Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cookies Recipe tastes like a bite-size slice of cozy fall pie with chewy edges, soft centers, and warm pumpkin spice in every crumb. This recipe works perfectly for busy bakers who want a quick holiday dessert or snack in under 40 minutes, start to finish. I tested these on my pumpkin-obsessed neighbors, and they vanished faster than my patience in a long grocery line.
Why Make This Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cookies Recipe at Home
You control the ingredients, so these vegan pumpkin cookies stay dairy free, egg free, and not overly sweet. The texture lands between a soft sugar cookie and pumpkin pie filling, which feels fancy without any complicated steps.
You also skip weird additives and use pantry staples you probably already own. The recipe scales easily, so you can bake a small batch on a weeknight or double it for a party tray.
Soft, spiced, and perfectly pumpkin-y, these vegan pumpkin pie cookies taste bakery-level good without any fuss. ★★★★★
Ingredients You Need
Dry ingredients
All-purpose flour
- Use regular unbleached flour.
- You can swap with a 1:1 gluten free baking blend if it includes xanthan gum.
Baking powder
Baking soda
Fine sea salt
Ground cinnamon
Ground nutmeg
Ground ginger
Ground cloves or allspice
Optional: pumpkin pie spice
- Use this if you want a shortcut and reduce the individual spices slightly.
Wet ingredients
Pumpkin puree
- Use canned pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- I like Libby’s or Trader Joe’s pumpkin for consistent texture.
Brown sugar
- Light or dark both work; dark gives deeper molasses flavor.
Granulated sugar or organic cane sugar
Neutral oil
- Use canola, sunflower, grapeseed, or light olive oil.
Unsweetened non dairy milk
- Oat, soy, or almond milk all work.
Vanilla extract
Optional mix-ins and toppings
- Mini vegan chocolate chips
- Chopped pecans or walnuts
- Coarse sugar for sprinkling on top
- A little extra cinnamon sugar for rolling
- Vegan whipped topping or coconut whipped cream for serving
Pantry shortcuts
- Use pumpkin pie spice instead of separate spices if you like.
- Use pre-mixed cinnamon sugar for rolling the cookie dough.
- Use canned coconut whipped cream for a quick topping.
Equipment list
- Mixing bowls, medium and large
- Whisk
- Rubber spatula or wooden spoon
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Baking sheets
- Parchment paper or silicone baking mats
- Cookie scoop or tablespoon
- Cooling rack
- Optional: small offset spatula to shape cookies into neat circles
Tips & Mistakes
- Chill the dough for at least 20 to 30 minutes so the cookies hold shape and stay chewy.
- Blot the pumpkin puree with a paper towel if it looks very watery, or the cookies may spread too much.
- Measure flour correctly by fluffing, spooning into the cup, and leveling, or the cookies may turn dense.
- Use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling, or the cookies may taste overly sweet and oddly spiced.
- Do not overmix once you add the flour, or the cookies can turn tough instead of soft.
- Pull the cookies from the oven when the edges look set but the centers still look slightly soft, since they finish cooking on the tray.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes so they firm up and do not fall apart.
- Line the baking sheets with parchment so the cookies release easily and clean up stays simple.
- Taste the dough and adjust spices if you like stronger pumpkin spice flavor.
- Store cookies in an airtight container so they stay soft and do not dry out.
How to Make Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cookies Recipe
Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients
Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and cloves to a medium bowl. Whisk until everything looks evenly combined and no streaks of spice remain. Set the bowl aside.
Step 2: Mix the wet ingredients
In a large bowl, add pumpkin puree, brown sugar, granulated sugar, oil, non dairy milk, and vanilla. Whisk until the mixture looks smooth and glossy and the sugar starts to dissolve. Scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl so no pumpkin pockets hide.
Step 3: Combine wet and dry
Add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet ingredients in two additions. Stir gently with a spatula until no dry flour streaks remain and the dough looks thick and soft. Fold in any optional mix-ins like chocolate chips or nuts.
Step 4: Chill the dough
Cover the bowl and place it in the fridge for 20 to 30 minutes. This step helps the flour hydrate and the dough firm up, which keeps the cookies thick and soft. Use this time to line baking sheets with parchment and preheat the oven to 350°F.
Step 5: Scoop and shape
Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to portion the dough into balls, about 1 to 1.5 tablespoons each. Roll each ball lightly between your palms if you want smoother cookies. If you like, roll the dough balls in cinnamon sugar or sprinkle a little coarse sugar on top.
Step 6: Bake
Place the dough balls on the lined baking sheets, leaving space between them for spreading. Bake at 350°F for about 10 to 13 minutes, depending on size and your oven. Pull the cookies when the edges look set and the tops look slightly puffed and soft.
Step 7: Cool
Leave the cookies on the baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes so they firm up. Transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely. If you want that “mini pumpkin pie” look, gently press the tops with the back of a spoon while still warm to flatten slightly.
Step 8: Optional topping
Once the cookies cool, add a small swirl of vegan whipped topping or coconut whipped cream on each one. Dust with a pinch of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice. Serve right away if you add whipped topping so it stays fluffy.
Variations I've Tried
I swapped half the all-purpose flour with oat flour and got extra tender, slightly nutty cookies that tasted great with coffee. I also folded in mini vegan chocolate chips, which turned the cookies into a pumpkin spice chocolate chip mashup. Chopped pecans on top added crunch and a little “pecan pie meets pumpkin pie” vibe.
I tested a maple version by replacing part of the granulated sugar with maple syrup and slightly increasing the flour, which gave a deeper fall flavor. I also tried a stuffed version by pressing two thinner cookies around a small spoonful of pumpkin puree mixed with sugar and spice, which tasted like tiny hand pies.
How to Serve Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cookies Recipe
Serve these vegan pumpkin pie cookies slightly warm or at room temperature so the spices shine and the centers stay soft. Pair them with hot coffee, chai, or a mug of hot cocoa for a cozy snack. Kids love them with cold oat milk or almond milk, especially if you add chocolate chips. For a dessert platter, stack them on a plate with a small bowl of vegan whipped topping and a sprinkle of cinnamon on the side.
How to store
- Room temperature: Store cooled cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
- Fridge: Keep in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 5 days; let them come to room temp before serving for best texture.
- Freezer (baked cookies): Freeze in a single layer, then move to a freezer bag or container and store up to 2 months.
- Freezer (cookie dough): Scoop dough balls onto a tray, freeze solid, then store in a bag for up to 2 months and bake from frozen, adding 1 to 2 minutes to the bake time.
- Reheating: Warm cookies in a 300°F oven or toaster oven for 4 to 6 minutes, or microwave for about 10 to 15 seconds, just until soft and fragrant.
Vegan Pumpkin Pie Cookies Recipe
Ingredients
Method
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, fine sea salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves or allspice, and optional pumpkin pie spice until evenly combined. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the pumpkin puree, brown sugar, granulated sugar, neutral oil, non dairy milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk until smooth and glossy, scraping the sides and bottom of the bowl so no pumpkin pockets remain.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture in two additions, gently stirring with a spatula just until no dry flour streaks remain and the dough looks thick and soft. Fold in any optional mix-ins like mini vegan chocolate chips or chopped nuts.
- Cover the bowl and chill the dough in the refrigerator for 20 to 30 minutes so it firms up and the flour hydrates. Meanwhile, line baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
- Use a cookie scoop or tablespoon to portion the chilled dough into balls about 1 to 1.5 tablespoons each. Roll lightly between your palms for smoother cookies, then roll in cinnamon sugar or sprinkle coarse sugar on top if desired.
- Arrange the dough balls on the prepared baking sheets, leaving space between them to spread. Bake at 350°F for 10 to 13 minutes, until the edges look set and the tops are slightly puffed and still soft.
- Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 to 10 minutes so they firm up, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. For more of a mini pumpkin pie look, gently press the tops with the back of a spoon while still warm to flatten slightly.
- Once completely cool, top each cookie with a small swirl of vegan whipped topping or coconut whipped cream and a pinch of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice, if using. Serve immediately after topping so the whipped cream stays fluffy.
Notes
Approximate per 1 cookie (about 1/24 of recipe without toppings): 110 calories; fat 5 g; saturated fat 0.5 g; carbohydrates 15 g; fiber 1 g; sugars 9 g; protein 1 g; sodium 90 mg. Values will vary based on exact ingredients, mix-ins, toppings, and portion size.