These paleo pumpkin cookies are grain-free, dairy-free and naturally sweetened. They are loaded with fresh pumpkin and chocolate chips. Make these soft and lightly spiced cookies for a fall treat!
For another fall cookie recipe, check out my Vegan Pumpkin Cookies. I like to make them for breakfast cookies. They are also paleo-friendly and full of superfoods!
There are plenty of ways to celebrate the fall season, and baking with pumpkin is one of my favorites. There’s nothing better than the smell of pumpkin spice filling your home as you bake these cookies.
These paleo cookies won’t disappoint. Unlike these gluten-free pumpkin cookies which are made with gluten-free all-purpose flour, these paleo pumpkin cookies are made with only coconut and almond flour. They’re totally grain-free and the perfect healthy indulgence!
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Pumpkin – This is 100% pure pumpkin and is much different than pumpkin pie filling, which has sugar and thickeners in it.
- Coconut Sugar – My natural sweetener of choice for these cookies.
- Palm Shortening – I like to use organic palm shortening. This is different than conventional shortening and is a healthier option.
- Chocolate Chips – Choose a dairy-free brand like Enjoy Life Foods to keep these cookies totally dairy-free.
How to Make Paleo Pumpkin Cookies
- Mix the palm shortening and coconut sugar. Mix until you have a creamy, smooth consistency.
- Add the wet ingredients. For the smoothest batter, incorporate the pumpkin first, then mix in the eggs, one at a time.
- Mix in the dry ingredients. Sift the almond or coconut flour if needed.
- Incorporate chocolate chips. You can use your hand mixer or a wooden spoon for this.
- Scoop the dough. The dough for these cookies is pretty soft so I suggest using a cookie scoop to portion the dough.
- Flatten dough and bake the cookies. Use your fingers to flatten the dough slightly. This helps the dough to spread during baking.
Recipe Tips and Q&A
Can I freeze these cookies?
Yes, these are freezer-friendly cookies. I suggest storing the baked cookies in a resealable bag for up to 2 months. They are delicious straight out of the freezer!
Can I use all almond or all coconut flour instead of the combination of the two?
Unfortunately swapping in all almond flour or coconut flour won’t work. These flours have very different properties and the ratio has been perfectly designed to work in this recipe.
Can I use honey or maple syrup in place of coconut sugar?
Don’t substitute maple syrup or honey in place of this or the cookie dough will be too runny.
More Pumpkin Treats:
If you try this recipe be sure to leave me a comment/rating below. I’d love to hear from you!
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Paleo Pumpkin Cookies
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup organic palm shortening or butter, I use the brand Spectrum or Tropical Traditions
- 2 teaspoons coconut oil, softened
- 1/2 cup coconut sugar, or brown sugar
- 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup almond flour
- 3 tablespoons coconut flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Using a hand or stand mixer, cream together the palm shortening, coconut oil, and coconut sugar until light and fluffy. Add the pumpkin, eggs, and vanilla and blend until smooth.
- If your coconut and almond flour and lumpy, as mine often are, sift them together before adding them to the mixture. Add all the dry ingredients and mix to combine. Stir in the chocolate chips. The dough will look wet.
- Scoop the cookie dough onto the baking sheet. With wet hands, slightly flatten each cookie as they will not spread much during baking. Bake for 12-14 minutes. Cool on the tray for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes
Ingredient Notes
- Pumpkin – This is 100% pure pumpkin and is much different than pumpkin pie filling, which has sugar and thickeners in it.
- Coconut Sugar – My natural sweetener of choice for these cookies.
- Palm Shortening – I like to use organic palm shortening. This is different than conventional shortening and is a healthier option.
- Chocolate Chips – Choose a dairy-free brand like Enjoy Life Foods to keep these cookies totally dairy-free.
These were fantastic! They had the consistency of cake in the form of a cookie. My husband and I loved your recipe. Thank you so much!! 🙂
I just found your blog the other day and I am obsessed! I have already made three of your recipes and have not been this inspired in so long. I made these cookies with my 5 year old daughter and they were a hit. I halved the sugar (I always do) and used brown sugar because that is what I had at home. I also did not have almond flour but used brown rice flour and they still turned out great! Thank you.
I’m so happy you’ve been liking the recipes! Thank you!
My husband and two young sons have gobbled these cookies up! I will definitely make these again! Thanks for the delicious recipe!
Looks delicious! Can I substitute something for the shortening?
You can substitute butter!
Will coconut flour give it too much of a coconut flavor or can you replace it with with almond meal?
These don’t taste like coconut at all to me! Unfortunately, almond flour has very different properties.
Your pictures are amazing 🙂 great work I love them . I’m a dairy free girl and I don’t use palm oil . So I was wondering what I could use on place of the palm oil /butter ? Is coconut oil ok for this recipe? I will be giving it a try tomorrow and check in with you on the results
Thank you! Yes you can try coconut oil, but I would suggest refrigerating the dough for at least 20 minutes before baking them so they don’t spread too much. I hope this works for you!
This recipe is wonderful. The cookies are vey soft. I would omit the sugar or half, a bit too sweet for me.
These cookies are fabulous! I thought the 1/2c sugar consistency was perfect using Coconut Sugar. The only substitutions I made were using Young Living’s Clove, Nutmeg, and Cinnamon Essential Oils. My husband and I had a hard time not eating the whole batch at one time! These cookies are a new fall staple cookie in our house!I
I’m happy they worked out for you!
Hi, Erin! I’m wondering if you’ve ever made these and frozen them? Do you think they would freeze alright? I’d like to make a batch in advance for my moving day, long after all my cookware is packed away :). Thank you!
– Savannah
P.S. I’ve made them 3 times in the past 3 weeks and have my coworkers hooked and asking for the recipe :).
I’m so glad you and your coworkers like them! Yes I have made them and frozen them. They are actually great straight out of the freezer! Good luck with the move!
Just made these beauties and wolfed one down. Super good! I also added about 1/2 cup unsweetened shredded coconut to add some extra nutrition and I love the texture it adds.
I’m so glad they turned out to be a yummy healthy treat for you!
Thank you for this recipe! These are my kids’ favorite cookie, year round.
Would it work to sub maple syrup for the sugar?
Wow! Great cookie!! I made at play date w my 4 yr old and it was a hot w the kids and the other mom too. She demanded the recipe 🙂
Thanks for the delicious recipe! We love this healthy treat.
Do you have nutrition infromation
What ratio of maple syrup or honey would I use in this recipe to substitute for the sugar?
can you make these without the coconut flour?? would love to try this recipe but forgot to pick up coconut flour at the grocery store
That will not work unfortunately!
I followed the recipe almost perfectly except instead of brown or coconut sugar I used xylitol and they turned out really cake like. They look nothing like the pictures I really doubt it’s because of the xylitol any thoughts?
I’ve never worked with xylitol so I’m not sure! Sorry about that.
These are my favorite cookies!!! Pumpkin & Chocolate is one of my favorite combinations ever & i LOVE these!! So moist and tasty! Did I mention how much I love these? Thank you for this recipe 🙂
Nutrition info?
These cookies are everything a pumpkin cookie should be. Soft, lightly spiced, and moist. Love them.