Easy to make in one bowl, these vegan pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are soft, chewy and perfectly pumpkin-spiced!
Oh, is there anything better than a warm, soft and gooey cookie fresh out of the oven?
The only thing better might be a warm, soft and gooey PUMPKIN cookie that’s also vegan. And it has chocolate chips.
I’m so excited to share these cookies with you! I tested and tested until I think that you will love the result!
These cookies are so simple to make in just one bowl using common pantry ingredients – no weird ingredients and no waiting for the dough to chill. You don’t even need to make a flax egg!
Soft, chewy and the perfect dessert for when that fall baking craving hits. Great for bake sales, dunked in a glass of almond milk, or whenever you need a break from vegan pumpkin muffins!
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Pumpkin spice and everything nice
Pumpkin pie spice and brown sugar paired with pumpkin puree is the definition of fall flavor. These cookies remind me of vegan gingerbread cookies, another spiced fall cookie.
Coconut oil is the low-fuss fat that we’ll use in place of butter. I recommend using coconut oil at room temperature for best results.
I use all-purpose flour in this recipe, but you can also use whole wheat flour for a heartier cookie.
How to make vegan pumpkin cookies
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Combine the wet ingredients in a medium mixing bowl: pumpkin puree, room temp coconut oil, and brown sugar. Use a stand/hand mixer on low or wooden spoon to beat until combined.
Step 2. Add the dry ingredients directly to the wet ingredients: flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Mix together on low speed.
Pro tip: For an easier way to mix together the cookie dough, beat in just 1/2 cup flour at a time. This will prevent the cookie dough from getting too crumbly.
Step 3. Use a wooden spoon to mix the mini chocolate chips into the pumpkin cookie dough.
Step 4. Use a tablespoon to portion out cookies onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. Roll each piece of cookie dough into a ball (about the size of a ping pong ball). Use your hand to lightly flatten the cookies into a puck shape – pat lightly, they shouldn’t be completely squashed.
Step 5. Bake for 12-14 minutes at 350 degrees F. Remove from the oven and rest for 2 minutes before moving to a cooling rack to cool.
Can I freeze vegan pumpkin cookies?
Yes! Cookies are easy to freeze. Simply place baked cookies in a sealable plastic bag or closed container and freeze for up to 3 months. Reheat in the microwave for 15 seconds or enjoy frozen (my favorite!).
You can even freeze the cookie dough, but you will need to thaw it in the fridge before baking.
Where can I find vegan mini chocolate chips?
One option is Enjoy Life vegan chocolate chips, or you may be able to find dairy-free chocolate chips in the “natural” section of your grocery store. Sometimes even the store-brand mini chocolate chips will be accidentally dairy-free!
If unable to find mini chocolate chips, you can use the same amount of regular-sized chocolate chips.
There is no shortage of vegan baking recipes at Cozy Peach Kitchen — here are a few of my favorites:
- Vegan Gingerbread Loaf
- Classic Vegan Zucchini Bread
- Vegan Pumpkin Muffins
- Zucchini Banana Muffins
- Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal
- Gingerbread Overnight Oats
I hope that you enjoy these Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies!
Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree NOT pumpkin pie filling!
- 1 cup light brown sugar packed into cup
- 1/4 cup coconut oil see note
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup vegan mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- Add pumpkin puree, light brown sugar, room temp coconut oil and vanilla extract to a medium mixing bowl. Cream together using a wooden spoon or hand/stand mixer on low.
- Once combined, add the pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt. Stir in the flour 1/2 cup at a time to avoid a crumbly mixture. Mix together using the wooden spoon or mixer until a large uniform ball of cookie dough forms.
- Use a wooden spoon to mix in the mini chocolate chips.
- Use a tablespoon measure to scoop out 24 cookies. Use your hands to roll each cookie dough scoop into a ball. The ball should be about the size of a ping-pong ball. Place cookies on the cookie sheet at least two inches apart — you may need to bake the cookies in batches. Lightly press each cookie with the palm of your hand to flatten into a puck shape (see blog post for reference).
- Place the cookie sheet on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 12-14 minutes in 350 degree F oven. Remove from oven and let rest for 2 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool.
- Keep at room temperature for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 3 months.
Notes
- Coconut oil: Use room temperature coconut oil for easiest mixing (just like you would use room temp butter in traditional cookies). Cold (refrigerated) coconut oil may clump up and not mix evenly with the dough.
- I recommend using an oven thermometer. Oven temperatures can vary widely and the only way to know if your oven is the temperature it says it is is to use an oven thermometer.
- For the most consistent results, use the “spoon and level” method for measuring out flour. Simply use a spoon to add flour to your cup measure until overflowing, then use the back of a knife to level off the excess flour.
- Choose organic light brown sugar to ensure that the sugar is vegan.
- Regular sized chocolate chips can be used if you can’t find vegan mini chocolate chips.
Jen
I just made these exactly like the recipe and they were wonderful. So soft and moist. Definitely will make them over and over. Thanks for the recipe!
Cassidy Reeser
Thanks so much for the review! Glad you liked them.
Joanne
Can all vegetable shortening be used instead of coconut oil?
Cassidy Reeser
Hi Joanne, I haven’t tested it out myself but I think vegetable shortening should work. Let me know if you try it out!
Kaley
I followed this recipe perfectly and the dough was very dry and crumbly, couldn’t even make a cookie ball out of it. WAY too much flour.
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
Hi Kaley, I’m sorry to hear it didn’t work out for you. Did you do the spoon and level method for the flour? I have made this a few times without any issues, so possibly too much flour was added?
Ashley
Is 1/2 cup pumpkin the right amount? Mine didn’t turn out quite like the pictures. Definitely not as orange.
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
Hi Ashley, yes 1/2 cup pumpkin puree is right. They are a subtle orange but the longer they bake the more brown they become, that could contribute.
SE
Perfect fall treat! Followed recipe as written, cookies came out soft and chewy 🙂 This is a great, no-fuss vegan cookie recipe!
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
Thank you! No-fuss is just what I was going for. Glad you like them.
chloe
YUM! Was searching for a vegan pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe that I already had all of the ingredients for and this one was amazing.
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
Thanks for the kind comment, glad you enjoyed!
Lori
Do you know whatGF flour would work
Cassidy Reeser, RDN, LD
An all-purpose baking flour like this Bob’s Red Mill one would probably work best: https://www.bobsredmill.com/gluten-free-1-to-1-baking-flour.html