Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
149
Last updated on Oct 31, 2024
This post may include affiliate links. Thank you for your support.
These delicious pumpkin oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips are vegan and can easily be made gluten-free. Perfect for satisfying your pumpkin cravings!
It’s pumpkin season! Truth be told, I am that girl that wants to make pumpkin goodies all year round because I love it so much but I definitely get an extra craving in the fall.
I have a ton of pumpkin baked goods recipes on the blog including these vegan pumpkin muffins and my healthy pumpkin bread, but I didn’t have any pumpkin cookie recipes… until now!
Why I Love These Cookies
- Vegan-friendly – Perfect for plant-based eaters or anyone looking to enjoy a dairy-free, egg-free treat.
- Low-calorie – Each cookie has less than 90 calories, so you can enjoy one (or a few!) guilt-free.
- Naturally sweetened – Made with coconut sugar, which adds a subtle molasses flavor and keeps the sugar content low.
- Fall favorite – Pumpkin, oats, and chocolate chips make these cookies the ultimate cozy, autumn treat.
Ingredients Needed
- flour – I prefer to use whole wheat pastry flour because it’s lighter than all-purpose flour, is packed with protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals and is really easy to bake with.
- old fashioned rolled oats – I recommend using rolled oats for this recipe (I like Bob’s Red Mill rolled oats).
- ground cinnamon and nutmeg – the perfect fall spice pairings for these cookies!
- pumpkin puree – you can use canned pumpkin puree or make homemade pumpkin puree. If you’re using store bought, just make sure it’s not pumpkin pie filling because it’s loaded with added sugars.
- coconut sugar – I love using coconut sugar because it’s a natural sugar with a bit more nutrition.
- coconut oil – this adds healthy fat and helps bind the cookies together.
- ground flaxseed – flaxseed adds healthy fat and fiber to the cookies and also acts as an egg substitute to help bind the cookies together.
- dark chocolate chips – I like using Lily’s chocolate chips because they are sugar-free and low in calories.
Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
Substitutions
- Flour – Whole wheat pastry, spelt, or all-purpose flour all work well. To make it gluten-free, use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.
- Sugar – Regular white sugar or brown sugar can be used if you prefer.
- Oil – Melted butter or a mild oil like avocado would also work as alternatives. I haven’t tried avocado oil in this particular recipe, but I’ve used it in other baked goods like my zucchini banana bread, and it works great!
- Dark chocolate chips – Feel free to use regular chocolate chips or chunks if you’re not concerned with sugar content, or see below for more mix-in ideas.
- Binder – You could swap the flaxseed with a chia egg, or even a normal egg if you don’t need this recipe to be vegan.
How to Make Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
These cookies are so easy to make—just mix, scoop, and bake. Follow these four steps, and you’ll have warm pumpkin oatmeal cookies ready in no time.
Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350°F and mix the dry ingredients (flour, oats, cinnamon, baking soda, sea salt, and nutmeg) in a bowl.
Step 2: Mix the wet ingredients (pumpkin, sugar, coconut oil, flaxseed, and vanilla) in a separate bowl, then combine with the dry mixture.
Step 3: Gently fold in chocolate chips.
Step 4: Scoop tablespoons of dough onto a greased baking sheet, pressing down slightly to shape. Bake for 15-16 minutes, then let cool on a wire rack.
Tips for Success
- Let the dough chill for a few minutes – After mixing, let the dough sit for about 5-10 minutes. This gives the oats a chance to soak up some of that pumpkin flavor and helps the cookies hold their shape a bit better when baked. Trust me, it’s worth the wait!
- Don’t overbake – These cookies are best when they’re soft and chewy, so keep an eye on them around the 15-minute mark. They’ll be just right when the edges turn a light golden color. Pull them out then, and they’ll stay soft and delicious.
Optional Mix-ins
I like to mix chocolate chips into my cookies because pumpkin + chocolate = the best combo ever! That said, feel free to skip the chocolate chips or swap them out for another mix-in. Here are some ideas:
- Dried fruit – These pumpkin cookies would be delicious with dried cranberries or dates mixed in.
- Chopped nuts – If you like nuts in your cookies, add a handful to this batter! I recommend walnuts, pecans, or macadamia, but any nut will do.
- Coconut shreds – Something about the hint of coconut just works with pumpkin, giving the cookies a little tropical twist.
How to Store Pumpkin Cookies
Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before transferring to an airtight container for storage. If the cookies are still slightly warm before storing, there will be condensation in the container which means soggy cookies… no one wants soggy cookies! Store at room temperature for up to 5 days, in the refrigerator for up to a week or put them in the freezer for up to three months.
Frequently Asked Questions
I wouldn’t recommend it. Quick oats break down more easily and can make the cookies too soft and mushy, losing that nice chewy texture we love in oatmeal cookies. Stick with old-fashioned rolled oats here for the best results.
Of course! The chocolate chips add a nice sweetness, but you can skip them or replace them with another mix-in like chopped nuts, dried cranberries, or coconut shreds.
Pumpkin tends to make baked goods more cakey because of its high moisture content. If you’re looking for a slightly denser texture, try using slightly less pumpkin or adding an extra tablespoon of oats to the dough.
Popular Pumpkin Recipes
- Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
- Pumpkin Granola
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars
- Soft Pumpkin Cookies
- Flourless Pumpkin Muffins
- Pumpkin Brownies
More Oatmeal Cookies to Try
- No Bake Cookies
- Oatmeal Raisin Cookies
- Oatmeal Chia Cookies
- Peanut Butter Oatmeal Cookies
- Oatmeal Date Cookies
- Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
Be sure to check out the full collection of cookie recipes here on EBF!
If you enjoyed this recipe, please consider leaving a ⭐ star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below.
Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup spelt, whole wheat pastry or all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- pinch of ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup canned pumpkin or homemade pumpkin puree
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
- ½ Tablespoon ground flaxseed
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
- ¼ cup vegan dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Stir together dry ingredients (flour, oats, cinnamon, baking soda, sea salt, nutmeg) in a mixing bowl.
- Mix together wet ingredients (pumpkin, sugar, coconut oil, flaxseed and vanilla) in a separate mixing bowl.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients.
- Stir in chocolate chips. Mix well.
- Drop rounded Tablespoons onto a greased cookie sheet. Press cookie dough down into a cookie shape with a spoon or your fingers. The cookies won't spread very much so you can space them about 1 inch apart.
- Bake for 15-16 minutes.
- Move cookies to a wire rack and cool completely before eating or transferring to a storage container for later consumption.
- Store at room temperature for up to 5 days, in the refrigerator for up to a week or in the freezer for up to three months.
Notes
- Pumpkin puree: If you’re using store bought, just make sure it’s not pumpkin pie filling because it’s loaded with added sugars.
- Storage: Let the cookies cool before storing. You can store at room temperature for up to 5 days, in the refrigerator for up to a week or put them in the freezer for up to three months.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
This cookie is so delicious! Next time I’m going to try a little less sugar.
So glad you enjoyed these cookies! Thanks for coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it.
Delicious! Made these for a Halloween Party yesterday. They turned out great! It was a soft, chewy, oatmeal style cookie that was a little more cake-y than fudgey cookie. Light and fluffy. Mine took longer, maybe about 20 mins. I also subbed Brown Sugar (1.5c) and Cane Sugar (.5c) since they what I had on hand. I doubled the recipe and froze half the batter. Looking forward to making the other batch next weekend!
Amazing! I am so glad you are loving these cookies and they turned out great for you, Krisha. Thank you for your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!
LOVED these!! Simple to make yet delicious!! Even the batter was so good!! Perfect for fall and love that they’re made with cleaner ingredients.
Perfect! Happy to hear you’re loving this super simple recipe, they are seriously perfect for fall. Thank you for your review & star rating, I appreciate it!
I’ve tried many pumpkin cookie recipes over the years and this is my favorite!
The best! I am happy to hear you are loving this recipe, Lyf. Thank you for your review & star rating, I appreciate it!