As soon as the leaves start to change color, the craving for everything pumpkin spice hits hard. But finding the perfect pumpkin cookie can be tricky. Too often, they turn out overly cakey, fluffy, or dry. If you are on the hunt for the best recipe for pumpkin chocolate chip cookies—ones that are soft, perfectly chewy, and packed with gooey chocolate—you have just found it!
These Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies capture the absolute essence of autumn. By using a clever mix of real pumpkin puree, melted coconut oil, and maple syrup, we create a rich, dairy-free, and egg-free cookie that melts in your mouth. They are incredibly easy to whip up and will make your whole kitchen smell like a cozy fall bakery.
Why You Will Love This Recipe
- Perfectly Chewy: Unlike many pumpkin cookies that end up feeling like muffin tops, these actually have that classic, satisfying cookie chew.
- No Weird Ingredients: No flax eggs or weird egg replacers needed! The pumpkin puree naturally binds the dough together.
- Fast and Easy: From bowl to oven in just 15 minutes.
- Cozy Fall Spices: A homemade blend of cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger brings that iconic pumpkin spice flavor to every bite.
Ingredient Notes & Substitutions
You likely have most of these simple, plant-based ingredients in your pantry right now!
| Ingredient | Notes & Substitutions |
| Pumpkin Puree | Crucial: Use 100% pure pumpkin puree, NOT pumpkin pie filling! |
| All-Purpose Flour | Gives the cookies their classic structure. You can easily substitute a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend if needed. |
| Coconut Oil | Melted coconut oil acts as our vegan butter. You can also use any neutral oil (like canola or avocado) or melted vegan butter. |
| Maple Syrup & Sugar | Maple syrup adds a cozy, autumnal sweetness, while regular or brown sugar provides those crispy edges. |
| Fall Spices | A blend of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. You can substitute 2 teaspoons of pre-mixed “Pumpkin Pie Spice” if you prefer. |
| Vegan Chocolate Chips | Semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips work best to balance the sweetness of the pumpkin. |
How to Make It (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Prep the Oven Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent sticking.
Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger. Whisking ensures the spices and leavening agents are perfectly distributed.
Step 3: Combine the Wet Ingredients In a separate large bowl, whisk together the sugar, maple syrup, pumpkin puree, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract. Stir until the mixture is completely smooth and glossy.
Step 4: Bring it Together Gradually pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Use a spatula to mix everything together just until you can no longer see dry streaks of flour. Do not overmix!
Step 5: Add the Chocolate Gently fold in the vegan chocolate chips, ensuring they are evenly distributed throughout the beautiful orange dough.
Step 6: Scoop and Bake Using a cookie scoop or a tablespoon, drop the dough onto your prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches of space between each cookie. Bake for 10-12 minutes until the edges are golden and the centers look just set.
Step 7: Cool Completely Allow the cookies to rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes (they will continue to firm up), then transfer them to a wire cooling rack.
Tips and Tricks for the Best Cookies
- Chill the Dough (Optional but Recommended): Pumpkin makes the dough quite wet. For the best texture, thicker cookies, and deeper flavor, chill the cookie dough in the fridge for at least 30 minutes before baking.
- Blot the Pumpkin: If you want a truly chewy cookie (and less of a cakey texture), take a paper towel and gently dab your measured pumpkin puree to absorb some of the excess water before mixing it into the wet ingredients!
- Reserve Some Chocolate Chips: For bakery-style perfection, press 3 or 4 extra chocolate chips into the top of each dough ball right before they go into the oven.
Variations and Add-Ins
- Pecan Pumpkin Cookies: Fold in half a cup of finely chopped toasted pecans or walnuts for an amazing autumn crunch.
- White Chocolate Pumpkin: Swap out the semi-sweet chocolate chips for vegan white chocolate chips. The creamy vanilla flavor pairs beautifully with pumpkin spice!
- Cranberry Orange: Skip the chocolate and add dried cranberries and a tablespoon of fresh orange zest for a bright, festive twist.
What to Serve With Pumpkin Cookies
These cozy cookies are perfect on their own, but they are even better when paired with a warm fall beverage:
- Dunk them into a steaming mug of hot almond milk or oat milk.
- Serve them alongside a homemade vegan Pumpkin Spice Latte for the ultimate autumn treat.
- Crumble a warm cookie over a scoop of vegan vanilla bean ice cream for an easy, decadent dessert.
Leftovers and Storage
- Room Temperature: Keep your cookies in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5-7 days. Because of the pumpkin, they will stay incredibly soft!
- Freezing Baked Cookies: You can freeze the fully baked cookies in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Let them thaw at room temperature.
- Freezing Cookie Dough: Scoop the dough into balls, freeze them on a baking sheet, then transfer the solid dough balls to a freezer bag. You can bake them straight from frozen, just add 1-2 extra minutes to the baking time!
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
What are the 3 ingredients needed to make easy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies?
You might be wondering, what is a 3-ingredient pumpkin dessert? and can I just add pumpkin puree to a cookie mix? Yes! The famous viral internet hack requires just 1 box of spice cake mix, 1 can of pumpkin puree, and chocolate chips. While this is a fun and fast trick, those cookies turn out very puffy and cake-like. If you want a true, chewy, bakery-style cookie, making them from scratch (like our recipe above) is always the best choice!
What is The Pioneer Woman’s best pumpkin cookies recipe?
Ree Drummond (The Pioneer Woman) has a famous pumpkin cookie recipe that features a very soft, cake-like texture topped with a rich penuche (brown sugar) frosting. While delicious, her recipe relies heavily on dairy butter and eggs. Our vegan version gives you all that incredible homemade pumpkin flavor, but keeps it 100% plant-based and features melty chocolate chips instead of frosting!
More Vegan Fall Desserts
Let’s Connect!
Did you make these Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies? Did you chill the dough or bake them right away? Leave a rating and let me know in the comments below!
If you bake a batch for Halloween or a cozy movie night, snap a photo and tag me on Instagram at @healthy.living.enthusiast.
📌 Pin this recipe to your Vegan Fall Desserts board on Pinterest so you can easily find it whenever the pumpkin spice craving hits!
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Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
Method
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Step 2: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger.
- Step 3: In a large bowl, stir together the sugar, maple syrup, pumpkin puree, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
- Step 4: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mixing with a spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix.
- Step 5: Gently fold in the vegan chocolate chips, making sure they are evenly distributed throughout the dough. (Tip: chill the dough for 30 mins here for thicker cookies!)
- Step 6: Using a cookie scoop or spoon, drop the dough onto the prepared baking sheet, spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart.
- Step 7: Bake for 10-12 minutes or until the edges are slightly golden and the centers are set.
- Step 8: Allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Don’t Skip the Chilling Step: For the best texture and flavor, consider chilling the cookie dough for at least 30 minutes before baking. This helps the cookies hold their shape.
- The Pumpkin Secret: Want chewier cookies? Blot your pumpkin puree with a paper towel before using it to remove excess moisture!
- Store Properly: Keep your cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to a week, or freeze them for longer storage.