These soft, cakey pumpkin cookies perfectly balance the comforting spices of fall and just the right amount of sweetness! No one will notice that they’re also paleo, refined sugar-free, gluten-free, and grain-free!
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Soft and cakey pumpkin cookies!
These delicious pumpkin cookies remind me of tender pumpkin muffin tops that are infused with the flavor or cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and ginger. If you’re looking for chewy pumpkin cookies, these aren’t them—but I have to tell you this recipe won over my picky mom, who is normally not a fan of pumpkin flavored desserts.
She was at my house when I was baking my last test batch of these cookies and I didn’t offer her one because I didn’t think she’d like them—and besides, it was right before dinner. Not only did she ask to try one herself, she ended up wolfing down TWO cookies before dinner. Best of all, she bestowed upon my pumpkin-y creations the ultimate form of Chinese mom praise: they’re “not too sweet.” Yahoo!
Tips on making the best pumpkin cookies
- Don’t substitute ingredients! Baking, especially grain-free baking, is like a science experiment—so ingredients can’t be substituted willy nilly. So before you ask: I haven’t the faintest idea how this recipe will work with different flours, nor have I tested any substitutes for the eggs or sweetener. If you try a substitution and it works out great, please leave a note in the comments so everyone can benefit from your baking prowess!
- Use a scale to measure the dry ingredients! The most precise way to measure dry ingredients for a baking recipe is to use an accurate kitchen scale—there’s just too much variability when you rely on measuring cups to portion out ingredients for baking. That’s why I always include gram measurements in my recipe cards for baked goods—just hit the metric button in my recipe card below to convert to grams!
To frost or not to frost?
If you love pumpkin cookies slathered with cream cheese frosting, I have a fab dairy-free and paleo cream cheese frosting recipe that you can use. The frosting needs to chill for a few hours so make it in advance so it’ll be ready by the time you’re hankering to eat some frosted cookies!
(Incidentally, my mom is horrified that I’m giving folks the option to frost these pumpkin cookies because she thinks they’re sweet enough as-is. If you’re in her camp, feel free to devour these cookies unadorned!)
Ingredients
- Super-fine blanched almond flour: My favorite brand of almond flour is the Kirkland Signature brand blanched almond flour from Costco. (As I said earlier, I haven’t tried a nut-free alternative. I have a feeling sunflower seed flour might work, but the cookies might turn green due to a reaction with baking soda!)
- Tapioca flour: This starch helps give the cookies a tender crumb.
- Canned pumpkin purée: My favorite brand for pumpkin desserts is Libby’s.
- Egg: I use a large egg that’s been brought to room temperature.
- Coconut sugar: In place of brown sugar, I like to use coconut sugar for sweetness. Maple sugar will also work.
- Refined coconut oil: Instead of butter, I use refined coconut oil to keep things dairy-free and to make sure the cookies don’t end up with an overpowering coconut flavor. I’ve tested both softened coconut oil and melted coconut oil in this recipe and both work well—though the melted coconut oil will yield a slightly chewier cookie.
- Pumpkin pie spice blend
- Ground cinnamon
- Vanilla extract
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt: I always add a smidge of salt to my desserts to balance the flavor. If you are using a fine sea salt of Morton’s kosher salt, use half the recommended amount!
- Baking soda
How to make paleo pumpkin cookies
In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, tapioca flour, pumpkin spice blend, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
Whisk well and set aside.
In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the softened refined coconut oil and coconut sugar with an electric mixer on medium high speed.
Continue mixing the fat and sugar until the mixture is lighter in color, about two minutes.
Add the pumpkin purée, egg, and vanilla and mix on medium speed until combined.
Pour in the dry ingredients (the almond flour mixture)…
…and mix on low until combined.
Cover and chill the cookie dough for at least 30 minutes and up to a day so the dough stiffens a bit and becomes easier to work with.
When you’re ready to bake the cookies, heat the oven to 350°F with the rack in the middle position and line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
Scoop out 24 dough balls in 1½ tablespoon portions (I use this medium Oxo cookie scoop). Roll the dough into balls and space out 12 balls on each lined baking sheet.
Bake the cookies in the oven for 11 to 12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the cookies are cooked through.
Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely.
If desired, whip up my dairy-free cream cheese frosting and frost the tops!
How to store pumpkin cookies
You can store the frosted or unfrosted cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. You can also keep the unfrosted baked cookies in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the cookies overnight and pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds on high to heat them through or toss them in the air fryer for 2 to 3 minutes at 350°F or until heated through.
More paleo pumpkin dessert recipes
Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2022).
Pumpkin Cookies (Paleo, Gluten Free, Grain Free)
Ingredients
- 1¾ cup finely ground almond flour
- ¼ cup tapioca starch
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin spice blend
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt (only use 1/4 teaspoon if you are using fine sea salt or Morton's kosher salt!)
- ½ cup refined coconut oil, softened or melted (melted coconut oil will yield a slightly chewier texture)
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- ½ cup canned pumpkin purée
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Cream Cheese Frosting (optional topping)
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, tapioca starch, pumpkin spice blend, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Whisk well and set aside.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, combine the softened refined coconut oil and coconut sugar with an electric mixer on medium high speed. Continue mixing the fat and sugar until the mixture is lighter in color, about two minutes.
- Add the pumpkin purée, egg, and vanilla and mix on medium speed until combined.
- Pour in the dry ingredients (the almond flour mixture) and mix on low until combined.
- Cover and chill the cookie dough for at least 30 minutes and up to a day so the dough stiffens a bit and becomes easier to work with.
- When you’re ready to bake the cookies, heat the oven to 350°F with the rack in the middle position and line two rimmed baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Scoop out 24 dough balls in 1½ tablespoon portions (I use this medium Oxo cookie scoop). Roll the dough into balls and space out 12 balls on each lined baking sheet.
- Bake the cookies in the oven for 11 to 12 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the cookies are cooked through.
- Transfer cookies to a wire rack to cool completely. If desired, whip up my dairy-free cream cheese frosting and frost the tops!
Video
Notes
- Don’t substitute ingredients! Baking, especially grain-free baking, is like a science experiment—so ingredients can’t be substituted willy nilly. So before you ask: I haven’t the faintest idea how this recipe will work with different flours, nor have I tested any substitutes for the eggs or sweetener. If you try a substitution and it works out great, please leave a note in the comments so everyone can benefit from your baking prowess!
- Use a scale to measure the dry ingredients! The most precise way to measure dry ingredients for a baking recipe is to use an accurate kitchen scale—there’s just too much variability when you rely on measuring cups to portion out ingredients for baking. That’s why I always include gram measurements in my recipe cards for baked goods—just hit the metric button in my recipe card below to convert to grams!
- You can store the frosted or unfrosted cookies in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. You can also keep the unfrosted baked cookies in the freezer for up to 3 months. Thaw the cookies overnight and pop them in the microwave for 30 seconds on high to heat them through or toss them in the air fryer for 2 to 3 minutes at 350°F or until heated through.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Is it possible to replace the almond flour with something else? I am newly allergic to almonds.
I haven’t tried a nut-free alternative. I have a feeling sunflower seed flour might work, but the cookies might turn green due to a reaction with baking soda!
loved it, even though I forgot to add the egg; they came out cake like. I’ll omit the salt next time thou.
recipe looks great! i may add some chocolate ganache on top.
fyi, step 2 duplicates step 3.
Didn’t live up to how much I love your other recipes. Too salty and tin tasting. Followed recipe exactly 🤷♀️🤷♀️. Sorry I had to toss them out😭.
I’m sorry this recipe didn’t turn out for you! Did you use Libby’s pumpkin puree and Diamond Crystal brand kosher salt? Did you measure out the ingredients on a scale?
Came out perfect! Love how tender these cookies turned out, and just the right amount of pumpkin. I did a half batch with the frosting and the rest without which worked out great for my extended family because some love frosting while others prefer “naked” cookies. Will be making these again for Thanksgiving!
Is coconut sugar different from coconut palm sugar? Sorry if that’s a dumb question. My coconut oil and sugar mixture did not “lighten”. After mixing oil separated from sugar quickly.
It should be the same. If you use melted coconut oil, it may not lighten in color like softened coconut oil but you should beat them together until the sugar is mostly dissolved in the fat.
Just wondering what size can of pumpkin you’re using as there are two: 15- and 29- ounces. Looking forward to trying this recipe!
It’s just a 1/2 cup of pureed pumpkin, so either can would work as long as you measure 1/2 cup of it.
I see your make ahead option is for baked cookies. Have you ever froze the cookies unbaked in the balls and then baked when they are needed?
Thank you
I haven’t tried freezing the raw cookie dough but I bet it would work!