Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

These vegan pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are thick, chewy, and brimming with warm autumn flavors! Adding thickened pumpkin puree and festive fall spices to classic chocolate chip cookies takes it to another level of deliciousness.

Why you’ll love this recipe

• You can make the cookie dough in an instant using simple ingredients. All you need is a skillet, a bowl, and a few minutes.
• Reducing the moisture in the pumpkin puree helps make the cookies softer and chewier.
• These warm and festive cookies are perfect for any occasion, especially for Thanksgiving or Christmas.

Key Ingredient Notes

• Canned pumpkin – Choose pure pumpkin or pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. confusing. You can also make your own.
• Flour – Use unbleached all-purpose flour for thicker cookies.
• Sugars – a combination of granulated cane sugar and light brown sugar will give the cookies the perfect texture and flavor.
• Aquafaba – The liquid from a can of chickpeas that is used as an egg replacer. Check the recipe notes for other alternatives.
• Dairy-free chocolate chips – semisweet or bittersweet. Chocolate chunks or a chopped bar work great as well.

How To Make Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

1. Prepare the pumpkin puree. Add the pumpkin to a nonstick skillet and cook on medium-low heat for 12 minutes or until reduced by half. This will decrease the liquid content, ensuring that your dough does not become watery. Stir every 2 to 3 minutes to prevent sticking and burning. Remove the pumpkin from the pan and place it in the fridge or freezer until cool.

2. Cream the butter and add wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, cream the vegan butter and sugars until fluffy and well combined. Mix in the pumpkin, aquafaba, and vanilla. Make sure to scrape the sides with a silicone spatula to get everything combined properly.

3. Add the dry ingredients. Sift in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Mix to combine, then fold in the chocolate chips. Mix only until there are no dry clumps on the dough. Never overmix it or the cookies will be dry and tough.
4. Chill the dough. Cover the dough and refrigerate for 1 hour until firm or overnight for the best flavor. This way, the dough will be less sticky and easy to scoop too.
5. Prepare for baking. Position the racks in the middle and upper third levels of the oven and preheat to 350°F (180°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or grease them with nonstick cooking spray.
6. Scoop. Using a #24 cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons), drop equal portions of dough onto the baking sheets. Using a scoop, make equally-sized dough balls that will bake evenly. Place them about 1½ inches apart to give space for the cookies to spread.

7. Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown on the edges. They should look slightly underdone but do not worry, they will continue to cook outside the oven. Switch the pans on the oven racks halfway through the baking time.
8. Rest and cool. Since the cookies will be very soft and prone to tearing, allow them to rest for at least 5 minutes on the tray before transferring them to a cooling rack.

Storage Tips

If you are making the dough ahead of time, cover the bowl tightly with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge overnight. Transfer to a freezer bag before storing in the freezer.

Baked cookies can be stored at room temperature for up to three days and in the fridge for up to a week. Make sure to let the cookies cool completely before placing them in sealed containers.

You can also freeze these cookies. I recommend wrapping them individually in plastic or foil or placing wax paper in between before placing them in a freezer-safe bag. Store them for up to three months.

You can reheat the cookies in the oven or microwave. If frozen, allow the cookies to thaw in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for 30 minutes.

More Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipes

• Vegan Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Vegan Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Vegan White Chocolate Cranberry Cookies
• Vegan White Chocolate Macadamia Nut Cookies
• Vegan Monster Cookies

Jhanelle Golding

Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies

4.67 from 3 votes

These vegan pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are thick, chewy, and brimming with warm autumn flavors! Adding thickened pumpkin puree and festive fall spices to classic chocolate chip cookies takes it to another level of deliciousness.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 12 minutes mins

Total Time 27 minutes mins

Servings: 14 cookies

Course: Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Calories: 236

Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• ½ cup vegan butter or margarine not unsalted, stick or block form, softened slightly
• ½ cup granulated cane sugar
• ½ cup light brown sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin solid pack
• 2 tablespoons aquafaba See Notes
• 2 teaspoons vanilla
• 2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon nutmeg freshly grated
• ⅛ teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup dairy-free semisweet chocolate chips plus extra for topping. I used Guittard

Method

 

1. Add the pumpkin to a nonstick skillet and cook on medium-low heat for 12 minutes or until reduced by half or about ½ cup. Stir every 2-3 minutes to prevent sticking and burning. Remove the pumpkin from the pan and place it in the fridge or freezer until cool.
   1 cup canned pumpkin
2. In a large mixing bowl, cream the vegan butter and sugars until fluffy and well combined. Mix in the pumpkin, aquafaba and vanilla.
   ½ cup vegan butter or margarine, ½ cup granulated cane sugar, ½ cup light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons aquafaba, 2 teaspoons vanilla
3. Sift in the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Mix to combine, then fold in the chocolate chips.
   2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, ⅛ teaspoon salt, ¾ cup dairy-free semisweet chocolate chips
4. Cover the dough and refrigerator for 1 hour until firm or overnight for the best flavor.
5. Position the racks in the middle and upper third levels of the oven and preheat to 350°F (180°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or grease them with nonstick cooking spray.
6. Using a #24 cookie scoop (about 3 tablespoons), drop equal portions of dough onto the baking sheets, about 1½ inches apart.
7. Bake for about 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown on the edges. They should look slightly underdone. Switch the pans on the oven racks halfway through the baking time.
8. Allow the cookies to rest for at least 5 minutes on the tray before transferring them to a cooling rack.

Notes

Aquafaba is the liquid from a can of chickpeas, used as a vegan egg replacer.
Other vegan egg substitutes:

• 1 tablespoon ground flax or chia seeds mixed with 2 tablespoons water (may result in chewier cookies).
• Store-bought vegan egg replacers such as Ener-G (follow the package directions).
• 1 tablespoon tapioca or cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons plant-based milk or water.