These vegan pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are soft, chewy, and filled with warm fall spices and plenty of dairy-free chocolate chips. Made with simple ingredients and real pumpkin puree, they're an easy fall dessert that's perfect for satisfying your pumpkin spice cravings!
I know many people have a difficult time mixing pumpkin and chocolate. Not me! I find it a majestic combination. Sharp fall spices and warm, gooey chocolate? Sign me up!
These cookies are incredibly easy to make and require very little active time!
If you're looking to avoid the chocolate in your pumpkin cookies, you'll want to check out my vegan pumpkin sugar cookies, vegan pumpkin coffee cake cookies and my vegan pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting.
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ingredients
Here is everything you'll need to make these vegan pumpkin chocolate chip cookies!
- Vegan butter: Adds richness, moisture, and a buttery flavor while helping create a tender cookie texture.
- Light brown sugar: Adds sweetness, moisture, and a subtle molasses flavor. It also helps create soft, chewy cookies.
- Granulated sugar: Sweetens the cookies and helps the edges develop a slightly crisp texture.
- Baking soda: Acts as a leavening agent, helping the cookies spread and giving them a soft, tender texture.
- Salt: Balances the sweetness and enhances the flavors of the pumpkin, spices, and chocolate.
- Vanilla extract: Adds warmth and depth of flavor while complementing the pumpkin and chocolate.
- Spices: Cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and cloves provide warm, sweet flavor that pairs perfectly with pumpkin.
- Dried pumpkin puree: Provides pumpkin flavor and natural moisture while keeping excess water out of the dough.
- All-purpose flour: Provides structure and helps the cookies hold their shape while baking.
- Nondairy chocolate chips: Add rich chocolate flavor and sweet pockets of chocolate throughout the cookies. Use your favorite dairy-free variety to keep the recipe vegan.
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why you'll love these cookies
- Soft and chewy: These cookies have perfectly chewy centers with lightly crisp edges. No cakey texture here!
- Packed with chocolate: Every bite is filled with plenty of melty nondairy chocolate chips.
- Perfect fall flavor: Pumpkin puree and warm spices create that cozy pumpkin spice flavor everyone loves.
- Easy to make: No complicated techniques or hard-to-find ingredients required.
- Naturally egg-free and dairy-free: Made with simple plant-based ingredients, these cookies are completely vegan without sacrificing flavor or texture.
how to make vegan pumpkin chocolate chip cookies (with pictures!)
Please see the recipe card at the bottom of the page for full instructions and ingredient measurements.
Begin by creaming together the vegan butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add the baking soda, salt, spices, vanilla and dried pumpkin and beat again to distribute. Dump the flour into the bowl and mix until just combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least one hour.
Place 3 tablespoon scoops of cookie dough on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper about 2 inches apart. Bake cookies on center rack of an oven that has been preheated to 350 degrees F (175 C). Bake for 14-16 minutes.
Allow cookies to cool on the sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
recipe tips
- Use slightly softened vegan butter: Your butter should be soft enough to leave a slight indent when pressed but not greasy or melted. If it's too warm, the cookies may spread too much.
- Don't skip the pumpkin drying step: Pumpkin puree contains a lot of water, which can throw off the cookie dough's texture. Removing excess moisture helps create a thicker dough and chewier cookies.
- Measure your flour correctly: Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife. Scooping directly from the bag can pack in too much flour and result in dry, dense cookies.
- Don't over-mix the dough: Once you add the flour, mix just until the ingredients are combined. Over-mixing can make the cookies tough.
- Fold in the chocolate chips: Stir them in gently at the end to distribute them throughout the dough without overworking it.
- Chill the dough: Refrigerate dough for 60 minutes before baking. This helps prevent excessive spreading.
- Don't over-bake: The cookies may look slightly underdone in the center when you remove them from the oven. They'll continue to set as they cool, so avoid waiting until they're completely firm.
- Add extra chocolate chips: Roll the balls of cookie dough in chocolate chips immediately before baking for a more chocolate-loaded look.
how to dry the pumpkin
Drying the pumpkin puree is the secret to getting soft, chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies instead of cakey ones. Pumpkin contains quite a bit of moisture, so removing some of that excess liquid helps keep the cookie dough thick and prevents the cookies from spreading too much.
- Spread the pumpkin: Place the pumpkin puree in a thin, even layer on a plate lined with several layers of paper towels.
- Blot the moisture: Place another paper towel over the pumpkin and gently press to absorb excess liquid.
- Repeat as needed: Replace the paper towels and continue blotting until the pumpkin looks noticeably thicker and less watery. Avoid squeezing it completely dry.
Tip: Be gentle when blotting! You want to remove excess water without turning the pumpkin into a completely dry paste. The goal is a thick, concentrated puree that still retains some moisture and pumpkin flavor.
frequently asked questions
Pumpkin puree contains a lot of moisture, which can make cookies cakey rather than soft and chewy. Removing excess liquid helps create a thicker cookie dough and gives the cookies a better texture.
Absolutely! Homemade pumpkin puree can be used as long as it has a similar consistency to canned pumpkin. If it's particularly watery, you'll need to remove some excess moisture before adding it to the dough.
The most common reason is excess moisture in the pumpkin puree. Make sure you thoroughly blot the pumpkin before using it. Adding too much flour or over-baking can also affect the texture.
Yes! Prepare the dough and store it covered in the refrigerator for up to 2 days before baking. Let it sit at room temperature briefly if it becomes too firm to scoop.
You can try substituting a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend that contains xanthan gum. The texture may vary depending on the brand, so I recommend using a blend designed specifically for baking.
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how to get ahead
Here are a few tips to help you save time and keep you sane.
- Dry the pumpkin in advance: You can blot the pumpkin puree a day ahead of time and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator until you're ready to bake.
- Prepare the dry ingredients: Whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and spices ahead of time. Store the mixture in an airtight container at room temperature.
- Make the cookie dough ahead: Prepare the dough and refrigerate it in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Let it sit at room temperature briefly if it's too firm to scoop.
- Freeze the cookie dough: Scoop the dough into individual portions and freeze on a parchment-lined baking sheet until solid. Transfer to a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 1 month. Bake from frozen, adding a minute or two to the baking time as needed.
- Bake ahead of time: Bake the cookies a day before serving and store them in an airtight container at room temperature. For the freshest taste and texture, allow them to cool completely before storing.
recipe variations
Here are a few ways you can switch up these cookies to fit your preferences:
- Chocolate chunks: Swap the nondairy chocolate chips for chopped vegan chocolate or a mix of chocolate chunks and chips for bigger pockets of melted chocolate.
- White chocolate pumpkin cookies: Use vegan white chocolate chips instead of semi-sweet chocolate for a sweeter, creamier flavor.
- Pumpkin spice cookies: Add 1-2 teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice in place of some or all of the individual spices for an easy shortcut.
- Pecan pumpkin cookies: Fold in ½ cup of chopped pecans for a little crunch and a nutty flavor that pairs beautifully with pumpkin.
- Walnut chocolate chip cookies: Add ½ cup of chopped walnuts along with the chocolate chips for extra texture.
- Sea salt chocolate chip cookies: Sprinkle a little flaky sea salt over the cookies immediately after baking to balance the sweetness and enhance the chocolate flavor.
- Nora Cooks also has a great recipe for vegan pumpkin snickerdoodles if you'd rather go in that direction!
storage
Room temperature: Allow the vegan pumpkin chocolate chip cookies to cool completely, then store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Keep them in a cool, dry place away from direct sunlight.
Refrigerator: If you prefer, store the cookies in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Let them come to room temperature before serving, or warm them briefly in the microwave for a soft, melty chocolate texture.
Freezer: Place completely cooled cookies in a freezer-safe container or bag, separating layers with parchment paper to prevent sticking. Freeze for up to 1 month. Thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
Freezing cookie dough: You can also freeze unbaked cookie dough portions for up to 1 month. Arrange the scooped dough on a parchment-lined baking sheet and freeze until solid, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag. Bake directly from frozen, adding a minute or two to the baking time as needed.
If you make this recipe please tag @censoredbaker on Instagram!
Printvegan pumpkin chocolate chip cookies
Soft, chewy pumpkin cookies loaded with pumpkin spice flavor and gooey chocolate chips.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Bake Time: 15 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 20 3-inch Cookies 1x
- Category: Cookies
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
- 1 cup vegan butter, softened slightly
- ¾ cup light brown sugar
- ¾ cup granulated suagr
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ⅔ cup pumpkin puree, dried* (see recipe)
- 2 ¾ cup all purpose flour
- 1 ⅓ cups nondairy chocolate chips*
Instructions
- Cream: Cream together the vegan butter, granulated sugar and light brown sugar in a large bowl until light and fluffy. This should take about 1 minute. Add the baking soda, salt and spices to the bowl and beat again to distribute evenly.
- Dry: Scoop the pumpkin puree onto an absorbent paper towel and press lightly until the towel is completely saturated. Transfer to a second paper towel and repeat the process. Your goal here is to remove some of the excess water - not all of it! Don't squeeze or wring. Saturating two half-sheets is enough. Add the dried pumpkin to the bowl and mix until combined.
- Mix: Add the all purpose flour to the bowl and mix until cookie dough just comes together. Do not over-mix! Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Chill: Cover the bowl and place in the refrigerator to chill for at least 1 hour or overnight.
- Prep: While the dough is chilling, preheat your oven to 350 degrees F (175 C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Bake: Place 3-tablespoon scoops of cookie dough on your prepared baking sheet, at least 2 inches apart. Place baking sheet on center rack of preheated oven and bake for 14-16 minutes.* Remaining cookie dough should remain in the refrigerator between batches. Allow cookies to cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
*Cookies will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for for 2-3 days or can be frozen for up to 1 month.
*I like to use half regular-sized chocolate chips and half mini chocolate chips. I then like to roll the balls of cookie dough in leftover chocolate chips before baking.
more vegan pumpkin desserts
- vegan pumpkin coffee cake with maple glaze
- vegan pumpkin pecan crisp
- vegan pumpkin coffee cake cookies
- vegan pumpkin cinnamon sugar donuts (baked!)
