These Healthy Pumpkin Cookies are soft and chewy inside with a crisp exterior! They are made with wholesome ingredients, naturally sweetened, and packed with cozy spices for a sweet fall treat.
We also love these pumpkin cottage cheese scones!
These healthy pumpkin cookies are the perfect way to continue with the fall baking season! Along with these healthy pumpkin bars and naturally gluten free healthy pumpkin brownies.
I love easy baking!
These pumpkin cookies are somewhere between a healthy oatmeal cookie and a regular pumpkin spice cookie. They combine pumpkin puree and warming pumpkin spice into a naturally sweetened oat and whole wheat flour based cookie batter.
This amazing smell alone is enough to lure in my boys into the kitchen while cookies bake. And their eyes light up when the cookies are ready to eat.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Healthy: They are naturally sweetened and contain no butter, white flour, or refined sugars!
- Easy to make: Made in one bowl and ready in 30 minutes.
- Pumpkin spice: Skip the latte and make the the perfect autumn inspired treat!
- Versatile: At only 87 calories per cookie, these can be for breakfast, healthy snacks between meals or dessert!
Ingredients for Healthy Pumpkin Cookies
Only simple ingredients are needed for these healthy pumpkin cookies that are soft, flavorful and perfect for welcoming fall!
- Pumpkin puree: Use 100% pumpkin puree rather than pumpkin pie filling which has added sugar. You could also use homemade pumpkin puree, but it tends to be thinner.
- Sweetener: Only liquid sweeteners like maple syrup or honey can be used. For a sugar free alternative, you could use monk fruit syrup instead. Do not use coconut sugar or brown sugar.
- Coconut oil: Use coconut oil or any mild cooking oil. When using coconut oil, the cookies become slightly firmer when fully cooled.
- Egg: One large egg is needed for binding.
- Vanilla extract: Use natural vanilla extract for the best flavor results.
- Pumpkin pie spice: Homemade pumpkin pie spice substitute or store bought. You can use just cinnamon if in a pinch.
- Oats: Old fashioned oats or rolled oats are best but quick cooking oats work. Texture varies based on oats used.
- Flour: You can use whole wheat flour or spelt flour for this recipe. Recipe has not been tested with any other flours including almond flour, oat flour, coconut flour, or all-purpose flour. So I can’t guarantee results.
- Pumpkin seeds: Technically optional, but I like the added texture and nutrients. You could try walnuts or even pecans.
How to Make Healthy Pumpkin Cookies
These healthy pumpkin cookies come together in one bowl with a whisk and a spatula and no mixer required!
You will also need a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
Combine the wet ingredients and spices: In a large bowl, whisk the eggs.
Then add maple syrup, pumpkin puree, vanilla, baking soda, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk until well combined.
Then add the melted coconut oil and whisk again.
Add the dry ingredients: Stir in the oats and then the flour, mixing until a thick dough forms. Finally, add the pumpkin seeds and fold in gently to distribute them.
Bake the pumpkin oatmeal cookies: Use a small cookie scoop to transfer the cookie dough to the prepared sheet, flattening slightly with the back of the scoop.
These cookies don’t spread when baked. I added 9 cookies per baking tray.
Bake for 15 minutes and in batches, if needed. Remove from the oven, allow to cool for several minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool further before enjoying!
Tips for Best Results
- Add coconut oil last: Don’t add warm coconut oil to the whisked egg to avoid oil solidifying and cooking the egg. Add it as the last liquid ingredient.
- Flatten before baking: These cookies don’t spread. Be sure to flatten them before baking. You can do so with the back of the cookie scoop or your hands. Wet your fingers with a bit of water to avoid sticking, if needed.
- Avoid overbaking: As the cookies don’t brown a lot, it can be tricky to know when they’re ready. 15 minutes has always worked well for me. Be careful not to overbake them.
- Optional add-ins: To make these extra special add in 1/3-1/2 cup chocolate chips or dried fruit to the batter.
FAQs
No. Since they don’t spread much in the oven during baking, there is no need to chill them. Mix, bake and enjoy. Easy peasy.
While this has not been tested, I think it is possible to make vegan pumpkin cookies. These are already dairy free, so you will just need to use an egg replacer, like flax egg (1 tablespoon flaxseed meal with 2.5 tablespoons of water) and liquid sweetener will need to be maple syrup. Texture might be softer too.
This recipe has not been tested with any other flours except whole wheat flour and spelt flour.
Regular all-purpose flour is not as dense as wheat flour and the dry to liquid ratio will be different. Almond flour pumpkin cookies have not been tested, neither coconut flour or oat flour.
Make Ahead and Storage Tips
Make ahead: You can freeze unbaked pumpkin cookies by scooping them onto the tray then freezing and storing them in a Ziplock bag for up to 3 months.
Bake from frozen, adding an extra few minutes to the baking time.
Storing: Store cookies in a cool, dry place, just loosely covered 2-4 days or up to 6 days in the refrigerator.
These cookies are very moist, so don’t wrap them or place them in a cookie jar or airtight container. They’ll become too soft, too soon.
Freeze: Freeze baked cookies on a baking tray with spaces between until frozen solid. Then transfer to a Ziplock bag and store for up to 2 months.
To enjoy a cookie, simply remove it from the freezer and allow to thaw for several minutes at room temperature.
More Healthy Cookie Recipes
- Healthy chocolate chip cookies
- Breakfast cookies
- Healthy lemon cookies
- Healthy oatmeal cranberry cookies
- Healthy banana oatmeal cookies
- Protein cookies
- Sugar free oatmeal cookies
More Healthy Pumpkin Recipes
- Healthy pumpkin muffins
- Healthy pumpkin chocolate chip bread
- Healthy pumpkin bread
- Healthy pumpkin pie recipe
- Almond flour pumpkin bread
- Healthy pumpkin pancakes
You may also love these healthy snacks!
Healthy Pumpkin Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 egg large
- 1/2 cup coconut oil measured after melting
- 1/2 cup maple syrup or honey
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree not pie filling
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats or quick oats
- 1 cup whole wheat flour or spelt flour
- 1/2 cup pumpkin seeds
- Cooking spray I use Misto
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F, line large baking sheet with unbleached parchment paper and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk the egg. Add maple syrup, pumpkin puree, vanilla, pumpkin pie spice, baking soda and salt; whisk until well combined. Then add coconut oil and whisk well. This will help to avoid warm oil to solidify and cook the egg.
- Add oats and stir to mix. Add flour and mix well until thick dough forms. Add pumpkin seeds and give a few stirs.
- Using small cookie scoop, place batter on previously prepared sheet and flatten with the back of a scoop or hands. Cookies do not spread, I had 9 cookies per sheet. Bake in batches for 15 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cookies cool for a minute, then transfer onto a cooling rack to cool off a bit more.
Notes
- Store: Store in a cool dry place open. Do not wrap or place cookies in a jar. The more air, the better.
- Freeze: Freeze cookies on a baking tray (with spaces between) until frozen solid. Transfer to a Ziplock bag and store for up to two months. To enjoy a cookie, remove from the freezer and allow to thaw for several minutes at room temperature.
- You can use virtually any oil: Mild tasting avocado oil is best. Coconut oil is also mild tasting. As coconut oil is solid, once cookies cool off their texture will be more crunchy on the outside.
- No flour substitutes. You have to use only whole wheat flour or spelt flour. I also think whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour will work.
Can I use homemade puree?
You could use homemade pumpkin puree but it tends to be thinner. Just make sure it’s as thick as store-bought and strain in a linen towel, if necessary.
I added 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder as one of your followers suggested and used a 1/4 cup of dough for each cookie. Came out nice and chunky. I noticed when I put only four cookies on a sheet to bake they raised higher. I did add extra spices and used molasses instead of honey, came out darker but very delicious. I would double the recipe if you have a family. Thanks for the recipe. Very good.
I’m so happy to read this! Thanks for your positive feedback!
Loved these cookies and gobbled them up within two days. I wanted to make another batch but only have oat flour. Would I be able to use it in the recipe instead of rolled-oats? And is it the same measurements?
Oat flour will be a different texture than oats, so not sure how it would work but you could try, I don’t think you would need as much flour as oats.
Nice texture for a healthy cookie , almost a breakfast type cookie. I would prefer a little bit sweeter , but other then that great for healthy cookie. Thanks again . Hope you can make one like this gluten free.
I see what you mean. OK, note taken.:) Glad you enjoyed these healthy pumpkin cookies anyways.:)
These are delicious, but I’m wondering if adding baking powder would make them rise a little?
Sure! I would try 1/2 tsp and go from there.
Made the cookies tonight & went with the option of adding coconut & dark chocolate chips like you suggested. Delicious!
So happy to hear this, thanks for the review! Happy fall baking!
Absolutely delicious and easy cookies!
It’s coming back for sure!
Yay! Love hearing this Marie.
Another success, this cookies are excellent!
Need to hide them, they disappear by the hour.
Haha that’s great to hear Marie!
Can I substitute quicking cooking steel cut oats for rolled oats?
Yes.
I made its delicious
Awesome!!!