Pillowy Soft Pumpkin Cookies
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Published Oct 12, 2020, Updated Jul 05, 2023
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These soft pumpkin cookies are like pillowy clouds that melt in your mouth. They’re loaded with pumpkin flavor, grain-free and made without any oil! Top with frosting for a delicious treat.
I actually shared a variation of these pumpkin cookies on my Instagram last winter! It was my take on the popular 2-ingredient pumpkin cookies made with a box of spice cake mix and a can of pumpkin. I made a version with a box of Simple Mills vanilla cake mix and they were so good.
I don’t know why it’s taken me so long to post this recipe (I guess I was waiting for fall to come back around)! Lucky for me (and you) it’s officially pumpkin season so these pillowy soft pumpkin cookies are making an appearance.
I used a combination of almond and coconut flour and the end result was perfection. The cookies are melt-in-your-mouth soft… basically cake cookies. They taste so light and fluffy that it’s easy to pop a few in one sitting. I ate four as a snack one night!
Ingredients in Pumpkin Cookies
- almond flour
- coconut flour
- baking soda
- sea salt
- eggs
- canned pumpkin – make sure you check the ingredient list! Look for just “pureed pumpkin“… not pumpkin pie mix. Pumpkin pie mix has added sugar!
- cane sugar
- vanilla extract
- pumpkin pie spice – you can make your own using my recipe or use store-bought.
- mini chocolate chips – I used Enjoy Life mini chocolate chips for this recipe.
- frosting – I kept things easy and used store-bought frosting, but you can always make your own. I really like the Simple Mills vanilla frosting.
Substitutions and Notes:
- Flour: I haven’t tested this recipe with any different types of flour so I don’t recommend subbing the flours. They’re delicious as is! If you want a soft pumpkin cookie with all-purpose flour, there are plenty. Here’s one!
- Cane sugar: I have tested this recipe with coconut sugar and it works great, but does make the cookies a bit darker in color. I haven’t tested the recipe with other natural sweeteners like maple syrup or honey. If you decide to try it, let me know how the cookies turn out.
- Canned pumpkin: If you can’t find canned pumpkin, you can make your own pumpkin puree or use canned butternut squash.
- Eggs: I haven’t tested this recipe with flax eggs, chia eggs or an egg replacer and I’m not sure the cookies will turn out well with these substitutes. I recommend trying my vegan pumpkin cookies if you need an egg-free recipe.
How to Frost Pumpkin Cookies
These cookies are honestly delicious on their own without any frosting, but the frosting definitely makes them look very cute (and taste extra delicious).
I’m on a mission too create a healthy frosting recipe, but I don’t have one just yet, so for these cookies I used store-bought frosting. I frosted the cookies several different ways for different looks:
- Simple: The easiest method is to simply spread a layer of frosting on top of each cookie with a knife. I like this method to keep things quick and easy.
- Piped Frosting: If you want the cookies to look more polished, you can pipe the frosting. For the final batch (the ones I used for these photos) I frosted with a star tip (#17).
- Mummy Cookies: you can use this same cookie recipe to make super cute mummy cookies for Halloween.
For the frosting, I really love the ingredients and flavor of Simple Mills vanilla frosting, but you can use whatever frosting brand you like. Another option is to make your own frosting. Cream cheese frosting is delicious on pumpkin cookies!
How to Store Soft Pumpkin Cookies
Allow your cookies to cool completely before storing! You can frost your cookies and store or just store them unfrosted and frost right before serving. If you have multiple layers of cookies in a container, use parchment paper to separate the layers. Store cookies in the fridge for up to one week or freezer for up to two months.
More Pumpkin Recipes to Try:
- Healthy Pumpkin Pancakes
- 10 Minute Pumpkin Butter
- Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats
- Pumpkin Bran Muffins
- Pumpkin Gingerbread Smoothie
- Pumpkin Pie Smoothie
- Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal
If you make these pumpkin cookies be sure to leave a comment and star rating below letting us know how they turned out. Your feedback is so helpful for the EBF team and our readers!
Soft Pumpkin Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups almond flour, 175 grams
- 3 Tablespoons coconut flour
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup cane sugar, or coconut sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 cup pumpkin, canned or homemade
- 1/3 cup mini chocolate chips, I used Enjoy Life
- vanilla frosting, for piping (optional)
Instructions
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment.
- Mix dry ingredients: Stir together dry ingredients (flours, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and sea salt) in a mixing bowl.
- Add wet ingredients: Mix together wet ingredients (eggs, pumpkin, sugar and vanilla) in a separate mixing bowl.
- Combine: Combine wet and dry ingredients. The dough will seem really wet for a cookie dough. This is ideal!
- Add chocolate chips: Stir in 1/3 cup chocolate chips.
- Scoop: Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop and place cookies on prepared cookie sheet. Press cookie dough down into a cookie shape with a spoon or your fingers. Cookies won’t spread very much so you can space them about 1 inch apart.
- Bake: Bake for 15 minutes.
- Cool: Move cookies to a wire rack and cool completely.
- Decorate with frosting: add frosting to the piping bag fitted with a #17 tip and pipe the frosting in s swirl on each cookie.
- To store:store leftover cookies in a container in the fridge for up to one week.
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Would love to see NO SUGAR highly inflammatory, would like to see MONKFRUITE inspired, so as to really show healthy choices, I will try yours and substitute monk fruit I reduce monk fruit by 1/3 because it’s too sweet.
Thank you for considering my suggestion
Hey Nancy – I haven’t tried it, but you can certainly try these with monkfruit instead of regular sugar. Let me know if you do end up trying them and how they turn out for you.
Cream cheese frosting would be my go-to for these. I’m glad you suggested it!
Yes, it would be so yummy!! Let me know if you end up making these and what you think of them, Janet. 🙂
Yummy! Super pillowy indeed, with all the flavors that remind of fall! Love them, thank you! I used Serve instead of cane sugar and made them without the frosting. Now, I MUST put these cookies away before I eat them all!
Omg I know, it’s hard to put them down!! I’m so glad you’re loving these cookies, Gabi. Thanks for making them and for coming back to share the subs you made. It’s super helpful for other readers, so I appreciate it. 🙂
I never leave comments but I had to for these cookies, they are the softest most delicious pumpkin cookies I have ever made! Super easy to whip up and absolutely delicious, I highly recommend!!
Ahh yay!! That makes me so happy to hear, Seanna. I’m so glad these cookies were a hit. Thanks so much for making them and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I really appreciate it. <3
I never leave comments, but wow these cookies are the perfect Fall combination. Made them without the frosting and cannot stop eating them. I love your approach to food and cooking to bring a healthy approach to our all our favorites. Thank you so much!
Ahh yay!!! This makes me so happy to hear, Marieve. I’m so glad you’re loving these cookies. Thanks so much for making them and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. The reviews are super helpful for other readers, so I appreciate it! <3
Could I use honey or maple instead of regular or coconut sugar for this recipe?
Just wondering if a liquid sweetener would work instead of a dry sweetener.
Hey Chasity – I wouldn’t recommend swapping a liquid sweetener for a dry one as the dough will likely be too liquidy.
I just came upon your website. I thought I’d join the other first-time commenters. In your comment about swapping sweeteners, I believe you swapped the sweeteners. Did you mean to write, “I wouldn’t recommend swapping a liquid sweetener for a dry one…?”
I’m excited, looking forward to making this new pumpkin recipe!
Ahh yes, good catch on that comment I left, Terry! I just edited my response. 🙂 Can’t wait to hear what you think of these cookies if you make them!
Made these. Used monk fruit, 1/3 cup. Turned out perfect! Super cakey.
Good to know monkfruit worked for you! Thanks for trying my recipe and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I so appreciate it!
Wish I could give these 6 out of 5 stars! The texture/consistency was AMAZING! It was so nice to make a fluffy/soft cookie recipe for a change. They were A+!! My boyfriend is equally as obsessed with them as I am!
Ahh yay!! That makes me so happy to hear, Kristin. I’m so glad these cookies turned out for you! Thanks for making them and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. The reviews are super helpful for other readers, so I really appreciate it. <3
These are spectacular! So simple and I didn’t ice them – they are a party in your mouth! Thank you for providing these awesome recipes!✌️❤️
You’re so welcome, Julie! I’m so glad you’re loving these cookies. 🙂 Thanks for making them and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I so appreciate it!
So good! Another amazing recipe from you! Thank you so much!
Ahh yay, so glad you loved these cookies, Emily!! Thanks for making them and for coming back to leave a comment + star rating. I really appreciate it. 🙂
I decided to try these today and was so surprised at how easy they are to make. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe. I will definitely make again!
Ahh yay!! That makes me so happy to hear, Jill. I’m so glad these cookies were a hit. Thanks for making them. 🙂
These are so good! I used oat flour instead of almond and they were perfect!
Woo!! Good to know that oat flour worked for these cookies. Thanks for making them and for coming back to share what sub you made. It’s super helpful for other readers, so I appreciate it, Jennifer. 🙂
Hey, thanks for the recipe!!! I loved it!!! SO soft and yummy, will certainly make another batch. Thanks for sharing <3
These soft Pumpkin Cookies turned out great. They were delicious with or without the cream cheese frosting. I didn’t have any almond flour so I used splet flour instead. They came just fine.
Oh yay!! So glad these cookies turned out with the spelt flour, Alice. Thanks so much for letting me know, it’s super helpful for the other readers who are curious about flour subs. 🙂
My family loved these cookies on thanksgiving day. So tasty!
Ahh yay, that makes me so happy to hear, Katherine!! I’m so glad these cookies were a hit with your family. Thanks for making them and for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!
I made 1 batch wanting to try out these cookies and ended up making a second batch an hour later! My whole family enjoyed these. They are so soft I feel like I’m eating a cloud! I thought I had a can of pumpkin to use up but luckily I grow pumpkins so had some in storage to whip up which was nice. Thanks for posting the recipe!
Omg yay!! So glad these cookies were a hit. Thanks for coming back to leave a review. It means the world to me. 🙂
These cookies are MAGICAL! Omg, they are so perfectly soft and fluffy like a pillow, with the perfect pumpkin spice flavor. I actually added 2 Tablespoons almond butter and it was sooo yummy! My family said I could sell them in a bakery. They’re that good! And I didn’t even add the frosting.
Ah yay! I’m so happy to hear these pumpkin cookies were such a hit, Stephanie! Thank you so much for making them and coming back to leave a review + star rating. I so appreciate it!
WOW!!! These cookies are amazing! I’m so glad they are only like 50 calories per cookie because I’ve already enjoyed way too many! They are delicious even without the frosting.
Woo!! So happy to hear these cookies were a hit, Crystal! It’s definitely hard to put them down :). Thanks so much for the review. I really appreciate it!
Omg! You bit the. Ail on the head with these pumpkin cookies. They smelled so good while cooking and I couldn’t wait to try them. They do not disappoint! They are amazing!!!
Woo!! So pumped you enjoyed these cookies, Cathy! Thanks so much for the review. It means so much to me!
These are very tasty. I didn’t have coconut flour so I made without and just used the almond. Adding the icing though not necessary. They were very good with out it too.
Happy to hear you enjoyed this pumpkin cookies, Allison. Glad to know they turned out well with just using almond flour. Thanks so much for the review! I really appreciate it.
Oh my goodness… these are heaven and they taste buttery. I didn’t have the coconut flour so I just added 3 more tablespoons of almond flour. And I did a couple of dashes of clove because why not!
I just made one batch and I didn’t quite put a whole half cut of sugar and for the next batch I’m going to try 4 tablespoons of cane sugar and see how they turn out(I am doing a no added sugar lifestyle, but I do have a husband and tot that still like sweets)
All that to say, very tasty recipe and thanks for sharing!
So glad you loved these cookies, Holly!! Thanks for making them and for the review. I so appreciate it!
These are BEYOND good! Was looking for a good pumpkin cookie and I’ve found it!!! They’re soft and perfect.
Ah yay! So happy to hear this, Sydney. Thanks so much for trying them out and coming back to leave a review. It means so much to me :).
My kiddos loved these! They were so easy to make together and the frosting made them a little fancier for a cookie exchange!
Ah yay! Happy to hear these cookies were a hit, Christina! Thanks for the review. I really appreciate it!
These are seriously soft pillowy pumpkin goodness… in a cookie. Always get great feedback when I serve them to friends and family. I didn’t even make the frosting (trying to keep them lower in calories), and they’re still bomb.
Woo! Love to hear that, Stephanie! Thanks for the review and star rating, I appreciate it so much!
These cookies looked so good, and loved the description! I made them with my 4yo so I appreciated the relative simplicity and number of ingredients. I am also gluten and dairy free so wanted to try it.
I followed the recipe as written and I ended up with cookies that were yes very soft but almost looked undercooked at the 15 minute mark. I let them bake for 3-4 more minutes just in case it was my oven temperature not being correct. Others mention using all almond flour so I may try that next time, but have had luck in the past with other recipes using both coconut and almond flour. They tasted fine, but definitely more soft-like-cookie-dough than soft-like-pillow or airy like in the pictures. I love many other recipes here so it could surely be user error!
Hi Hannah – I am sorry to hear these turned out a but to soft for you. What rack did you have them on in the oven? Also the consistency of the batter when scooping out the cookies? I am wondering if either of those may have played into the cookies being too soft. I am happy to hear they tasted great though!