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Tender, lightly sweet, and all-around perfect pumpkin almond flour cookies. Made in one bowl, in no time flat, they are also grain-free, oil-free, and vegan.
Healthy Pumpkin Cookies: Vegan, Grain-Free & Gluten-Free
At last. ‘Tis the official season of PUMPKIN!
Some (e.g., my husband) might say I have a pumpkin problem. The reason? I eat it all the time, all year round. A dozen large cans of pumpkin in our pantry? Sounds perfectly reasonable to me. It’s so good in so many things that I don’t want to run low.
Fewer than a dozen cans is low :).
But at this time of year, no one will look askance at my canned pumpkin-laden shopping cart, nor will you, fair readers, be alarmed if I post pumpkin recipes without restraint in the days and weeks to come.
Allow me to begin the pumpkin madness with some irresistible Pumpkin Almond Flour Cookies!
Recipe Benefits
These homey cookies are:
- Grain-Free
- Vegan
- Gluten-Free
- Oil-Free
- Made in One Bowl
- Super Fast & Easy to Make
- Tender, Flavor-Packed, and SO very delicious
They are more than healthy enough for breakfast or an energizing pre-workout snack, but also blissful for a late afternoon treat or after-dinner dessert.
The inspiration for thee cookies came from my 3-ingredient Almond Flour Cookies from several months back. They are a favorite at our house because they are so easy, so good, so healthy, and so versatile with the addition of different spices, zest and extracts.
Could I make them with pumpkin? Perhaps just 4 ingredients?
Several tests later, the answer was no. Were they edible? Yes. Did they look like cookies? More or less. But they weren’t right. Whereas the 3-ingredient almond flour cookies are perfect without any additional flavors, or other ingredients, for that matter, pumpkin almond flour cookies needed more, so I scrapped the notion of keeping the ingredients ultra-minimal and focused instead on making the finished cookies ultra-delicious.
Did it!
Ingredients
The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post. Toggle between US Customary (volume) and Metric (weights) for preferred measurement option.
- almond flour (see recipe card notes about using almond meal)
- coconut flour
- coconut sugar
- pumpkin pie spice (see notes for options)
- baking soda
- salt
- unsweetened canned pumpkin puree
- nondairy milk (e.g., coconut milk, almond milk, hemp milk, cashew milk)
- Optional: raw cane/ turbinado sugar for coating
The ingredient list is longer, yes, but familiar and simple, too. The recipe was crying out for spice, so I added a full 1.5 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice.
Another significant addition: coconut flour. It balances the almond flour, resulting in cookies with a fluffy, tender texture.
Step by Step Instructions
Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.
The dough comes together in minutes with nothing more than a spoon and a large bowl.
- Preheat the oven to 325F (160C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl whisk the almond flour, coconut flour, coconut sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt. Add the pumpkin puree and milk, stirring until completely blended. Let dough stand for 1 to 2 minutes for the coconut flour to absorb the liquid.
- Using a small cookie scoop or heaping tablespoon, drop cookies onto prepared prepared baking sheet (alternatively, shape into balls and place on cookie sheet). If desired, sprinkle with raw sugar.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 16 to 20 minutes until firm to the touch.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack and let cool completely.
These cookies taste like sturdy-yet-tender, bite-size pumpkin pies. Yes, hard to resist. But you need not resist, as each cookie is packed with vitamins A & E, plus a decent dose of fiber and protein.
Here’s to pumpkin!
FAQ
- How should I store the cookies? Store the cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 1 day, the refrigerator for 1 week or the freezer for up to 6 months.
- What is a good substitute for coconut sugar? An equal amount of brown sugar can be used in place of the coconut sugar. I have not made these with a liquid sweetener (e.g., maple syrup or honey), so I cannot predict how they will turn out.
- Can I use almond meal (more coarsely ground almonds) in place of almond flour? I have not tested it, but almond meal should work as a replacement for blanched almond flour. These are moist cookies, so the added denseness of the meal (compared to blanched almond flour) will most likely be quite delicious!
- Can I omit or reduce the salt? Feel free to decrease the salt if your diet requires it.
- I do not have pumpkin pie spice. What can I use in its place? You can use a combination of spices (e.g., cinnamon, ginger, allspice, nutmeg, cloves), adding up to 1.5 teaspoons total, in place of the pumpkin pie spice.
Related Posts:
- Chickpea Flour Pumpkin Muffins {vegan, grain-free, oil-free}
- Chocolate Pumpkin Pudding Cups {vegan, grain-free}
- 3-Ingredient Black Bean Pumpkin Soup {vegan, oil-free}
- Vegan Pumpkin Almond Flour Biscotti {keto option}
- 3-Ingredient Almond Flour Cookies {vegan, oil-free, keto option}
Pumpkin Almond Flour Cookies {Vegan, Grain-Free, Oil-Free}
Ingredients
- 1 cup blanched almond flour
- 1/3 cup coconut flour
- 1/3 cup coconut palm sugar
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2/3 cup unsweetened canned pumpkin puree
- 1/4 cup nondairy milk
- Optional: raw cane, turbinado sugar for coating
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325F (160C). Line a cookie sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl whisk the almond flour, coconut flour, coconut sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt. Add the pumpkin puree and milk, stirring until completely blended. Let dough stand for 1 to 2 minutes for the coconut flour to absorb the liquid.
- Using a small cookie scoop or heaping tablespoon, drop cookies onto prepared prepared baking sheet (alternatively, shape into balls and place on cookie sheet). If desired, sprinkle with raw sugar.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 16 to 20 minutes until firm to the touch.
- Let cookies cool on the baking sheet. Transfer cookies to a cooling rack and let cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Really like the flavor and texture of these cookies. I used xylitol for sweetener and sweet potato puree instead of pumpkin puree. So good.
Sounds delicious, Alice’s! I’m so glad you like the recipe😊
I only have regular sugar, no palm stuff. Will that work?
Yes, that is fine, Meme! Use the same amount of the sugar you have. Brown sugar is a closer substitute (palm sugar is dark and has a deep molasses flavor), but ordinary white sugar will work, too.
Can I sub Xylitol for the coconut Sugar (in general and in the almond cookies recipes)? Thank you
Hi George,
Yes, that should work like a gem. You will not get as much browning without the sugar, but…the pumpkin has plenty of color to make up for it 🙂
I just made these, and they came out great! I really like them. And my house smells heavenly. Thanks for the recipe. It’s hard to find healthy fat free treat recipes that actually turn out good. 🙂
This looks so good! What a yummy way to get some pumpkin in a healthy way!
I usually prefer unblanched almond flour in my baked goods to get the additional nutrients from the almond skins. Will that be a problem? I haven’t experienced problems before when one is called for but I use the other, but you’re pretty good about having reasons for which ingredients you use. Thoughts ??
Timothy, I am so sorry for the late reply! Yes, this is a recipe where I think almond meal would not only work well, but would be great! Thinks for bringing it up, and let me know if you give it a go! 🙂
These are AMAZING!!! Thank you for these.