Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cookies Recipe

Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cookies Recipe tastes like a bite-size slice of pumpkin pie with chewy edges, soft centers, and cozy fall spices in every crumb. It works perfectly for busy bakers who want a holiday-worthy treat in about 35 minutes from start to finish. I test pumpkin recipes year-round in my tiny apartment kitchen, and these cookies still disappear faster than anything else on my counter.

Why Choose This Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cookies Recipe

These vegan pumpkin pie cookies bake up soft and tender, with crisp edges and a rich, spiced pumpkin flavor that tastes like dessert at a cozy café. You skip the dairy and eggs, but you still get that classic pumpkin pie vibe in a portable cookie that packs easily for parties and lunchboxes.

The recipe uses simple pantry ingredients, no fancy egg replacers, and only one bowl for the dough. You mix, scoop, bake, swirl on a quick maple glaze, and enjoy warm cookies in less time than a grocery run.

“These Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cookies taste like mini slices of holiday pie in cookie form, and nobody guessed they were vegan ★★★★★”

Ingredients You’ll Need

Dry ingredients

• 1 ¾ cups (220 g) all-purpose flour
  • Use a standard unbleached all-purpose; I like King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill for consistent results.
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ 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: 2 tablespoons cornstarch for extra soft, bakery-style cookies

Wet ingredients

• ½ cup (110 g) canned pumpkin puree
  • Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. Libby’s or Whole Foods 365 both work great.
• ½ cup (110 g) vegan butter, softened but not melted
  • Use stick-style vegan butter, not a tub spread. I get the best texture with Earth Balance or Miyoko’s.
• ½ cup (100 g) brown sugar, packed
• ¼ cup (50 g) granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 tablespoon non-dairy milk (oat, soy, or almond)

Optional “pie” topping

This topping gives the cookies a pumpkin pie feel on top.

• 3 tablespoons pumpkin puree
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
• Pinch of salt

Stir these together in a small bowl until smooth.

Simple maple glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
• 2–3 tablespoons non-dairy milk
• 1 tablespoon maple syrup
• ¼ teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt to balance the sweetness

Whisk until smooth and drizzle-able. Add more milk a teaspoon at a time if it feels too thick.

Equipment list

• Large mixing bowl
• Medium mixing bowl
• Whisk and rubber spatula
• Hand mixer or stand mixer (optional, but it makes creaming easier)
• Measuring cups and spoons or a digital kitchen scale
• Baking sheets
• Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
• Cookie scoop (about 1 ½ tablespoons) or regular spoon
• Cooling rack

Tips & Tricks

• Use room-temperature vegan butter so it creams easily with the sugars and traps air for lighter cookies.
• Blot the pumpkin puree with a paper towel if it looks very wet; this keeps the dough from turning sticky and cakey.
• Chill the dough for 20–30 minutes if your kitchen runs warm so the cookies hold their shape and do not spread too much.
• Scoop cookies of equal size so they bake evenly and finish at the same time.
• Do not overmix once you add the flour; stir just until no dry streaks remain to keep the cookies tender.
• Bake one tray at a time in the center of the oven for the most even browning.
• Let the cookies cool at least 10 minutes before glazing so the glaze sets instead of sliding off.
• Add a tiny pinch of extra salt on top of the glaze if you love that sweet-salty bakery vibe.

How to Make Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cookies Recipe

Mix the dry ingredients

1. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper and heat your oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves, and cornstarch if you use it.
3. Set this bowl aside so you can grab it quickly when you combine the wet and dry ingredients.

Cream the butter and sugars

1. In a large mixing bowl, add the softened vegan butter, brown sugar, and granulated sugar.
2. Beat with a hand mixer or stand mixer on medium speed for 2–3 minutes until the mixture looks lighter in color and fluffy.
3. Scrape down the sides of the bowl so everything mixes evenly.

Add pumpkin and flavorings

1. Add the pumpkin puree, maple syrup, vanilla, and non-dairy milk to the creamed butter mixture.
2. Beat again until the mixture looks smooth and creamy; it may look slightly curdled at first, but it comes together.
3. Scrape the bowl again so no pumpkin hides at the bottom.

Combine wet and dry

1. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture in two additions.
2. Use a spatula to fold the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until no dry streaks remain.
3. Stop mixing as soon as the dough looks uniform; thick and slightly sticky dough means you did it right.
4. Chill the bowl in the fridge for 20 minutes if the dough feels very soft.

Shape the cookies

1. Use a cookie scoop or spoon to portion about 1 ½ tablespoons of dough per cookie.
2. Roll each portion into a ball with your hands and place it on the prepared baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches between cookies.
3. Gently press each ball to flatten slightly into a thick disc so it bakes evenly.

Add the “pie” topping

1. Spoon about ½ teaspoon of the pumpkin topping mixture onto the center of each cookie.
2. Use the back of the spoon to spread it gently, leaving a small border around the edges.
3. If you feel artistic, swirl the topping in a tiny spiral to mimic pumpkin pie filling.

Bake the cookies

1. Place one baking sheet in the center of the oven.
2. Bake for 10–12 minutes until the edges look set and slightly golden and the centers look puffed but still soft.
3. Pull the tray from the oven and let the cookies sit on the sheet for 5 minutes so they finish setting.
4. Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and repeat with the second tray.

Mix and drizzle the glaze

1. While the cookies cool, whisk powdered sugar, non-dairy milk, maple syrup, vanilla, and a pinch of salt in a bowl until smooth.
2. Adjust the thickness with a few drops more milk if needed; you want a slow ribbon that holds a line for a second.
3. Once the cookies feel just slightly warm, drizzle the glaze over the tops in zigzags or little circles.
4. Let the glaze set for 15–20 minutes before stacking or packing the cookies.

What to Serve with Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cookies Recipe

These vegan pumpkin pie cookies pair beautifully with hot drinks like coffee, chai, or a big mug of oat milk hot chocolate. I also love them with a cold glass of vanilla soy milk for a nostalgic cookie-and-milk moment. Serve them on a dessert board with sliced apples, grapes, and a bowl of roasted nuts for a cozy snack spread. They also shine on a holiday dessert table next to vegan brownies and simple sugar cookies.

Storage Options

• Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2–3 days; place parchment between layers if you glaze them.
• Keep them in the fridge for up to 6 days if your kitchen runs warm or you like a slightly firmer texture.
• Freeze unglazed cookies in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 2 months; thaw at room temperature, then add glaze.
• Freeze scooped raw dough balls on a tray, then bag them and bake from frozen, adding 1–2 extra minutes to the baking time.
• Reheat cookies in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5–7 minutes to revive the edges and bring back that fresh-baked feel.