Description
These Vegan Pumpkin Cookies combine everything you love about soft and chewy sugar cookies with the slightly sweet and nutty flavor of fresh pumpkin! They’re the perfect vegan sugar cookie to make during the fall season when you’re craving a sweet treat filled with warm, cozy spices! All you need is 10 simple ingredients.
Ingredients
Cookie:
- ½ cup (1 stick) vegan butter, melted
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (110g) brown sugar
- ⅓ cup pumpkin purée, dried (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1¼ cups (150g) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
For rolling:
- 3 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ginger
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
Equipment Needed
- Mixing bowls
- Spatula
- Plastic wrap or reusable wrap
- 1 1/2 tablespoon cookie scoop
- Baking sheet
- Cooling rack
Instructions
- Dry the pumpkin purée. The ½ cup of pumpkin purée should be measured after it is dried. To dry it, scoop it onto a towel or a few paper towels. Wrap the towel around it and ring it out over the sink to eliminate the excess moisture. Continue until you get ½ cup–you might have to do this in a few batches. The remaining purée should be much thicker and pliable.
- Combine the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, add the melted vegan butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Whisk together until smooth and well combined, about 1-2 minutes. Next, add in the dried pumpkin puree and vanilla extract, and whisk again to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients. In the same large mixing bowl, add the flour, spices, baking soda, and salt. Using a spatula, fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, until a cooking dough forms.
- Chill the dough for 1-2 hours. Tightly cover the mixing bowl with plastic wrap, a lid, or a clean kitchen towel, and refrigerate for 1-2 hours, or up to overnight.
- Preheat oven. When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking sheet.
- Make the cinnamon sugar. Combine the cinnamon sugar mixture by whisking together the sugar, cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg until well combined.
- Scoop pumpkin cookie dough into balls. Using a cookie scoop, scoop the cookie dough into cookie dough balls that are 2 tablespoons in size. Roll each sugar cookie dough ball in the cinnamon sugar mixture until well coated, then place the dough balls on a baking sheet with 2 inches between. Repeat until all cookie dough is rolled.
- Bake. Place the cookie sheet in the preheated oven and bake for 13-15 minutes, until just set around the edges and golden brown on the bottoms.
- Cool. Once baked, remove the cookies from the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack to cool to room temperature. Enjoy!
Notes
- Storage: these will keep for up to 4 days at room temperature or up to 3 months in the freezer.
- To freeze before baking: Scoop the cinnamon-sugar coated cookie dough balls onto a baking sheet with just enough space between them so that they are not touching (they do not need a full 2 inches!). Place into the freezer and flash-freeze the cookie dough for 1-2 hours, or until the cookies are frozen solid. Once frozen, transfer the cookie dough balls to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag such as a Stasher bag. Bake from frozen for 15-17 minutes, or until puffy and golden.
- To freeze after baking: Let the cookies cool to room temperature then flash freeze for 1-2 hours, or until frozen solid. Transfer the frozen cookies to a freezer-safe container or bag and keep them for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, set the desired amount of cookies at room temperature until sufficiently softened.
- Add chocolate chips: Fold in 1/2 cup of your favorite dark chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate chips.
- Add cream cheese frosting: Use the homemade vegan cream cheese frosting recipe from our Pumpkin Cinnamon Rolls. Simply whisk together then spread a thick layer on the cooled cookies!
- Use pumpkin pie spice: If you’re short on individual spices, substitute in 2 teaspoons of a pumpkin pie spice blend!
- Prep Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Oven