Pumpkin Spice Cookies (paleo, vegan, low-carb options)
These chewy pumpkin spice cookies are sure to be a hit with your paleo + vegan friends as well as gluten eaters! This recipe also has a low-carb option.
I’m guessing a lot of people are over pumpkin for the year, but I’m definitely not. If you’ve moved on to all things Thanksgiving, check out my paleo apple crisp, cranberry orange sauce or gluten-free pumpkin pie bars.
Does anyone have any Thanksgiving recipe requests? I’d be happy to have some suggestions!
Now on to these cookies. I’ve been working on a paleo pumpkin cookie recipe for over five years.
I want them to be super chewy, but chewy and pumpkin cookies don’t seem to go together. I’ve made other pumpkin cookie recipes that were supposed to be chewy, but I thought that they were still cakey.
As some of you who have been following me for a while might know, I’d rather not post a recipe than compromising on quality. So yeah. I’m done with pumpkin cookies!
They have defeated me. I declare: it can’t be done (but I’d be delighted to be proven wrong!) ;)
So today I’m bringing you the next best thing – pumpkin spice cookies. :) I wouldn’t say that these cookies are super spicy. If that’s what you want, try my paleo gingerbread cookies, which have a similar base to this one.
Some espresso powder in these pumpkin spice cookies would be a delicious addition! Maybe 1/2 – 1 teaspoon?
I make mine with a chia egg, but they’re great with a regular egg, too. Make sure to use dairy-free / vegan chocolate chips, if needed. There are vegan white chocolate chips, but they’re far from paleo.
For another fun pumpkin try, check out this pumpkin chocolate chip cookie in a mug. And these spice cupcakes are another great fall treat!
I hope you’ll enjoy them!
Substitution questions for these pumpkin spice cookies:
What can I use instead of the egg or chia egg?
A flax egg should work. I haven’t tried anything else, though, so I can’t say for sure.
Can I use something instead of coconut sugar?
Brown sugar would work if you don’t care about it being paleo. Subbing in a liquid sweetener won’t work. Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener works for a low-carb version. Some people would consider it paleo, some don’t. It’s up to you! Do note that your cookies won’t be as chewy or spread as flat as the ones in the picture.
Can I use something instead of almond flour?
Yes! Make my coconut flour cookies and add 1 tablespoon of pumpkin pie spice.
Can I use something instead of coconut flour?
Nope! There’s no sub for coconut flour.
Can I use something instead of almond butter?
They work great with sunflower seed butter. I haven’t tried any other nut butters, so I can’t say for sure that these pumpkin spice cookies would come out as well as with almond butter. My guess is that they wouldn’t. Whatever you use should be free of added fat and sugar.
Pumpkin Spice Cookies (paleo, vegan, low-carb options)
Ingredients
- 1 cup (100 grams) finely ground blanched almond flour see notes
- 1/4 cup (32 grams) coconut flour see notes
- 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice see notes
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons (84 grams) coconut oil softened but NOT melted, see notes; or unsalted butter, room temperature
- 3/4 cup (150 grams) coconut sugar very tightly packed; or brown sugar; or Lakanto Monkfruit Sweetener for low-carb; see notes
- 6 tablespoons (98 grams) natural almond butter the kind with just almonds in it and no added fat / sugar, room temperature
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 large egg room temperature; or 1 chia egg for vegan, see notes
- 1 1/4 cups (213 grams) chocolate chips divided; make sure to use paleo-friendly / vegan / low-carb chocolate chips, if desired
Instructions
- In a medium mixing bowl, stir together the almond flour, coconut flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt. Set aside.1 cup (100 grams) finely ground blanched almond flour, 1/4 cup (32 grams) coconut flour, 1 tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon salt
- In a large mixing bowl with an electric hand mixer or using a stand mixer, beat together the coconut oil, coconut sugar, almond butter and vanilla at medium speed until well combined, about 1 minute.6 tablespoons (84 grams) coconut oil, 3/4 cup (150 grams) coconut sugar, 6 tablespoons (98 grams) natural almond butter, 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Beat in the egg on low and mix until well incorporated.1 large egg
- Stir in the flour mixture until well combined.
- Then stir in 1 cup (170 grams) chocolate chips (ignore the quantity listed below – it's a technical error I can't change). Place the bowl in the refrigerator for about 1 hour or until the dough is firm.1 1/4 cups (213 grams) chocolate chips
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F (175 °C) and line a baking sheet with a piece of parchment paper.
- Roll the dough into 8 (75-gram) balls and place the remaining 1/4 cup (43 grams) of chocolate chips (ignore the quantity listed below – it's a technical error I can't change) on the top and on the sides of the dough balls. Place 4" apart on the prepared baking sheet. Press the cookies down lightly with the palm of your hand.1 1/4 cups (213 grams) chocolate chips
- Bake for 11-14 minutes or until the surface of the center of the cookies no longer appears wet. They’ll be very soft but will continue to cook as they sit on the cookie sheet.
- Let cool completely on the baking sheet. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Notes
- If you don’t have almond flour, you could try a different type of nut flour. Unfortunately, nuts flours aren’t interchangeable with non-nut flours. I’ve heard of people using sunflower seed flour as a sub but I’ve never tried it and have no idea if it’d work here.
- There’s no sub for coconut flour.
- You can make your own pumpkin spice using:
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground ginger
- 1/8 teaspoon ground gloves
- If you use slightly melted coconut oil, the dough will be greasy and the chocolate chips will be hard to incorporate. If your coconut oil is a little melty, put it in the fridge for about 10-20 minutes or until firmer, like softened butter.
- I don’t recommend using honey, maple syrup, date syrup, etc. They make the cookies very cakey and in my opinion, not worth making.
- I don’t recommend making these with peanut butter. I’ve made these so many times with homemade peanut butter (with just peanuts and salt in it) and while the cookies aren’t a disaster, I just don’t think they’re very good. The texture is so different from the almond flour version and they’re not very peanut butter-y. Here’s how to make your own almond butter.
- I used 1 tablespoon of ground chia egg + 2.5 tablespoons of water for my chia egg.
- For paleo: use coconut sugar, coconut oil, and paleo chocolate.
- For dairy-free: use coconut oil and dairy-free chocolate.
- The nutrition information provided is calculated as a courtesy and is only an estimate. I am not a licensed nutritionist or dietitian. For the most accurate nutritional data, consult a professional or use your preferred calculator.
Nutrition
Categories:
Cookies, Dairy-free, Fall Recipes, Gluten-free, Grain-free, Paleo, Vegan, Winter Recipes,
GREAT RECIPE!, I LIKE THAT YOU CAN DO IT PALEO & DAIRY FREE.
Thanks a bunch! I’m glad you liked them. :)
What brand of paleo chocolate chips do you use? Every chip I have found at the store is not paleo friendly. Has some sort of paleo forbidden sweetener or a forbidden gum substance. The only thing I have found so far is cacao niblets which would be very bitter.
Most people consider Enjoy Life Chocolate Chips to be paleo although I know some insist they’re not.
These look so big and thick – my kind of cookies! I think I have most of these ingredients on hand, but definitely need to pick up some almond butter.
Thanks! And yes. Always a good idea to get some almond butter. :)
I love how many chocolate chips you use in these cookies! They look so tempting I wish I could reach into my screen and eat them! I need to find a nut/seed butter alternative – what about coconut butter?
Thanks! And hmm. I’m afraid that coconut butter would make them a bit crumbly. :/ I tried it a long time ago while trying to make an AIP version of these cookies. I wish there were a good sub for nut / seed butter!
Uhm, yes please!!! These look amazing, I can’t wait to try them! I love that they’re Paleo and can be made low-carb – right up my alley :)
Thanks! Hope you’ll get to try them out. :)
Wow so delish!!? Such chewy, yummy goodness. They freeze beautifully! Thank you for all your amazing recipes! Have had great success with many!
Mistake on the question mark at the end of delish…should have been another exclamation lol!!!
Oops (I’m new as you can tell)haha forgot to rate! Can’t tell where to do this but 5 hearts obviously!
Haha. No problem! Thanks so much for coming back to leave a rating. :D
Woohoo! I’m happy to hear that you’ve been enjoying the recipes! And great to know that these freeze well. :) Thanks a bunch for your comment!
I am allll about pumpkin spice season! I’ll have to whip up a batch of these cookies. Thanks for including a vegan option :) I appreciate it!
Made these today… Children loved them! Delicious cookies for a fall and winter treat ! Thank you! Thank you!
You’re welcome! I’m very happy to hear that your kids enjoyed them. :) Thanks for your comment!
excellent!every recipeyou post is simply the best!
Aww, thank you! I’m thrilled you like them so much. :)
I love pumpkin spice! These cookies look so delicious!
Thanks so much! :)
Please share nutrition values, esp carbs, calories
I don’t have that info but you could use this recipe analyzer for the nutritional profile.