These vegan pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are thick, chewy, and loaded with warm fall spices and chocolate chips. They will become your favorite autumn cookie!
If only I'd known when I made these cookies that it would take all of my willpower to not eat them daily, I might have doubled the batch. These beauties are thick, with a chewy interior and a slightly crisp exterior. They have deep flavor from molasses and pumpkin spice, and are gooey and chocolaty to boot.
If you are looking for fluffy and cakey pumpkin cookies, you are in the wrong place my friend. You won't find any cakey pumpkin cookies here. These easy, dairy-free, and egg-less cookies have the best cookie texture, and you don't need any special equipment to make them.
And if you love all things pumpkin and chocolate, be sure to try my Healthy Pumpkin Swirl Brownies (Vegan)!
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💭 Expert Tips
Make sure you are using canned pumpkin (often sold as "100 % pure pumpkin") for this recipe, which only contains pumpkin. Pumpkin pie filling is a different ingredient, and contains sweetener and spices.
Don't overbake your cookies. They might not look done after 10 minutes, but take them out of the oven anyway. They will continue to cook as they cool.
Refrigerating your dough before baking isn't required, but I highly recommend it. This step helps to concentrate the flavors and creates more texture.
Try your best (I know it's hard!) to let cookies cool completely before eating them. They firm up as they cool, creating that thick texture.
Make ahead: Freeze cookie dough to bake your cookies later. Freeze portions on baking sheet first, and then place them in a freezer-safe bag and store in the freezer. Thaw before baking.
👩🏻🍳 Why This Recipe Works
Thick, Chewy, and Gooey
Quick and Easy
Dairy-Free and Egg-Free
Non-Cakey
No Special Equipment Needed
🥘 Ingredients Needed
- Vegan butter - use your favorite brand, or you can substitute any neutral vegetable oil or coconut oil.
- Dark brown sugar - contains molasses which adds extra flavor to these cookies
- Granulated sugar - helps to create that slightly crispy exterior
- Vanilla extract - adds deep flavor, and is a must-have ingredient for baked goods
- Unsulphured molasses - provides a deeper and more complex flavor
- Unsweetened almond or soy milk - use your go-to brand
- Pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix) - provides moisture as well as lots of fiber!
- All-purpose flour - use your favorite brand
- Baking soda - acts as the leavener in this recipe; we don't want the cookies to become soft and fluffy, so we don't use baking powder.
- Salt - a necessary ingredient for all baked goods
- Pumpkin pie spice - a mixture of warm fall spices that makes these cookies taste like autumn!
- Vegan chocolate chips (or use your favorite brand if not vegan) - I always use dark chocolate chips (60% or higher), but if you are not a strict vegan, use your preferred chocolate chips.
- Flaky sea salt (optional)- adds texture and a nice level of salt at the end of each bite of cookie.
🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions
Step 1. Mix your wet ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together vegan butter, both sugars, and vanilla extract until well combined and mixture looks creamy.
Step 2. Add molasses, almond/soy milk, and pumpkin puree, and whisk until well combined, about 2 minutes.
Step 3. Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
Step 4. Add dry ingredients into wet mixture, and use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to mix thoroughly. Fold in chocolate chips (cookie dough will be very thick).
Step 5. Refrigerate cookie dough (not required but highly recommended): Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
Step 6. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
Step 7. Bake cookies: Using a cookie scoop or large spoon, scoop 1.5 -2 tablespoons of dough onto baking sheet (you might be able to fit 12 cookies on one baking sheet, but I placed 8 cookies on each sheet to spread them evenly). Use your palm to press down on each cookie.
Step 8. Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the centers are soft but set. Let cookies rest for 15 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
💬 Frequently Asked Questions
I highly recommend using molasses because of it's deep and complex flavor. However, maple syrup or honey would work great in its place.
Yes. Store them in a freezer-safe container and keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. You could also freeze the dough to bake later (follow the steps in the above "Expert Tips" section).
Yes. I recommend substituting as much as ½ cup of whole-wheat flour for the all-purpose flour. More than that amount will give you dry cookies.
Yes. Substitute 1:1 with your favorite gluten-free flour blend. Almond flour would work well, too.
You can substitute any neutral vegetable oil or coconut oil.
🍪 More Vegan Dessert Recipes!
If you don't have pumpkin pie spice on hand, make your own homemade version! This spice blend varies depending on which spices you want more or less of, but I make this version in my kitchen:
1 ½ Tablespoons ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
1 teaspoon nutmeg
¾ teaspoon allspice
¾ teaspoon cloves
Enjoy your week, and feel free to drop me a line in the comments – I would love to hear if you try this recipe! Or tag me on Instagram @maryannehoekstra to let me know how it turned out! Also, if you are enjoying my blog, please consider recommending it to your friends. They can subscribe here.
📋 Easy Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegan butter
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar, packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon unsulphured molasses
- 1 Tablespoon unsweetened almond or soy milk
- ⅓ cup pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie mix)
- 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 ½ cups vegan chocolate chips (or use your favorite brand if not vegan)
- flaky sea salt (optional)
Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together vegan butter, both sugars, and vanilla extract until well combined and mixture looks creamy.
- Add molasses, almond/soy milk, and pumpkin puree, and whisk until well combined, about 2 minutes.
- In a separate bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice.
- Add dry ingredients into wet mixture, and use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to mix thoroughly. Fold in chocolate chips (cookie dough will be very thick).
- Cover bowl and refrigerate for at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours.
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Using a cookie scoop or large spoon, scoop 1.5 -2 tablespoons of dough onto baking sheet (you might be able to fit 12 cookies on one baking sheet, but I placed 8 cookies on each sheet to spread them evenly). Use your palm to press down on each cookie.
- Bake for 10 minutes, or until the edges are golden and the centers are soft but set. Let cookies rest for 15 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack.
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