Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies are healthy, soft, chewy, and full of the warming spices of fall. With a cake-like texture, they're made with olive oil and are the perfect way for gluten-free eaters to get their sweet pumpkin fix.
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies are healthy and delicious.
When I make a cookie that's healthier than most, it means I'm adding in some nutrients, not removing ingredients that make a cookie a cookie, like sugar. These cookies include olive oil, pumpkin and oats, all of which make them on the healthier side.
(FYI, cookies made with olive oil are absolutely fantastic.)
This fun, fall cookie recipe is extremely easy to make and everyone, not just those who are gluten-free, loves them!
The Ingredients
- canned pumpkin purée
- brown sugar - Light or dark.
- extra virgin olive oil - I like this one.
- eggs - This cookie recipe calls for 1 whole egg and 1 egg yolk. Adding the extra yolk makes the texture a bit softer and chewier.
- pure vanilla extract- This one is great.
- ground cloves
- ground cinnamon
- raisins - Golden or black.
- semisweet chocolate chips
- old-fashioned rolled oats - If you're on a strict gluten-free diet (i.e., if you have Celiac Disease), be sure the package says gluten-free, as some brands might have cross contamination.
- gluten-free all purpose flour - Cup4Cup gluten-free all-purpose flour is my favorite and I always use it for gluten-free cakes and cookies.
- baking powder - If you don’t bake regularly, it’s a good idea to check to be sure your baking powder is still good. To do so, pour a couple of tablespoons of boiling water over about ¼ teaspoon of the baking powder. If it starts to fizz, it’s still good.
- baking soda - Like the baking powder, If you don’t bake regularly, it’s a good idea to check to be sure it's still good. Pour a couple of tablespoons of vinegar or lemon juice over about ¼ teaspoon of the baking soda. If it starts to fizz, it’s still good.
- Kosher salt - Use half the amount listed in the instructions if you use table salt.
(See recipe card below for quantities.)
Substitutions and Variations
- Semisweet chocolate chips. I use semisweet chocolate chips in this cookie recipe, though milk chocolate or dark chocolate are fine, too.
- Raisins. Currants are a good raisin substitution. And to really mix things up, try dried cranberries.
- You can also use all raisins, or all chocolate chips, and vary the amounts of each if desired.
- I like the texture the oats add to pumpkin cookies, though you can omit them if you want. If you do, make up the difference with more chocolate chips or raisins.
- Pumpkin purée. Butternut squash purée works just as well in this recipe and will offer a very similar flavor.
Recipe Tips
- If you use a gluten-free flour other than the Cup4Cup, read the ingredients, and if it doesn't have xanthan gum, you'll need to add ½ teaspoon of it. (Xanthan gum is included the Cup4Cup gluten-free flour and many others. It's a binding agent that's usually needed in gluten-free baking.)
- This is a wet cookie dough, which is why using a cookie scoop (or two teaspoons) is necessary to shape them. It will not work to try to shape this cookie dough in your hands.
- To store these cookies, if you stack them, be sure to use sheets of parchment or wax paper between the layers. Otherwise, because of how soft they are, they will likely stick together.
How to Make Them
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Add the pumpkin, sugar, olive oil, egg, egg yolk and vanilla to a large mixing bowl. Whisk everything together until it's smooth.
- In another smaller bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cloves. Mix to blend.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until it's completely absorbed and you no longer see dry spots. Fold in the oats, raisins and chocolate.
- Use a 1¼ inch cookie scoop (or teaspoons) to scoop the batter into balls on the prepared baking sheets, leaving a couple of inches between them.
- Bake in the preheated 350°F oven just until they look dry on the surface, about 12 minutes. Remove from the oven, and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet for a few minutes, and then on a cooling rack to speed it up.
More Gluten-Free Pumpkin Desserts
- Pumpkin Coffee Cake with Streusel
- Pumpkin Almond Flour Cookies
- Gluten-Free Pecan Crusted Caramel Pumpkin Pie
- Pumpkin Spice Glazed Air Fryer Donut Holes
Can you make them ahead?
While there’s nothing quite like cookies right out of the oven, these cookies can be made ahead.
*For all of the below methods of storing, use sheets of parchment or wax paper between the layers so they don't stick together.
Room temperature. They will keep well for one day in a tightly sealed container at room temperature.
Refrigerator. They'll keep well for about four days in a tightly sealed container in the refrigerator.
Freezer. The cookies will keep well for about two months in a heavy-duty zip-lock bag with all of the air removed in the freezer.
What makes these cookies healthier than others?
- In this recipe I add pumpkin purée, which is rich in fiber, potassium, and vitamin C.
- I also use extra virgin olive oil for the fat in the cookie, which adds antioxidants, among other good-for-you things.
- There are oats in these cookies, and oats are among the healthiest grains on earth. They’re a gluten-free, whole grain, and are packed with vitamins, minerals, fiber and antioxidants. (More about the nutritional benefits of oats is here.)
- They're gluten-free -- if that matters to you. 😉
These seasonal Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies are really delicious. With a soft texture and warm flavors, they're sort of like little bites of cake.
I hope you enjoy every last crumb!
Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
- ⅔ cup pumpkin purée
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ⅓ cup plus 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 egg
- 1 egg yolk
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon ground cloves
- ½ cup old-fashioned rolled oats (be sure they are marked gluten-free!)
- ½ cup raisins
- ½ cup semisweet chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven and prepare the baking sheets. Preheat the oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Add the pumpkin, sugar, olive oil, egg, egg yolk and vanilla to a large mixing bowl. Whisk everything together until it's smooth.
- Mix the dry ingredients. In another smaller bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cloves. Mix to blend.
- Combine the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix until it's completely absorbed and you no longer see dry spots. Fold in the oats, raisins and chocolate.
- Shape the batter. Use a 1¼ inch cookie scoop (or teaspoons) to scoop the batter into balls on prepared baking sheets, leaving a couple of inches between them. (This batter is on the wet side.)
- Bake. Bake in the preheated 350°F oven just until they look dry on the surface, about 12 minutes. Remove from the oven, and allow the cookies to cool on the baking sheet.
NOTES
NUTRITION
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2pots2cook
So happy to say autumn is in the air although daytime weather is still hot. Since we both love healthy and tasty this one is going to be out first "pumpkin" batch to open the season !
valentina
Thank you! I hope you love them . . . and the scents and tastes of autumn they will bring. 🙂 ~Valentina
Marissa
These little pumpkin cookies have such a wonderful texture, Valentina. Love all of the flavors and good stuff in them. Perfect autumn treat!
valentina
Thanks, Marissa. Little autumn treats indeed. Enjoy. :-)~ Valentina
Christina Conte
These make me want to get in the kitchen to make them right now! They look scrumptious!
valentina
Yay! Thank you, my friend! 🙂 ~Valentina
Eha Carr
*smile* Saw these on IG and thought they were the loveliest little meat patties ! Hmm ! Don't eat biscuits (yes, well, cookies, but I''m writing from Down Under !) and do not believe in the need for a gluten-free diet for 99.4 % of the population and, yes, I do watch sugar BUT your beauties have far more good than bad in them and I shall not mention the 'h'-word !! Actually this looks like so moreish a recipe I'll make at first chance . ., . shall report back . . . best . . .
valentina
Eha, I'm laughing that you thought these looked like meat patties -- and I totally get it! 🙂 I'm with you on the gluten-free. You probably know from reading my recipes that I bake a lot of gluten-free so my son with Celiac Disease doesn't miss out on them. I'm happy for this trend though, because it makes pretty much anything available for him. 🙂 ~Valentina
Eha Carr
Valentina - thank you for having a sense of humour ! If one has not met in person as most of us have not, one may not be able to 'see' the grin on the writer's face and may take fun words seriously ! You don't - as re the 'meat patties' . . great 🙂 !1 And, sorry, you had mentioned your son being coeliac . . . I had forgotten. Yes, naturally you are in a different situation ! I guess on occasion I just feel sad when some recipes arrive with literally a half-dozen dietary adjectives attached as if 'normal' food was automatically 'inferior' !!! thank you for your words . . .
valentina
Eha, I couldn't agree more about the "half-dozen dietary adjectives." I remember when it was just Vegan and Vegetarian. Hope you have a lovely week! 😀 ~Valentina
Jeff the Chef @ Make It Like a Man!
But can you wash them down with a pumpkin spice latte?
valentina
Exactly, Jeff! Love that idea! 🙂 ~Valentina
David Scott Allen
If it weren't for you, Valentina - I might not know what season it is! I see pumpkin and I know it is autumn... Yay! Love everything about these! 🙂
valentina
Love that, David. Thank you and enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina
Dawn - Girl Heart Food
Healthy and delicious, you say? Well, that just means I can enjoy a few extra, right 😉 ?? Seriously, though, these look delicious, Valentina! I know my hubby would love 'em too! Perfect for dunking into a glass of cold milk right now.
valentina
Thanks, Dawn. Yes, extra!! 🙂 ~Valentina
Kim
Awesome Pumpkin cookies!! Love they have raisins in them!!
valentina
Thanks so much, Kim. 🙂 ~Valentina
David @ Spiced
What a great way to kick off a chilly Autumn morning...or evening...or both! I love oatmeal cookies, so I'm fairly certain the pumpkin version would be a huge hit, too. Yum!
valentina
Thanks, David. Enjoy any time of day. 😉 ~Valentina
Kelly | Foodtasia
Valentina, I'm loving these pumpkin cookie! Love the olive oil and oats in them and of course - chocolate!
valentina
Thank you, Kelly! 🙂 ~Valentina
John / Kitchen Riffs
These look great! We do cook (and bake!) gluten-free sometimes, but it's mainly because we have a good friend who truly can't tolerate it. Too bad so many GF baked goods forget to add the flavor. Loads of flavor in these, though. 🙂
valentina
I agree, John. Thanks so much and enjoy. 🙂 ~Valentina
Colette
I'm drooling just looking at this pic!
These are the BEST treat, especially for my nephew who can't have flour.
Thanks, lovely! xo
valentina
Yay! Thanks, Colette. 🙂 ~Valentina
Ron
Your always giving me great ideas for GF treats for our neighbor and this cookie looks and sounds to be perfect for a fall treat. We don't see canned pumpkin here, but we do get butternut squash. I'm thinking I could bake down some butternut squash and use it. Any thoughts on using butternut squash?
Jeff the Chef @ Make It Like a Man!
It's always nice to have a gluten-free cookie up your sleeve!
Valentina
Right!? Thanks, Jeff. Hope you try them (even for the non-GF eaters). 🙂 ~Valentina
Karen (Back Road Journal)
I like the addition of the rolled oats in your pumpkin cookies. And thank you for the tips on the baking powder and soda.
Valentina
Hi Karen! Thanks so much for visiting. Hope you try them and enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina
Healthy World Cuisine
Chewy gluten free pumpkin cookies?! We are in! These look so tender and spiced perfectly. Glad you made these gluten free - now we can try them too!