Description

Delight in these soft and chewy Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies, perfect for fall or anytime you crave a sweet treat without dairy or eggs. Combining pumpkin puree, warm pumpkin pie spices, and melty vegan chocolate chips, these cookies offer a comforting and festive flavor with a moist texture that’s sure to please vegans and non-vegans alike.

Ingredients

Scale

Main Ingredients

1 1/2 cup (285g) packed light brown sugar
3/4 cup (170g) vegan butter (melted and cooled)
3/4 cup (170g) pumpkin puree (canned or homemade, not pumpkin pie filling)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (optional)
2 1/3 cups (290g) all-purpose plain flour (or gluten-free all-purpose flour)
2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt (if using unsalted butter)
1 cup (170g) vegan chocolate chips (or chopped dairy-free chocolate, plus extra if desired)

Instructions

Preheat and Prepare Baking Sheets: Preheat your oven to 180°C (350°F). Line 2-3 baking sheets with parchment paper to prevent sticking and allow even baking.
Dry the Pumpkin Puree: Spread the pumpkin puree onto a few layers of disposable paper towels placed on a plate or shallow bowl. Lightly press or blot the pumpkin to absorb excess moisture. Repeat until you have about 1/2 cup (115g) of moister-reduced pumpkin, which helps create chewier cookies.
Mix Wet Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the light brown sugar, melted and cooled vegan butter, dried pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
Add Dry Ingredients: Add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda, and salt (if using unsalted butter) to the wet mixture. Stir with a wooden spoon until just combined. The dough should be soft but not warm; if too soft, chill in the fridge for at least 15 minutes.
Fold in Chocolate Chips: Gently fold in the vegan chocolate chips or chopped dairy-free chocolate chunks to distribute them evenly throughout the dough.
Shape Cookies: Using about 2 tablespoons per cookie or a heaped mini cookie scoop, roll the dough into balls. Place them on prepared baking sheets about 2 inches (5cm) apart. Flatten each slightly, and optionally press more chocolate chips on top for extra indulgence.
Bake Cookies: Bake in the preheated oven for 13-15 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and set. The centers may still look soft; cookies will puff up during baking but deflate while cooling.
Cool and Store: Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for 15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days, though these tend to be eaten quickly!

Notes

To ensure chewy cookies, make sure to blot excess moisture out of the pumpkin puree before adding it to the dough.
You can make your own pumpkin pie spice blend with cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves if desired.
If using unsalted vegan butter, be sure to add the 1/4 teaspoon of salt as noted.
Flour can be substituted with gluten-free all-purpose flour for gluten-free variation.
For best results, do not replace pumpkin puree with pumpkin pie filling.
Chilling the dough helps to firm it up for easier handling and thicker cookies, but is optional.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Category: Dessert
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Keywords: Vegan pumpkin cookies, pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, vegan dessert, dairy-free cookies, fall cookies, gluten-free option