Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cookies Recipe tastes like a bite-size slice of pumpkin pie with chewy cookie edges and a soft, spiced center. It works perfectly for fall baking fans who want a dairy free, egg free treat that comes together in about 35 minutes total. I tested these on my very picky neighbors, and they now “forget” to return my cookie containers.
Why Make This Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cookies Recipe at Home
You control the ingredients, so these vegan pumpkin cookies stay cozy, not cloyingly sweet. Real pumpkin, warm spices, and a touch of vanilla give them serious pumpkin pie flavor without any dairy or eggs.
You also skip store-bought cookies that taste like sugar and mystery flavor. The recipe uses one bowl, no chill time, and pantry staples, so you can bake a batch on a weeknight without turning the kitchen into a disaster zone.
“Soft, perfectly spiced, and nobody guessed they were vegan until I told them, then they asked for the recipe.” ★★★★★
Ingredients You Need
Dry ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups (220 g) all purpose flour
- Use unbleached if possible. Bob’s Red Mill and King Arthur work great.
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 ½ teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cloves (optional but tasty)
Wet ingredients
- ½ cup (110 g) canned pumpkin puree
- Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Libby’s or store brand both work.
- ½ cup (100 g) organic cane sugar
- ¼ cup (55 g) light brown sugar, packed
- ½ cup (120 ml) neutral oil
- Use avocado oil, grapeseed oil, or light olive oil. Melted refined coconut oil also works.
- 2 tablespoons non dairy milk
- Oat, almond, or soy milk all work. Use what you keep in the fridge.
- 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
Optional pumpkin pie “filling” swirl
This part gives extra pumpkin pie vibes but you can skip it if you want a simpler cookie.
- 3 tablespoons pumpkin puree
- 1 tablespoon brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
Simple maple glaze (optional)
- ½ cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1–2 teaspoons non dairy milk, as needed
- Tiny pinch of salt
Whisk until smooth and drizzle over cooled cookies.
Pantry shortcuts and substitutions
- No brown sugar: Use all cane sugar and add 1 teaspoon molasses if you have it.
- Gluten free option: Use a good 1:1 gluten free baking blend with xanthan gum. Texture turns slightly more tender but still tasty.
- Less sugar: Reduce total sugar by up to 3 tablespoons without wrecking the texture.
- Oil free version: Swap oil with ½ cup very smooth pumpkin puree plus 2 tablespoons nut butter. Texture turns more cakey but still delicious.
Equipment list
- Large mixing bowl
- Medium bowl
- Whisk and sturdy spatula
- Measuring cups and spoons or a kitchen scale
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
- Cookie scoop or tablespoon
- Cooling rack
Tips & Mistakes
- Use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, or the cookies turn too sweet and oddly spiced.
- Blot very watery pumpkin with paper towels so the dough does not turn gummy.
- Measure flour correctly and level it, or weigh it, so the cookies do not bake up dense.
- Mix dry ingredients separately before adding to wet ingredients so the baking powder and baking soda distribute evenly.
- Stir the dough until it just comes together and stop, or you risk tough cookies.
- Line the baking sheet with parchment so the cookies release cleanly and brown evenly.
- Space cookies at least 2 inches apart so they do not merge into one giant cookie pancake.
- Bake one test cookie to check timing in your oven and adjust by 1–2 minutes if needed.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before moving them, or they can break.
- Add glaze only after cookies cool completely so it sets nicely and does not melt off.
How to Make Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Preheat and prep
Set your oven to 350°F (175°C).
Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Gather all ingredients so you move quickly and avoid overmixing.
Step 2: Mix the dry ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves.
Break up any spice clumps so the flavor spreads evenly.
Set the bowl aside.
Step 3: Mix the wet ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk pumpkin puree, cane sugar, brown sugar, oil, non dairy milk, and vanilla.
Whisk until the mixture looks smooth and glossy with no sugar lumps.
Taste a tiny bit and adjust spices if you want more cinnamon.
Step 4: Combine wet and dry
Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture in two batches.
Use a spatula and fold gently until no dry streaks of flour remain.
Stop mixing as soon as the dough looks uniform and thick like soft muffin batter.
Step 5: Make the optional pumpkin swirl
In a small bowl, stir pumpkin puree, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.
Drop tiny ½ teaspoon blobs of this mixture over the cookie dough.
Fold just once or twice so you keep visible streaks instead of fully mixing it in.
Step 6: Scoop and shape
Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to portion about 1 ½ tablespoons of dough per cookie.
Place scoops on the prepared baking sheets with at least 2 inches between them.
Gently flatten each mound with slightly damp fingers to about ½ inch thick so they bake evenly.
Step 7: Bake
Place one sheet on the middle rack.
Bake 10–12 minutes until the edges look set and the centers look slightly soft but not wet.
The cookies firm up as they cool, so pull them when they still look a little underdone in the center.
Step 8: Cool
Let the cookies rest on the baking sheet for 5 minutes.
Move them to a cooling rack and let them cool completely if you plan to glaze them.
Snack on one warm cookie while you wait because quality control matters.
Step 9: Glaze the cookies (optional)
Whisk powdered sugar, maple syrup, salt, and 1 teaspoon non dairy milk.
Add more milk drop by drop until you get a thick but pourable glaze.
Drizzle over cooled cookies with a spoon or piping bag and let it set for 10–15 minutes.
Variations I've Tried
- Chocolate chip pumpkin cookies: Fold in ½–¾ cup dairy free chocolate chips before baking. The chocolate pairs nicely with the spices and pumpkin.
- Oatmeal pumpkin cookies: Swap ½ cup flour with ½ cup quick oats for more texture and a slightly heartier cookie.
- Nutty pumpkin cookies: Add ½ cup chopped pecans or walnuts for crunch and a bit of toasty flavor.
- Extra spice version: Increase cinnamon to 2 teaspoons and ginger to ¾ teaspoon if you love bold spice.
- Sugar crust cookies: Roll dough balls lightly in coarse sugar before baking for a sparkly, crunchy edge.
How to Serve Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cookies Recipe
Serve these vegan pumpkin pie cookies slightly warm with a glass of cold oat milk or a mug of hot coffee or tea. They fit nicely on a fall dessert platter with sliced apples and a bowl of roasted nuts. Pack them in lunch boxes as a fun seasonal treat that still feels pretty wholesome. I also bring them to holiday gatherings because they keep well at room temperature and everyone fights over the last one.
How to store
- Room temperature: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3–4 days.
- Fridge: Keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 1 week; let them come to room temp or warm slightly before serving.
- Freezer (unbaked): Scoop dough onto a tray, freeze solid, then transfer to a freezer bag and freeze for up to 2 months; bake from frozen and add 1–2 minutes to the bake time.
- Freezer (baked): Freeze fully cooled cookies in a single layer, then move to a container or bag and freeze for up to 2 months.
- Reheating: Warm cookies in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5–7 minutes or in the microwave for about 10–15 seconds to bring back that soft, fresh baked texture.
Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cookies
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves until well combined. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the pumpkin puree, cane sugar, brown sugar, oil, non dairy milk, and vanilla until the mixture is smooth and glossy with no sugar lumps.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in two additions, folding gently with a spatula just until no dry streaks of flour remain and the dough is thick like soft muffin batter.
- For the optional pumpkin swirl, stir together the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, cinnamon, and a pinch of salt in a small bowl. Drop small 1/2 teaspoon blobs of this mixture over the cookie dough and fold once or twice so streaks remain visible.
- Scoop about 1 1/2 tablespoons of dough per cookie onto the prepared baking sheets, spacing them at least 2 inches apart. Gently flatten each mound with slightly damp fingers to about 1/2 inch thick.
- Bake one sheet at a time on the middle rack for 10–12 minutes, until the edges look set and the centers appear slightly soft but not wet. The cookies will firm up as they cool.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely if you plan to glaze them.
- For the optional maple glaze, whisk the powdered sugar, maple syrup, a pinch of salt, and 1 teaspoon non dairy milk in a small bowl. Add more milk a few drops at a time until you have a thick but pourable glaze, then drizzle over the cooled cookies and let set for 10–15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Approximate per cookie (about 24 cookies, including optional glaze): 140 calories; fat 6 g; saturated fat 1 g; carbohydrates 21 g; fiber 1 g; sugars 12 g; protein 1 g; sodium 90 mg. Values are estimates and will vary based on specific ingredients, optional swirl or glaze, and portion size.
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