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Home » Vegan » Vegan Pumpkin Cookies

Vegan Pumpkin Cookies

Oct 1, 2020 · 29 Comments

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These vegan pumpkin cookies are a soft baked hybrid between a cake and a cookie. Topped with a 30-second glaze, they’re the perfect little fall treat!

Six pumpkin cookies on a white background with glaze drizzles.

Just in time for pumpkin spice season, we’re sharing these sort of chewy, sort of cake-y, sort of perfect vegan pumpkin cookies! These are almost like a snickerdoodle in texture, and really great with the pumpkin flavour combined with all the spice.

The cookies aren’t super sweet, so if you like a sweeter dessert, definitely add the glaze. You could also do a vegan cream cheese frosting! These would be delicious as whoopie pies, too, with the icing sandwiched between two cookies.

So if you love pumpkin and pumpkin spice, but can only make so much pie, try these cookies instead and embrace the season.

Jump to:
  • Ingredients
  • Method
  • Tips and Notes
  • Substitutions
  • Recipe

Hand holding up a cookie with a bite out of it.

Use the JUMP TO RECIPE button at the top of the post, or scroll to the bottom of the post, to see the full recipe card with ingredient measurements and instructions.

Ingredients

  • Cane sugar
  • Vegan butter
  • Pumpkin puree
  • Vanilla extract
  • All-purpose (white) flour
  • Pumpkin pie spice
  • Baking powder
  • Baking soda
  • Sea salt
  • Powdered sugar
  • Non-dairy milk
Vegan pumpkin cookie ingredients.

Method

Preheat the oven and line a couple of baking sheets with parchment paper. You might be able to get away with just one pan if yours is an extra-large one, but we usually need two.

Beat the vegan butter and sugar in a large bowl (or the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment) and beat on high speed until fluffy and light, a couple of minutes.

  • Vegan butter and sugar in a large glass bowl.
  • Vegan butter and sugar after mixing.

If you’re using a stand mixer, switch to the paddle attachment. Add the pumpkin puree and vanilla, and mix on low speed until incorporated. It might separate and look curdled, but that’s fine.

  • Pumpkin added to the cookie mixture.
  • Cookie dough after pumpkin is mixed in.

Add the flour, pumpkin spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low speed if using a standing mixer, or stir with a wooden spoon, until fully combined and no streaks of flour remain. The dough should be smooth and slightly softer than normal cookie dough.

  • Dry ingredients added to the bowl.
  • Finished cookie dough in a glass bowl.

Scoop the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheet(s), about 2tbsp per cookie, leaving about 5cm (2 inches) space between each to allow for spreading.

Cookies being scooped onto a lined baking sheet.

Bake the cookies for about 16 minutes, or until golden. Make sure the middles don’t look under baked, that’s a negative here! It seems like a long baking time but that’s due to the cake-like nature of the cookies.

Cookies after baking.

Cool for 5 minutes on the tray before removing to cool fully on a rack. Mix up the glaze, and top the cookies once they’ve cooled completely.

  • Melted vegan butter being added to powdered sugar.
  • Glaze mixed with a whisk in the bowl.

Tips and Notes

This is a fluffy, whoopie pie style of cookie, almost like a cupcake top. The cookies are just very slightly chewy but don’t expect chocolate chip cookie level chewiness! They’re cakey and meant to be.

If you prefer an icing instead of a glaze, try our vegan vanilla buttercream. You could add some cinnamon or other spice to it too.

Pumpkin acts as an egg replacer in this recipe, so you don’t need any extra starches or things like aquafaba. Easy peasy.

There is a slightly longer baking time for these cookies (it’s not a typo) due to their texture. This is not a cookie you want to under bake, so make sure to bake them all the way through, until the centre is set.

Close up of baked cookies.

Substitutions

You don’t have to make your own puree! At this time of year we love to make it from in-season pumpkins, but canned works just as well and can be used year round. Just make sure you’re buying puree and not pumpkin pie filling.

Don’t love pumpkin pie spice? Then use cinnamon or another spice blend you like. Try chai spice!

If you want a more wholesome cookie, you can either sub ½ cup of the white flour for whole wheat, or go for a larger quantity of whole wheat pastry flour. Up to half should be barely noticeable.

We haven’t tried this with oil instead of vegan butter yet, but it might work due to the extra water content from the pumpkin puree. We’ll update here when it’s been tested!

White sugar can be substituted for cane – use what you have on hand.

More Pumpkin Treats

Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies
Cinderella Pumpkin Pie with Chocolate Cookie Crust
Butterscotch Pumpkin Bread Pudding
Pumpkin Chocolate Marble Loaf with Maple Drizzle
Deep Dish Vegan Pumpkin Pie

Small spoon drizzling glaze onto cookies.

If you make this recipe, let us know by tagging @baked_theblog + #bakedtheblog on Instagram! We love to feel like we’re in the kitchen with you.

Continue to Content

Recipe

Yield: About a dozen

Vegan Pumpkin Cookies

Six pumpkin cookies on a white background with glaze drizzles.

These vegan pumpkin cookies are a soft baked hybrid between a cake and a cookie. Topped with a 30-second glaze, they're the perfect little fall treat!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Baking Time 18 minutes
Total Time 28 minutes

Ingredients

Cookies

  • ¾ cup (150 g) cane sugar
  • 6 tbsp (85 g) room temperature vegan butter
  • ½ cup (125 ml) pumpkin puree
  • 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1-¼ cups (190 g) all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Glaze

  • ½ cup (60 g) powdered sugar
  • 1 tablespoon melted vegan butter
  • 1-2 tablespoons non-dairy milk

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  2. Place the sugar and butter into the bowl of your standing mixer fitted with the whisk attachment (or use a large bowl and electric mixer). Mix on high speed until fluffy and lightened in colour, about 2 minutes.
  3. Switch to the paddle attachment (if using a standing mixer - if not, use the electric mixer on low) and add the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract. Mix on low speed until incorporated.
  4. Add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low speed until a smooth dough forms.
  5. Scoop the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 2 tbsp per cookie (a cookie or small ice cream scoop is ideal), leaving about 5cm (2 in.) space between each cookie.
  6. Bake the cookies for 16-18 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the middle is the same colour throughout the top of the cookie. If it looks under baked in the middle, leave it for another minute or two. If using the convection setting, you can bake multiple trays at one time. Otherwise, bake the cookies in batches.
  7. Once the cookies are baked, let them cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before removing and cooling fully on a rack. Add the glaze once the cookies are cooled.

Glaze

  1. To make the glaze, whisk the powdered sugar, and melted vegan butter in a bowl until smooth. Add the milk one tablespoon at a time, whisking with each addition, until a thick, pourable glaze forms. Drizzle the glaze over the cookies.

Notes

This may make more glaze than you'll need, but rather a bit much than too little! It can be used in any other recipe you need a glaze and lasts several days in the fridge (just bring back to room temperature and give it a whisk if needed).

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 284Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 4gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 167mgCarbohydrates: 50gFiber: 1gSugar: 18gProtein: 5g

This is an approximation of the nutrition offered in this recipe, and is created using a nutrition calculator.

© Adapted from Laura Wright
Cuisine: American / Category: Cookies & Bars

This post was originally published in October 2014. It has been updated with new photos, text, and some changes to the recipe as of October 2020.

Previous Post: « Maple Hemp Granola With Dried Cranberries
Next Post: Gluten-Free Pumpkin Scones with Cheddar and Sage »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Maryna says

    October 15, 2014 at 8:14 am

    Amazing!!! Photos are pure beauty!! Really, how do you achive this gloomy dark effect?

    Reply
    • Laura Wright // the first mess says

      October 15, 2014 at 8:40 am

      Hi Maryna! I shot these photos right by a bay window on a gloomy dark day at about 4 pm. To be honest, I was worried there wasn’t going to be ENOUGH light :)

      Reply
      • Maryna says

        October 16, 2014 at 8:20 am

        No-no! They are just perfect!! I am in love with your photography)

        Reply
  2. Ksenia @ At the Immigrant's Table says

    October 15, 2014 at 8:40 am

    Come fall, I always have frozen pumpkin or a jar of pumpkin puree on the go. I just finished a jar yesterday, and these look like a great excuse to dig into my frozen stash :) Thanks to the Quebec farmers’ markets, I doubt I’ll run out of pumpkin anytime soon.

    Reply
    • Laura Wright // the first mess says

      October 15, 2014 at 11:01 am

      It’s definitely an abundant time of year for squashes and tubers around here too. Thanks Ksenia!

      Reply
  3. Katrina @ Warm Vanilla Sugar says

    October 15, 2014 at 9:20 am

    These sound unreal! Loving that vegan glaze!

    Reply
    • Laura Wright // the first mess says

      October 15, 2014 at 10:56 am

      Thanks Katrina!

      Reply
  4. Tori@Gringalicious.com says

    October 15, 2014 at 9:23 am

    I love your photos and the cookies sound amazing!

    Reply
    • Laura Wright // the first mess says

      October 15, 2014 at 10:57 am

      Thanks so much, Tori :)

      Reply
  5. Ashley says

    October 15, 2014 at 9:49 am

    Guhhh. These photos! The light! This post screams fall. I’m still down with pumpkin spice but usually hang it up right before December…then, molasses!!

    Reply
    • Laura Wright // the first mess says

      October 15, 2014 at 10:57 am

      I was afraid I was losing light, girl! Aaaaand now I want a molasses cookie. xo

      Reply
  6. Ashley says

    October 15, 2014 at 9:50 am

    p.s. Thanks for the milkshake shout! ;)

    Reply
  7. cynthia says

    October 15, 2014 at 10:22 am

    Totally. Awesome. And I love the light!

    Reply
    • Laura Wright // the first mess says

      October 15, 2014 at 11:00 am

      Thanks Cynthia! Definitely inspired by your gorgeous, moody photos with this one ;) xo

      Reply
  8. liz says

    October 15, 2014 at 3:57 pm

    These sound delicious. What flour could be used in place of the two spelt flours? I prefer wheat flour cookies and have a few types on hand (all purpose, whole wheat pastry, etc…)

    Thanks!

    Reply
    • Laura Wright // the first mess says

      October 15, 2014 at 4:59 pm

      Hi Liz, you could replace the light spelt with all purpose and the whole spelt with 100% whole wheat or whole wheat pastry flour if you like. I’m confident a half and half mix off all purpose and whole wheat pastry would work too.
      -L

      Reply
  9. Rebecca @ figs and pigs says

    October 15, 2014 at 5:59 pm

    Wow what an awesome colour these cookies are your pictures are incredibly beautiful, I’m pleased I found your blog today.

    Reply
    • Laura Wright // the first mess says

      October 15, 2014 at 6:26 pm

      Thanks for saying hello, Rebecca!

      Reply
  10. Gemma says

    October 15, 2014 at 6:39 pm

    Could these cookies be more beautiful and tempting?! I think NOT! That glaze makes them stand out even more. Btw, thanks for giving us an alternative option to the shortening…since I can’t find non-hydrogenated shortening in Spain. :-(

    Amazingly beautiful photos, they give such a wonderful cozy and relaxed vibe! :-)

    xo

    G.

    Reply
    • Laura Wright // the first mess says

      October 16, 2014 at 7:37 am

      Thanks for your lovely comment, Gemma! You might find that the cookies spread out more if you go the oil route, just something to look out for when you’re spacing them :)

      Reply
  11. Christine says

    October 16, 2014 at 11:57 am

    Beautiful photos, Laura! I think I’m going to have to go get some Tofutti cream cheese too, the glaze sounds like the perfect topping for these!

    Reply
    • Laura Wright // the first mess says

      October 16, 2014 at 5:02 pm

      Thanks Christine! My love of Tofutti is a mix of about half shame as well, but whatever. It’s hard to resist sometimes :)
      -L

      Reply
  12. Elizabeth @ SugarHero.com says

    October 17, 2014 at 3:04 pm

    Yes, I am totally feeling these as a whoopie pie! They look so soft and pillowy–lovely!

    Reply
    • Laura Wright // the first mess says

      October 18, 2014 at 7:59 am

      Yes! I think they would be lovely that way. Plus two cookies are always better than one ;)

      Reply
  13. kristie @ birchandwild.com says

    October 28, 2014 at 11:34 pm

    Great post:) These look like my kind of cake/cookies! Your photos really help set the scene for a cozy fall day.

    Reply
    • Laura Wright // the first mess says

      October 29, 2014 at 6:58 am

      Thanks so much Kristie! xx

      Reply

Trackbacks

  1. crispy eggplant polenta bites w/ honey + lime from “Green Kitchen Travels” » The First Mess // healthy vegan recipes for every season says:
    October 16, 2014 at 4:00 am

    […] cookies with tangy cream-cheesy glaze for BAKED this week. You can check that out by clicking here. […]

    Reply
  2. At the Immigrant's Table: Israeli chopped salad says:
    October 18, 2014 at 1:38 pm

    […] more than a bag of frozen (or can of) pumpkin puree away from some pumpkin-y treats come fall, and this looks like the next must. And no, I’m not hating on pumpkin just […]

    Reply
  3. vegan + gluten free chocolate chunk ginger cake (+ an "ARTISAN BREAD IN 5" giveaway!) - Baked says:
    November 19, 2014 at 3:04 am

    […] Once November hits, I’m craving ginger and other spice-y baked goods like crazy (but also brown liquor, duh–healthiest diet ever). The pumpkin frenzy has certifiably died down and holiday desserts/the all-surrounding themes of spice, peppermint, citrus, cranberries etc. can start to go into full effect. My favourite cookie of all time, actually, is a double chocolate and candied ginger-studded number from a local bakery. Chocolate and spice together has always made sense to me, and when I saw a recipe for flax gingerbread muffins on Post Punk Kitchen, I knew I needed something similar with gooey chocolate chunks. But also in a snack-size cake form with some kind of sweet glaze (have you guys maybe noticed that I’m kind of into glaze?). […]

    Reply

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