These gluten-free pumpkin cookies are the softest, most delectable cookies you’ll ever eat! They are remarkably light in texture and are topped with a luscious, dairy-free brown sugar frosting. They are quick and easy, and the cookie dough requires no refrigeration. They will quickly become one of your favorite pumpkin desserts!
I don't know about you, but I love fall and fall baking. And all things pumpkin! Like gluten-free pumpkin bread, gluten-free scones, and sugar-free pumpkin spice coffee creamer! But on top of my fall baking list this year: soft pumpkin cookies.
These delicious pumpkin cookies will have you hooked from the very first bite! Imagine the soft, pillowy texture of your favorite loft house-style cookie, kissed with pumpkin and autumn spices. These cookies are light, fluffy, and melt in your mouth. If you can resist keeping them all to yourself, they're perfect for sharing with friends over coffee or tea this fall season.
This is one of those recipes NO ONE can tell is gluten-free or dairy-free so you can bake and serve with confidence!
Why You'll Love These Dairy-Free Pumpkin Cookies
- Texture- Unlike my gluten-free crinkle cookies, which are formulated to be chewy, these dairy-free holiday cookies are soft and cakey. They are not dense like traditional cookies but similar to tender cake.
- Flavor- These irresistible cookies are full of pumpkin flavor! Ground cinnamon, ginger, and cloves impart the pumpkin pie spice everyone loves, while the brown sugar used in the frosting adds an extra layer of decadence.
- Ease- There is no need to chill this cookie dough. You can have freshly baked gluten free pumpkin cookies ready in under 60 minutes. It's such an easy recipe! The dough can go straight from the bowl into the oven, which is great if you're impatient (like me) or pressed for time!
Brown Sugar Frosting
Move over dairy-laden cream cheese! Often, when you come across a pumpkin cookie recipe, the cookie is topped with cream cheese frosting. But when you’re dairy-free, cream cheese isn’t an option (and I have yet to meet a dairy-free cream cheese I like – and yes, I’ve tried tons of them). I decided to top these soft cookies with brown sugar frosting. This was the first time I'd made it, and oh boy! I was surprised at how delicious it was! Brown sugar frosting has a rich, caramel-like flavor. It adds an indulgent complexity to the cookies and enhances the pumpkin spice flavors. I want to try it on my gluten-free carrot cake next!
I promise, cross my heart- hope to die; even if you CAN have dairy, you will NOT miss cream cheese frosting in this recipe!
Top Recipe Tip
Stir together the unsweetened almond milk (or other dairy-free milk), vanilla extract, and brown sugar, and let it sit for at least 10-15 minutes before adding the remaining frosting ingredients. This is the best way to dissolve the brown sugar granules, ensuring smooth and luscious frosting that won't be gritty.
How To Make Pumpkin Gluten-Free Cookies
This is an overview; for full recipe directions, please scroll down to the recipe card below. In the meantime, let me walk you through the main points!
- Preheat your oven- Preheat your oven and prepare 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
- Mix the wet ingredients- You will need an electric mixer for this recipe. In a large mixing bowl, beat the sugar and palm shortening together, then gradually stir in the remaining wet ingredients: egg, canned pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract. At this point, the dough may look curdled; this is normal.
- Sift the dry ingredients- Sift together the tapioca starch, sorghum flour, brown rice flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sea salt.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients- Add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix to combine. The cookie dough will be thick and sticky but will hold its shape on the baking sheet. I suggest scooping the dough using a medium cookie scoop. This will ensure that all of the dough balls are uniform in size.
- Bake the cookies- They will be done in 11-14 minutes and are finished baking when the tops and sides are set.
- Make the frosting- Frosting is always optional, but I promise you, you will love it! These are delicious cookies! Cool the baked cookies completely before frosting.
- Devour- This job is not a hardship. I promise. HAH!
Storage
Store in an airtight container at room temperature (unless you substitute real dairy somewhere in the recipe, in which case please store it in the refrigerator) and consume within 3-4 days.
If stacking the cookies in a container, separate a single layer with parchment or wax paper sheets. This prevents the cookies from sticking together.
Substitutions
Gluten-Free Flour Blend- For best results, I recommend using the flour and starches listed in the recipe. I have not tested this recipe with a gluten-free all purpose flour blend, like Bob's Red Mill.
Canned Pumpkin Purée- Ensure you use 100% real pumpkin puree instead of pumpkin pie filling. Feel free to use your own pumpkin puree (homemade) instead of canned.
Spices- I prefer using single spices since they are more potent, but you can substitute 1 ½ teaspoons of pumpkin pie spice instead.
More Pumpkin Recipes
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bars
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Cookies
This recipe was originally published in February 2022. The blog post was updated to include better instructions and notes in October 2024.
Gluten Free Pumpkin Cookies
These gluten free pumpkin cookies are the softest, most delectable cookies you'll ever eat! They are remarkably light in texture, and literally melt in your mouth. Spiced with cinnamon and nutmeg and topped with a luscious brown sugar frosting, this dairy-free cookie recipe is the perfect fall dessert.
Ingredients
- 1 cup palm shortening
- 1 cup organic cane sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup pure pumpkin
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup tapioca starch
- ½ cup sorghum flour
- ½ cup brown rice flour
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
For the frosting
- ¼ cup vegan butter (or ghee, or palm shortening)
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk (or another dairy-free milk)
- 1 ½ cups organic powdered sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees (F), and prepare 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone liners.
- In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat together the palm shortening and organic cane sugar for about 30 seconds.
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl, and stir in the egg and vanilla extract.
- Stir in the pumpkin puree.
- In a large mixing bowl, sift together the tapioca starch, sorghum flour, brown rice flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sea salt.
- Now add the sifted dry ingredients to the bowl of the electric mixer, and stir until combined.
- Drop 2 tablespoons of dough onto the prepared bakings sheets, leaving space between the dough for it to spread.
- Bake for 11-14 minutes. Cookies are done when the tops and sides are set.
For the frosting:
- While the cookies are baking, in a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the brown sugar, vanilla extract and the unsweetened almond milk. Set aside to sit for at least 10-15 minutes. The almond milk and vanilla extract will dissolve the granules of brown sugar as it sits, so the frosting will be smooth.
- Once the cookies are completely cool, whisk in the vegan butter and the organic powdered sugar. If the frosting is too thick, add more almond milk, teaspoon by teaspoon, until it reaches the desired consistency.
- Mix for 3-5 minutes on medium-high, until the frosting is smooth, light, and fluffy.
Notes
If you are not dairy-free, you absolutely can top these cookies with cream cheese frosting. That said, this dairy-free brown sugar frosting is sooooo good, you'll at least want to try it once (and then I think you'll give up cream cheese frosting for good)!
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 24 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 209Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 8mgSodium: 121mgCarbohydrates: 27gFiber: 1gSugar: 17gProtein: 1g
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Jory says
I have an egg allergy, by any chance have you tried this recipe using a flax egg? I’m wondering if that would work for this recipe
Mēgan says
Hi Jory,
Hmm... there's only 1 egg in this recipe, and while I haven't tried it egg-free, I think it would do okay egg-free? Flax eggs are pretty heavy. You might try using 2-3 tablespoons of apple sauce instead. Or additional pumpkin might work too (though pumpkin is a bit thicker, so maybe 2 tablespoons more of pumpkin + 1 tablespoon of dairy-free milk). Hope those suggestions help! I'd love to know your results if you try it. 🙂
Mya says
Wow! These were amazing! The best gluten free cookie I’ve made so far, and I’ve made several kinds some were nasty, some ok, some good, but these are just plain nummy! I can’t have white rice flour so loved finding a recipe without. Thank you for this yummy cookie.
Mēgan says
Hi Mya - Your comment made my day! You're very welcome. Thank you so much for coming back here and letting me know your thoughts. I really appreciate it!
Alene says
I cannot eat rice at all, in any form. Do you have a suggestion for how to replace it? I adore pumpkin anything, so I would love to make these. Thank you.
Mēgan says
You can try millet flour as a substitution.