• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Meaningful Eats logo

  • Home
  • About
    • About Erin
    • Work With Me
    • Contact
  • Recipe Index
  • Favorites
    • Cookbooks
    • Favorites
    • In My Pantry
  • Nav Social Menu

    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • RSS
    • Twitter

Home > Gluten-Free Desserts > Gluten-Free Cookies > Paleo Pumpkin Cookies

Paleo Pumpkin Cookies

LAST UPDATED: August 20, 2020 PUBLISHED: Aug 20, 2020 31 Comments
This post may contain affiliate links.

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

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!

healthy pumpkin cookies with chocolate chips, cooling on parchment paper

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

ingredients to make pumpkin cookies in bowls on marble background
  • 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

step by step cookies of how to make the cookies in collage
  1. Mix the palm shortening and coconut sugar. Mix until you have a creamy, smooth consistency.
  2. Add the wet ingredients. For the smoothest batter, incorporate the pumpkin first, then mix in the eggs, one at a time.
  3. Mix in the dry ingredients. Sift the almond or coconut flour if needed.
  4. Incorporate chocolate chips. You can use your hand mixer or a wooden spoon for this.
  5. Scoop the dough. The dough for these cookies is pretty soft so I suggest using a cookie scoop to portion the dough.
  6. 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.

close up shot of cookies with chocolate chips, stacked on parchment paper

More Pumpkin Treats:

  • Pumpkin Protein Pancakes
  • Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins
  • Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie

If you try this recipe be sure to leave me a comment/rating below. I’d love to hear from you!

Hungry for more? Follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and Twitter for all of the latest updates.

close up shot of pumpkin cookie on brown parchment paper

Paleo Pumpkin Cookies

Author: Erin Collins
Prep: 15 mins
Cook: 12 mins
Total: 27 mins
Soft, moist, grain-free, spiced pumpkin cookies full of chocolate chunks. A fall classic.
4.93 from 14 votes
Servings: 12 servings
Print
460shares
  • Share
  • Tweet

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.

FAQ

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.
Nutrition Facts
Paleo Pumpkin Cookies
Amount Per Serving
Calories 172 Calories from Fat 99
% Daily Value*
Fat 11g17%
Saturated Fat 4g25%
Cholesterol 38mg13%
Sodium 136mg6%
Potassium 31mg1%
Carbohydrates 14g5%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 9g10%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 1765IU35%
Vitamin C 0.4mg0%
Calcium 38mg4%
Iron 0.7mg4%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
NUTRITION INFORMATION:
Calories: 172kcal
Erin of Meaningful Eats

Hi, I'm Erin!

BS Food Science, MS Nutrition
I believe you can make amazing, gluten-free food with everyday ingredients that everyone will enjoy. I'm here to share my tried-and-true recipes with you! More About Erin

freebies

CTA

Join my free email list to receive this Gluten-Free Dinners cookbook!

Reader Interactions

Comments

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




  1. Wendy says

    October 16, 2013 at 12:48 am

    5 stars
    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!! 🙂

    Reply
  2. Angeline says

    October 31, 2013 at 3:36 am

    5 stars
    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.

    Reply
    • Erin Collins says

      October 31, 2013 at 3:42 am

      I’m so happy you’ve been liking the recipes! Thank you!

      Reply
  3. Rachel Harding says

    November 01, 2013 at 2:48 am

    5 stars
    My husband and two young sons have gobbled these cookies up! I will definitely make these again! Thanks for the delicious recipe!

    Reply
  4. Shae says

    November 04, 2013 at 7:36 pm

    Looks delicious! Can I substitute something for the shortening?

    Reply
    • Erin Collins says

      November 04, 2013 at 9:08 pm

      You can substitute butter!

      Reply
  5. Vicki says

    November 15, 2013 at 5:52 pm

    Will coconut flour give it too much of a coconut flavor or can you replace it with with almond meal?

    Reply
    • Erin Collins says

      November 15, 2013 at 11:08 pm

      These don’t taste like coconut at all to me! Unfortunately, almond flour has very different properties.

      Reply
  6. Jeneique says

    November 26, 2013 at 6:04 am

    5 stars
    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

    Reply
    • Erin Collins says

      November 26, 2013 at 6:17 am

      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!

      Reply
  7. Sophie Shuklin says

    January 07, 2014 at 9:55 pm

    4 stars
    This recipe is wonderful. The cookies are vey soft. I would omit the sugar or half, a bit too sweet for me.

    Reply
  8. Kelly Easterbrook says

    October 24, 2015 at 7:23 pm

    5 stars
    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

    Reply
    • Erin Collins says

      October 26, 2015 at 7:40 am

      I’m happy they worked out for you!

      Reply
  9. Savannah says

    November 06, 2015 at 9:33 am

    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

    Reply
    • Savannah says

      November 06, 2015 at 9:35 am

      5 stars
      P.S. I’ve made them 3 times in the past 3 weeks and have my coworkers hooked and asking for the recipe :).

      Reply
      • Erin Collins says

        November 06, 2015 at 1:36 pm

        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!

        Reply
  10. Camille says

    September 26, 2016 at 12:44 pm

    5 stars
    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.

    Reply
    • Erin Collins says

      October 04, 2016 at 8:36 am

      I’m so glad they turned out to be a yummy healthy treat for you!

      Reply
  11. Jen Alexander says

    October 14, 2016 at 2:34 pm

    5 stars
    Thank you for this recipe! These are my kids’ favorite cookie, year round.

    Reply
  12. Krys says

    November 05, 2017 at 11:05 pm

    Would it work to sub maple syrup for the sugar?

    Reply
  13. Donna says

    June 01, 2018 at 7:45 pm

    5 stars
    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 🙂

    Reply
  14. Madison says

    September 12, 2018 at 9:15 am

    5 stars
    Thanks for the delicious recipe! We love this healthy treat.

    Reply
  15. Alycia knight says

    September 25, 2018 at 9:25 am

    Do you have nutrition infromation

    Reply
Newer Comments »

Primary Sidebar

Erin of Meaningful Eats

Hi, I'm Erin!

BS Food Science, MS Nutrition
I believe you can make amazing, gluten-free food with everyday ingredients that everyone will enjoy. I'm here to share my tried-and-true recipes with you! More About Erin

Freebies

freebie
Join my free email list to receive this Gluten-Free Dinners cookbook!

Popular Posts

Almond Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies {Grain-Free}

chocolate chip cookies topped with sea salt on brown parchment paper

The Best Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Cookies

sliced pepperoni pizza on wooden cutting board

The Best Gluten-Free Pizza Crust

one caramel cube on parchment paper

Soft, Buttery Homemade Caramels

Seasonal Posts

chicken and rice in white bowl with fork topped with cheese

Instant Pot Southwestern Chicken and Rice

slice of gluten-free angel food cake on white plate with strawberries

Perfect Gluten-Free Angel Food Cake

bbq chicken in instant pot with marble background and blue striped towel

Instant Pot BBQ Chicken

The Best Gluten-Free Banana Bread

Featured On:

  • Back To Top
  • About
  • Contact
  • Privacy Policy

Copyright © 2021 Meaningful Eats • Privacy Policy