Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies with Chocolate Chips
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These pumpkin oatmeal cookies are soft, chewy and packed with warm fall spices. They’re studded with chocolate chips and can easily be made vegan.
It’s pumpkin season! Truth be told, I’m the kind of girl who could eat pumpkin treats all year long, but once fall hits the cravings really kick in.
I already have plenty of pumpkin baked goods on the blog like my vegan pumpkin muffins and healthy pumpkin bread, but I realized I was missing a cookie recipe. Enter these pumpkin oatmeal cookies. If you have been searching for the best oatmeal pumpkin cookies, this recipe is it.
Why I Love These Cookies
- Soft and chewy: These cookies have that classic oatmeal cookie texture with the perfect amount of chew, but the pumpkin puree keeps them extra moist and adds cozy fall flavor.
- Vegan-friendly: The recipe is naturally dairy-free and with a simple flax egg swap they become fully vegan. I’ve tested them both ways, so whether you’re plant-based or not, these oatmeal pumpkin cookies work beautifully.
- Naturally sweetened: Instead of refined white sugar, I use coconut sugar, which gives the cookies a rich, caramel-like sweetness while keeping them a little more wholesome.
- Perfect fall treat: Pumpkin, oats and chocolate chips are such a comforting combo. These pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip cookies are just the thing to bake on a crisp fall day with a mug of tea or coffee.
// ★★★★★ Review //
“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.” – Tanya
Ingredients & Substitutions
- flour – I like using whole wheat pastry flour because it’s lighter than regular whole wheat, bakes up soft, and still adds a boost of protein, fiber, vitamins and minerals. All-purpose flour also works if that’s what you have on hand. To make these cookies gluten-free, use a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend.
- old fashioned rolled oats – rolled oats give these pumpkin oatmeal cookies their classic chewy texture. I like Bob’s Red Mill rolled oats.
- pumpkin pie spice and cinnamon – the warm spice combo that makes these cookies taste like fall. You can make homemade pumpkin pie spice or use store-bought.
- pumpkin puree – use canned pumpkin puree or homemade pumpkin puree. If you’re buying store-bought, double-check that it’s 100% pumpkin and not pumpkin pie filling, which has added sugars and spices.
- coconut sugar – a natural sweetener that adds a rich, caramel-like flavor while being less refined than white sugar. If you don’t have coconut sugar on hand you can use regular white sugar or brown sugar instead.
- coconut oil – adds healthy fat and moisture to the cookies. Melted butter or a mild oil like avocado or olive oil would also work as alternatives.
- egg – helps bind the cookies and adds structure. For a vegan option, you can swap in a flax egg (1 Tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 Tablespoons water).
- dark chocolate chips – I love using Lily’s chocolate chips because they’re lower in sugar, but feel free to use your favorite brand. Not a fan of chocolate chips or don’t have any on hand? Feel free to swap them with another mix-in like dried cranberries, chopped dates, chopped nuts or shredded coconut.
Find the full ingredient list with measurements in the recipe card below.
How to Make Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
These cookies come together quickly and make your kitchen smell like fall. Here’s how to make them step by step:
Step 1: In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, oats, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda and salt.
Step 2: In a separate large bowl, whisk together the pumpkin puree, coconut sugar, melted coconut oil, egg and vanilla until smooth.
Step 3: Add the dry ingredients into the wet and stir until just combined. Add the chocolate chips and stir until evenly distributed throughout the dough.
Step 4: Scoop tablespoons of dough onto a greased baking sheet, pressing down slightly to shape. Bake for 12-15 minutes, then let cool on a wire rack.
My Tips for the Best Oatmeal Pumpkin Cookies
- Don’t overbake: These pumpkin oatmeal cookies are soft and chewy, so start checking around the 12-minute mark. Pull them out when the edges are lightly golden and let them finish setting on the baking sheet. They’ll stay moist and delicious.
- Press before baking: Since these cookies don’t spread much in the oven, gently press the dough down with your fingers or the back of a spoon before baking. This helps them bake evenly and gives them that perfect cookie shape.
- Cool completely: Allow the cookies to cool on a wire rack before storing. This keeps them from getting soggy and helps preserve their chewy texture..
How to Store
Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before transferring them to an airtight container. If they’re even slightly warm, condensation can form and make the cookies soggy, and no one wants that.
Store at room temperature for up to 5 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week, or freeze for up to 3 months. These pumpkin oatmeal cookies freeze especially well, so you can always have a cozy fall treat ready to enjoy.
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 whole wheat pastry or all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- ¾ cup canned pumpkin or homemade pumpkin puree
- 1 cup coconut sugar
- ¼ cup melted coconut oil
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
- ¼ cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone liner.
- Stir together the dry ingredients (flour, oats, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking soda and sea salt) in a medium mixing bowl.
- Mix together wet ingredients (pumpkin, sugar, coconut oil, egg and vanilla) in a separate large mixing bowl.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Stir until just combined.
- 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 12-15 minutes or until cookies are firm around the edges, but still slightly soft in the middle.
- Move cookies to a wire rack and cool completely before eating or transferring to a storage container for later consumption.
Notes
- For a vegan option, replace the egg with a flax egg (1 Tablespoon ground flaxseed + 3 Tablespoons water).
- 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.
Like This Recipe? Rate & Comment Below!
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.
Mine turned out great even though I modified a little and I forgot to put in the vanilla even though I had it out ready to put in.
I am so glad these turned out great for you and that you enjoyed them. Thank you for your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!
These cookies are delicious. I was looking for something I could eat as a diabetic.I even forgot to add the chocolate chips. It didn’t matter.They are so good1
Ah yay! I m so glad that you are loving this recipe, Karen. Thank you so much for coming back and sharing your review + star rating, I really appreciate it!
I LOVE these!! They went great with the pumpkin cold brew recipe on this website! 😊
YESS! They are the perfect combination. Thank you so much for sharing your review + star rating, I really appreciate you being here!
Made these and loved them! We used white chocolate chips instead but otherwise followed the recipe exactly. They were a hit and will be made again! I love that they are nut-free so they are also perfect for school lunches!
AH YAY! I am so excited to hear that this recipe is a hit, Britney. Thank you so much for sharing your review & star rating, I really appreciate it!
Yum, these were delicious! I lost count of how many I ate over the course of the day.
Wow! I made these cookies today and they turned out amazing! The gf flour I used (king Arthur brand) worked perfectly, and I don’t have flax seed so I just used an egg, sooo good!! I’ve been looking for a good pumpkin cookie recipe for so long and this is perfect!
AH YAY! I am so happy that you are enjoying this recipe, Elizabeth. It sounds like your substitutions worked out perfectly. Thank you for your review & star rating, I so appreciate it!
This was the perfect amount of pumpkin to use up the can if you had another recipe that called for only one cup of the can. That was my original mission when I searched for this recipe, but this will now be a go to recipe! I was able to mix these up while my toddler was eating lunch. She and I both loved the cookies.
Aw yay! I am so glad this recipe is a hit for you and your daughter, Anna. Thank you so much for your review and star rating, I really appreciate it!
These look so yummy! Do you think oat flour would work instead of the bobs red mill GF flour?
I haven’t tried it, so I’m not 100% sure. The cookies might turn out denser or more crumbly, but I bet it would work. Let me know if you end up trying oat flour and how they turn out.
Made them this morning for breakfast since I was running out of bread and they were perfect with my cup of coffee. Thanks for sharing! I’ll be trying your other recipes
Woo! I’m so glad these cookies worked out for you, Maria. I appreciate you coming back to leave a review and star rating.
Can I use an egg instead of the flax?
Yes, an egg in place of the flax should work just fine!!
I’ve been making these cookies since I found the eating bird food Instagram page. My family loves these. I’ll be making them year round. I use carbquick instead of spelt and they turn out great.
Woo!! So happy to hear you loved these cookies, Melissa! Thanks so much for making them and coming back to leave a review. I so appreciate it!