten-free flour: I recommend using a high-quality gluten-free 1:1 baking flour that contains xanthan gum. I use and recommend King Arthur Flour 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Flour!
- Oil: I like to use coconut oil for this recipe, but you can substitute another type, like vegetable oil or canola.
- Sugar: This gluten-free pumpkin cookies recipe uses both white sugar and brown sugar to add sweetness and molasses flavor to the pumpkin cookies.
- Pumpkin: Make it easy on yourself—take a shortcut and used canned real pumpkin, which offers the same pumpkin flavor of a freshly baked pumpkin. (Note: Do NOT use pumpkin pie filling.)
- Spices: Pumpkin spice like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves are the ultimate combination for any pumpkin recipes.
- Brown sugar: Brown sugar adds greater depth of flavor and a hint of molasses to these cookies.
- Vanilla: I like to use real vanilla extract for better flavor, but imitation vanilla works too.
- Egg: Use one large egg to bring the batter together and add moisture and richness.
- Baking powder/baking soda: Both baking powder and baking soda are needed to achieve the perfect rise and fluffy texture for these gluten-free pumpkin cookies.
- Salt: I prefer fine sea salt for all of my baking, including in this recipe.
- Chocolate chips: Use semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips for this pumpkin cookie dough. Mini chocolate chips work well too!
You also might like this gluten-free pumpkin bread.
Dairy-Free? Be sure to use dairy-free chocolate chips to keep these cookies dairy-free!
How to Make these Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix together the gluten-free flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin and oil on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until incorporated.
- Add the egg and vanilla and mix to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the stand mixer and mix on low speed to to fully combine.
- Stir the chocolate chips into the gluten-free pumpkin cookies batter.
- Using a cookie scoop, scoop 1 1/2 tablespoon-sized dough balls onto the baking sheets.
- Bake the gluten-free pumpkin cookies for 14-16 minutes, until set. (Do not under-bake, or the gluten-free pumpkin cookies will be too wet.)
Storage Instructions
Like most gluten-free cookies, these soft pumpkin cookies are best eaten the day they are made. But if you do have leftovers, they can be stored in an airtight container for a few days.
FAQs
Adding an extra egg or egg yolk can help make gluten-free cookies more moist. For better texture, it’s best to let the dough rest for up to 30 minutes in order to allow the gluten-free flour to absorb all of the liquid.
Because of the high moisture content, pumpkin cookies taste best on the day they are made. However, you can store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
Pumpkin cookies can be stored in the freezer in a freezer bag for up to three months.
Expert Tips & Tricks
- For the ideal texture, be sure to bake these gluten-free pumpkin cookies for the full time until they are set.
- For best results with this gluten free pumpkin cookies recipe, make sure the gluten-free all-purpose flour blend you use contains xanthan gum or another binder.
- If you don’t have coconut oil, you can use vegetable oil or any other liquid oil in these gluten-free pumpkin cookies.
More Gluten-Free Pumpkin Recipes
I hope you love this easy recipe as much as we do! If you try these gluten-free pumpkin cookies, be sure to leave me a comment/rating below. I’d love to hear from you!
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Video
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
- 1/2 cup lightly packed brown sugar 105 grams
- 15 ounce can of pumpkin 100% pumpkin
- 1/3 cup oil vegetable or coconut will work
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 1/2 cups gluten-free 1:1 baking flour 375 grams
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 2 baking sheets with parchment paper or silpat liners.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, mix together the granulated sugar, brown sugar, pumpkin and oil on medium speed for 1-2 minutes until incorporated. Add the egg and vanilla and mix to combine.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the gluten-free flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in the stand mixer and mix on low speed to to fully combine. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Using a cookie scoop, scoop 1 1/2 tablespoon-sized mounds onto the baking sheets. Bake for 14-16 minutes, until set. (Do not under-bake or the cookies will be too wet.) Like most gluten-free cookies, these are best eaten the day they are made, although leftovers can be stored in an airtight container. Enjoy!
Notes
- For the ideal texture, be sure to bake these gluten-free pumpkin cookies for the full time until they are set.
- For best results, make sure the gluten-free all-purpose flour blend you use contains xanthan gum or another binder. I recommend King Arthur Flour Gluten-Free Measure-for-Measure Flour.
- If you don’t have coconut oil, you can use vegetable oil or any other liquid oil in this recipe.
I used Bob’s GF flour and applesauce instead of oil and they were great!
Great to know they worked with applesauce! Thanks for the comment 🙂
My kids were so happy when I surprised them with these after school!
Can I make batter ahead and store in refrigerator for a couple days before baking?
Yes that will work great!
Do you think I could sub melted butter or vegetable oil for the coconut oil?
I would like to know this also. Maybe if you creamed the butter and sugar first then added egg and pumpkin?
Does this work well with almond flour or coconut flour?
Soo good! I used Bob’s Red Mill GF1 to 1 baking flour. Also added in a little ground clove and ground ginger, some extra chocolate chips. These are just amazing! Thank you so for sharing this recipe!
These turned out better than I ever expected! They disappeared in a couple days, have to make more, a new favourite, gifted some to our mail carrier and a good friend too, they were also enjoyed by my partner who is gluten intolerant. Great recipe! I added a heaping TBSP. of ground flax seeds to bring it up a notch for a wee bit of fiber for us seniors. LOL Keep those great recipes coming!
These are great! They take around 30 to 40 minutes to bake properly
The 1 15 oz of pumpkin confused me, so I figured it was a typo (I used 15 oz). Other than that, the cookies were amazing.
Sorry for the confusion! Yes it is supposed to be one 15oz can of pumpkin. Glad they turned out for you!
Just made these and they are very nice, though mine did not spread much and are thicker than the photos that accompany the recipe. The cookies were fluffy actually 🙂 The pumpkin, spices and chocolate all work realy together, and the sweetness is perfect for my taste. I made my own pumpkin spice blend with 1 tsp cinnamon, 1/2 tsp ginger and 1/4 tsp of nutmeg (no cloves – I can’t stand the flavour!) I will make this again – the house smells heavenly!!
Am I able to bake and freeze? then defrost when ready to serve?
Unfortunately these cookies don’t freeze well! Sorry about that!
Thank you for a delicious recipe that was so simple that my sweet 10 year old could easily put together. We’re excited to be contributing to Thanksgiving desserts this year with something GF that everyone can enjoy. You rock, Erin. I recommend your site to others often. <3
These are delicious! Perfect balance of flavors and gluten free!
Can you give me the pumpkin spice recipe.
Have you tried using the Bob’s Red Mill Paleo flour?
I haven’t tried this recipe with that! Let me know how it goes if you do 🙂