These vegan pumpkin cookies are healthy, gluten-free and make a delicious breakfast or treat! Lightly spiced and full of chocolate chips, pumpkin seeds and dried cherries.
For more vegan cookie recipes try these Banana Breakfast Cookies or this Vegan Biscotti.
I like to call these cookies Pumpkin Power Cookies! They are like magic. The flavor and texture is so delicious nobody will guess these cookies are gluten-free, vegan, grain-free and naturally-sweetened.
They’re also loaded with delicious mix-ins like chocolate chips, pumpkin seeds and dried cherries. I love these cookies because they will make your house smell like fall – but from a healthy treat.
Key Ingredients
The trick for these cookies is in the ingredients. A combination of a few ingredients is what lends a delicious texture, but keeps them totally vegan.
- Almond Butter: Provides the base for these cookies. It also makes these cookies nutritious and full of healthy fats.
- Ground Flaxseed: To make a flax slurry (hot water + flaxseed) to act as a binder. No need for eggs!
- Pumpkin: The star of the show! Pumpkin also gives the cookies stability.
- Arrowroot Powder: I use this instead of flour for texture and to keep these cookies gluten-free.
How to Make Vegan Pumpkin Cookies
- Place all the ingredients (except the flaxseed/water and mix-ins) and mix until totally smooth.
- Add hot water to the flaxseed and let sit for 30 seconds.
- Add the flaxseed and the mix-ins to the bowl.
- Mix to evenly combine.
- Scoop the cookies onto a pan.
- Smooth the tops of the cookies with water if desired for an even shape. Bake!
Flaxseed for Egg
Like these Carrot Cake Power Cookies, these vegan cookies get their good texture from a flaxseed slurry (ground flaxseed mixed with warm water). The flaxseed/water mixture acts as an egg-replacement, binder and healthy superfood in these cookies.
Ground flaxseed is anti-inflammatory and contains omega-3s, antioxidants, and fiber. I also love it’s nutty flavor. These cookies are also full of healthy fats from the almond butter and more nutrients from the vitamin-rich pumpkin. But you will mostly love these because they are delicious!
Tip: Be sure to use dairy-free chocolate chips to keep these vegan. The combination of chocolate chips, dried cherries and pumpkin seeds is spot on.
I love an excuse to have cookies for breakfast, but my husband and boys would also gladly eat these for a treat. They are that good! Happy Fall Baking!
Other Vegan Pumpkin Breakfasts:
- Vegan Pumpkin Pie Smoothie from Beaming Baker
- Instant Pot Pumpkin Oatmeal
Vegan Pumpkin Cookies (Gluten-Free)
Video
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup almond butter give it a good stir before measuring
- 1/2 cup pumpkin
- 2 teaspoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2/3 cup arrowroot powder
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup hot water
- 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup dried cherries
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds raw and unsalted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Line 2 baking sheets with baking mats or parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, add the almond butter, pumpkin, lemon juice, vanilla, arrowroot powder, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
- Place the ground flaxseed in a bowl. In a glass measuring cup, mix together the maple syrup and hot water. Pour over the flaxseed and whisk to combine. Let sit for 1 minute, then pour into the bowl with other ingredients.
- Using a hand mixer, beat the mixture on low until combined. Increase the speed to medium and mix until totally smooth. Add the chocolate chips, dried cherries and pumpkin seeds. Mix to combine.
- Scoop the cookie dough (in 2 tablespoon mounds - don't make them too big) onto the prepared baking sheets. You should have 16-18 cookies. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes then transfer to a wire baking rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
- If storing more than a day, store leftover cookies in the refrigerator. Heat the cookies for 5 seconds in the microwave before serving if desired.
Notes
Nutrition
This post was originally published in September 2017. It was updated in August 2020.
Anyone tried making these into bars instead of cookies? What size pan? How long to bake?
What could I substitute for almond butter- I don’t have any on hand.
You can use peanut butter or any other nut butter!
How many calories are in each cookie?
cookies for breakfast what’s not to love!
I just made these for Thanksgiving but left out the cherries and pumpkin seeds. They turned out great and were super fluffy and soft. I’ll definitely be making these again. Thanks so much!
So glad you liked them!
Can I use ground chia instead of flax seed?
I think that should work! I would use only 1/4-1/3 cup ground chia though. You need less of it than the flax for the same affect. (Same amount of water though!)
These are yummy! I did leave out cherries and seeds! Thank you!
Any substitute for arrowroot powder if I want to make these right now and don’t have any??
🙂
I think tapioca starch or potato starch might work!