These vegan pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are soft, chewy, and oozing with melted chocolate! A genuinely decadent fall treat!

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Fall is officially here! When the weather cools and we begin to plan for Halloween, I’m ready to enjoy ALL of the vegan pumpkin recipes!
These pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are a truly decadent treat! They are soft and chewy chocolate chip cookies that are infused with real pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice.
I brought these vegan pumpkin cookies to a football tailgate and they disappeared. Nobody could tell they were vegan! They are my go-to fall cookie for all occasions!
💗 Why You’ll Love This Recipe!
- Rich Pumpkin Spice Taste
- Fall Spices
- Soft and Chewy
- Melty Chocolate Chips Throughout
- Simple and Easy to Make
🥣 Ingredients and Notes
Vegan Butter: Provides the needed moisture and helps to achieve a chewy texture.
Dark Brown Sugar and Cane Sugar: A combination of brown sugar and cane sugar gives these cookies a sweet and chewy texture
Pumpkin Puree: I used canned pumpkin puree for ease. However, you can make your own pumpkin puree by roasting pie pumpkins. Be sure to use pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
All-Purpose Flour: Be sure not to pack the flour in the cups as you are measuring. Use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cups, and then use a knife to scrape the extra flour off the top.
Pumpkin Pie Spice: This spice gives these cookies the flavor of pumpkin pie. Pumpkin spices include a combination of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice.
Cornstarch: The secret ingredient that helps the cookies stay soft.
Baking Soda and Salt: Used as a leavening agent for the cookies.
Vegan Chocolate Chips: Use dairy-free chocolate chips. I prefer the Enjoy Life brand, and I always get dark chocolate!
📋 How to Make Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 375° Fahrenheit. Cream the softened butter in a large mixing bowl for about 1 minute using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or hand beaters.
Step 2: Add the brown sugar, the cane sugar, and the vanilla extract. Beat together for another 1-2 minutes. Add in the pumpkin puree. Continue to beat until combined. Scrap the edges of the bowl so that the wet ingredients are at the bottom of the bowl.
Step 3: In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, cornstarch, and pumpkin pie spice.
Step 4: Turn the stand mixer on low, and slowly add the flour until it is completely incorporated. The batter will be thick. Remove the paddle attachment.
Step 5: Remove the paddle attachment and add ¾ of a cup of the chocolate chips. Fold the chocolate chips into the batter using a spatula. (Reserve a ¼ cup of the chocolate chips.)
Step 6: Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a cookie scoop, scoop two tablespoons of dough ball of dough. Leave a few inches of space between each cookie. They will spread as they bake.
Step 7: Bake in the preheated oven for 9-10 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the center is set. Press the remaining chocolate chips on the top of each mound of dough. Allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet. Then transfer them. toa cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
💭 Expert Tips
- Don’t skimp on the cornstarch. That’s what gives these cookies their soft and chewy texture.
- These cookies have a thick batter. You can add two tablespoons of dairy-free milk if the flour needs more moisture to be combined well.
- Be sure to save at least ¼ cup of chocolate chips to press into the cookies once they have baked. This gives them that chocolatey look on the top, so that the chocolate chips aren’t hiding in the batter of the cookie.
- Don’t overbake the cookies. Remove them from the oven as soon as you notice the edges brown and the centers firm.
❓ Recipe FAQS
Store this chewy pumpkin cookie in an airtight container at room temperature for up to two days. Place paper towels between each stack of cookies in the container to keep them from sticking to one another. Store in the refrigerator after 2 days. They will keep in the fridge for up to 7 days.
Yes, you can freeze the cookie dough. Wrap the dough in plastic wrap, and transfer it to a freezer-safe zip-lock bag. Store in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to use the dough, transfer it to the refrigerator to thaw overnight.
Regular cookies are typically made with butter and eggs. Butter and eggs are derived from animals and therefore are not vegan. Vegan cookies are made without eggs and moistened with vegan butter or coconut oil as a substitute. Sometimes alternative sugars are used in vegan cookies as some types of white sugars are processed with bone char, making them not vegan-friendly.
🎥 Video
🎃 More vegan pumpkin recipes!
Please comment below if you found this article helpful or have any additional questions. You can also follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook for more family-friendly vegan recipes!
Recipe
Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegan butter softened
- ½ cup dark brown sugar packed
- ½ cup cane sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup pumpkin puree
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tablespoon corn starch
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips dairy-free or vegan
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F. In a large mixing bowl cream the softened butter for about 1 minute using a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, or hand-beaters.
- Add the brown sugar, the cane sugar, and the vanilla extract. Beat together for another 1-2 minutes. Add in the pumpkin puree. Continue to beat until combined. Scrap the edges of the bowl so that the wet ingredients are at the bottom of the bowl.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, baking soda, corn starch, and pumpkin pie spice.
- Turn the stand mixer on low, and slowly add the flour until it is completely incorporated. The batter will be thick. Remove the paddle attachment.
- Remove the paddle attachment and add in ¾ of a cup of the chocolate chips. Fold the chocolate chips into the batter using a spatula. (Reserve a ¼ cup of the chocolate chips.)
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a cookie scoop, scoop 2 tablespoons of dough ball of dough. Leave a few inches of space between each cookie. They will spread as they bake.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 9-10 minutes or until the edges are golden brown and the center is set. Press the remaining chocolate chips on the top of each mound of dough. Allow the cookies to cool for 10 minutes on the baking sheet. Then transfer them. toa cooling rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Video
Notes
- Don’t skimp on the corn starch. That’s what gives these cookies their soft and chewy texture.
- These cookies have a thick batter. You can add two tablespoon of dairy-free milk if the flour needs more moisture to be combined well.
- Be sure to save at least ¼ cup of chocolate chips to press into the cookies once they have baked. This gives them that chocolatey look on the top, so that the chocolate chips aren’t hiding in the batter of the cookie.
- Don’t over bake the cookies. Remove them from the oven as soon as you notice the edges brown and the centers firm.
- Store at room temperature for 2 days in an airtight container, or in the refrigerator for up to 7 days.
Lia Schattner
Do you still have the old recipe for the pumpkin chocolate chip cookies that were vegan and gluten-free and it had maple syrup and oatmeal in it? I really love that recipe, is there anyway to bring it back?
Alison Corey
I don’t have it anymore. I’m sorry. But I will see if I can find it in my documents, and I will send it to your.
Laura
The ingredients list says baking soda and the instructions say baking powder — which should it be?
Alison Corey
Sorry about that! It should be baking powder. I’ve edited the post to make sure it is clear. Thank you for bringing this to my attention!
A. Natale
The recipe looks wonderful. Just wondering, do you think I could substitute buckwheat flour for the almond flour? Just looking at my pantry and trying to avoid a grocery trip. Haha. Thank you.
Alison Corey
Yes, buckwheat flour would probably work. I haven’t tried before, so let me know how it turns out!
Jacque Hastert
Three of my favorite things… cookies, breakfast, and pumpkin! I can’t wait to make these cookies and enjoy them for days.
Cate
Oh yum!! Love the ingredients and that these are vegan, thanks for the recipe!
Andrea Metlika
Great flavor combination for a breakfast cookie. Cant wait to try these.
Anita
These cookies are so delicious. It’s hard to believe that they are super healthy too, no need to feel guilty even when I can’t stop eating them. 😉
Kathryn Donangelo
These pumpkin cookies are so good and love how they are vegan too 🙂 thank you!