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Baked » Recipes » Cookies & Bars

Vegan Pumpkin Cookies

Published: Nov 7, 2022 · Modified: Nov 17, 2022 by Alexandra Daum · This post may contain affiliate links · 26 Comments

Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

These vegan pumpkin cookies are a soft baked hybrid between a cake and a cookie. Topped with vegan cream cheese frosting, they’re the perfect little fall treat!

Several soft sugar cookies topped with frosting.

Just in time for pumpkin spice season, we’re sharing these sort of chewy, sort of cake-y, sort of perfect vegan pumpkin sugar 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 frosting! These would be delicious as whoopie pies, too, with the frosting sandwiched between two cookies.

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

Jump to:
  • 💖 Why You’ll Love This Recipe
  • 📋 Ingredients
  • 👩‍🍳 Method
  • 💡 Top Tips
  • 📝 Recipe Notes
  • ❓Recipe FAQ
  • 🎃 More Pumpkin Treats
  • Recipe

💖 Why You’ll Love This Recipe

✔️ It’s a one-bowl recipe!
✔️ The cookies taste like fall, with sweet spices and seasonal pumpkin.
✔️ They’re already vegan so you don’t have to make any substitutions.

📋 Ingredients

Vegan pumpkin cookie ingredients.

Ingredient Notes

  • Vegan butter: use a baking type, not the spreadable options. It should come in stick form and might say that it’s specifically for baking.
  • Pumpkin puree: if you don’t have time to make your own, canned works just as well and can be used year round. Just make sure you’re buying puree and not pumpkin pie filling.

Ingredient Substitutions

  • All-purpose (white) flour: 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.
  • Pumpkin pie spice: not a fan? Then use cinnamon or another spice blend you like. Try chai spice!

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

👩‍🍳 Method

STEP 1: Add the butter and sugar to a large mixing bowl, or a stand mixer.
STEP 2: Beat on high speed until light and fluffy.

Vegan pumpkin cookies steps 1 to 4.

STEP 3: Add the pumpkin puree.
STEP 4: Beat again to combine.
STEP 5: Add the flour and other dry ingredients.
STEP 6: Mix until just combined. The dough will be quite soft.

Pumpkin cookies steps 5 to 8.

STEP 7: Scoop onto a lined baking sheet.
STEP 8: Bake until the centre of the cookies is baked through.

💡 Top Tips

1. Make the cookies perfectly round by swirling a bigger round cookie cutter around them when they’re still hot.
2. Cool the cookies completely before adding frosting, or it’ll melt.
3. As soon as the flour is just mixed in, stop stirring. Over-mixing can lead to tough cookies.

📝 Recipe 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 a sweeter frosting or don’t have cream cheese, 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.

Frosting cookies on a baking sheet.

❓Recipe FAQ

Is canned pumpkin the same as pumpkin purée?

Yes! The terms can be used interchangeably and either can be used in the recipe. Just don’t mix it up with pumpkin pie filling.

How do you store homemade pumpkin cookies?

After frosting, pumpkin cookies are best stored in a sealed container in the fridge in a single layer. Take them out and bring to room temperature before serving for the best flavour.

What goes well with pumpkin flavour?

Pumpkin spice is the obvious choice, with the warm, sweet spices that we often associate with pumpkin. Cinnamon, cardamom, nutmeg – these are all perfect to combine with pumpkin.

🎃 More Pumpkin Treats

  • A pie topped with whipped cream with one slice taken out.
    Pumpkin Custard Pie
  • A serving of pumpkin bread pudding on a plate, topped with butterscotch sauce.
    Brown Butter Pumpkin Bread Pudding
  • Close up of a glass of pumpkin mousse topped with whipped cream and candied pecans.
    Homemade Pumpkin Mousse (Easy, No Gelatin)
  • Slices of a baked loaf with glaze on a round wire rack.
    Pumpkin & Chocolate Marble Loaf Cake

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.

Recipe

Several soft sugar cookies topped with frosting.

Vegan Pumpkin Cookies

5 from 2 votes
Author: Adapted from Laura Wright
Yield: 12
Prep Time 10 minutes mins
Cook Time 18 minutes mins
Total Time 28 minutes mins
Print Recipe Pin Recipe Comments

Description

 

These vegan pumpkin cookies are a soft baked hybrid between a cake and a cookie. Topped with vegan cream cheese frosting, they're the perfect little fall treat!

Equipment

  • Measuring cups and spoons or a digital kitchen scale
  • 2 baking sheets
  • Parchment paper
  • Hand or stand mixer
  • 2 Mixing bowls
  • Cookie scoop or ice cream scoop

Ingredients
 

  • ¾ cup sugar
  • 6 tablespoons vegan butter, room temperature
  • ½ cup pumpkin puree
  • 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 teaspoons baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon baking soda
  • ¼ teaspoon sea salt

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix on low speed until a smooth dough forms.
  • Scoop the cookie dough onto the prepared baking sheets, about 2 tablespoons per cookie (a cookie or small ice cream scoop is ideal), leaving about 2 in. (5 cm) space between each cookie.
  • 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.
  • Once the cookies are baked, let them cool for 5 minutes on the baking sheet before removing and cooling fully on a rack. Top with cream cheese frosting once the cookies are cooled.

Video

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 284kcal | Carbohydrates: 50g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 167mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 18g
Did you make this recipe?Let us know on Instagram @baked_theblog or tag #bakedtheblog!

This post was originally published in October 2014. It has been updated most recently as of November 2022.

« Halloween Sugar Cookies
Drop Sugar Cookies »

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
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