This is the best gluten-free pumpkin cookie recipe around. My soft and chewy pumpkin cookies are easy to make and topped with a whipped maple cream cheese frosting. They are loaded with real pumpkin and, of course, lots of pumpkin spice. If Fall had a taste, this would be it.
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Nothing says "Fall" like pumpkin. From our favorite spicy pumpkin soup to my gluten-free pumpkin bread recipe, I am here for all the pumpkin recipes.
These delicious cookies are perfect for after-school snacks or your Halloween party.
My pumpkin cookie recipe uses the traditional baking method of mixing dry ingredients and wet ingredients separately and then combining. The pumpkin adds additional texture, giving the cookies a cakier consistency.
Because of this, I wanted to add a frosting. And nothing say Fall more than maple frosting.
📖Why This Recipe Works
- When baking gluten-free getting the correct rise is always a challenge. This recipe uses a combination of butter and vegetable shortening to balance texture and rise for a perfectly chewy cookie.
- Using vegetable shortening prevents the cookies from spreading too much, which would cause them to become dry. At the same time, the addition of butter adds a richer taste. The perfect balance!
- I added an extra egg yolk to provide richness. For a denser cookie, use two egg yolks and no whites.
- The combo of brown and white sugar ensures a moist, chewy texture.
🧾Ingredient Notes
- Pumpkin - I use canned pumpkin puree, but you can make your own pumpkin puree from fresh pumpkins. Both have great pumpkin flavor. If you need a substitute for pumpkin puree, use canned butternut squash or sweet potato puree. Leftover pumpkin puree can be used to make a pumpkin spice smoothie!
- Gluten-Free Flour- This recipe relies on a cup-for-cup all-purpose GF flour blend. I used Bob's Red Mill when testing this recipe.
- Brown Sugar- I used dark brown sugar in this recipe. You can substitute light brown sugar, but the cookies will have less rise and a less rich flavor.
- Butter and Oil- Unsalted Butter AND Vegetable Shortening. Not vegetable oil or coconut oil. But you can use all butter.
- Maple Syrup- Or use leftover pumpkin pancake syrup.
⏲️How to Make Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cookies
- Whisking the dry ingredients ensures the leavening agents (i.e., the baking soda and baking powder) are evenly distributed.
- Start by adding the butter, shortening, and both sugars to a large bowl. We are going to "cream" them. Meaning beat them with a stand mixer or hand mixer until the mix is fluffy.
- Add the remaining wet ingredients. I find it easier to beat in the eggs and then add the pumpkin. Stir in the dry ingredients by hand.
- Scoop out about 2 tablespoons of dough. The dough is on the softer side so wet your fingers and then pat down the top. You want them to be about ½ inch thick.
- Remove from the oven and cool on the sheets for 2 to 3 minutes before moving to a cooling rack.
- Beat them together room temperature cream cheese and sugar with a pinch of salt. Then slowly add the powdered sugar to get your desired consistency.
You may need more or less of the dry ingredients. Depending on the humidity of my kitchen, I sometimes use less of the flour mix, sometimes all.
When I tested these in July and August, I had to add ⅓ cup extra flour because it was so humid!
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- If baking in batches, allow the cookie sheets to fully cool before scooping out fresh dough. A hot cookie sheet will cause the cookies to spread and become tough.
- Before getting started, make sure your oven is properly preheated to 350°F.
- Your ingredients should be at room temperature. It typically takes 30 to 60 minutes for the butter to come to room temperature.
- Sugars are always considered "wet ingredients" in cookies because of the way the sugar interacts with water when baking.
- Strain your pumpkin. You don't want to add too much water to the cookie dough. You can also blot it dry with a paper towel.
- When measuring out the flour, use a scoop to spoon the flour into your measuring cup.
- Allow the cookies to fully cool before icing.
- This maple frosting is very flexible. You can increase the maple syrup and eliminate the icing sugar to make a glaze and drizzle over.
More Gluten-Free Cookies
🌡️Storing Leftovers
- Unfrosted pumpkin cookies can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 5 to 7 days.
- Frosted cookies should be stored in an airtight container in a single layer in the refrigerator; they will last 4 to 5 days.
- To freeze the cookie dough, scoop into balls onto a sheet pan. Freeze for 2 hours. Move to a zip-top bag, the dough balls should keep for 2 months. To bake, place the frozen cookie dough balls on a cookie sheet. Bake according to the recipe plus 2 extra minutes.
- Freeze unfrosted cookies for up to 3 months. Freeze on a sheet pan and then move to a zip-top bag for storage. Defrost the individual cookies on a plate for one hour. Or pop it in the microwave for 30 seconds at 50% power.
Common Recipe Questions
They are not interchangeable. Pumpkin pie filling already contains sugar and spices.
Yes, you can make this recipe vegan and without eggs. Substitute a vegan stick butter alternative and make 1 flax egg. Or use enough egg replacer for 1 egg. For the frosting, make a maple glaze with powdered sugar, water, and maple syrup. Drizzle over the top.
Many bakers will tell you to use a rimmed sheet pan lined with parchment paper or a Silpat. However, the rimmed sides prevent the cookies from rising properly. Instead, I recommend using an insulting cookie sheet that doesn't need to be lined or greased in any way.
Did you enjoy making this recipe? Show it some love with ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ and leave a comment! Hungry for more FLAVORFUL recipes?
📖 Recipe Card
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cookies with Maple Frosting
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups gluten free flour blend with xanthan gum
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice plus extra for sprinkling
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- ½ cup vegetable shortening
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
- 1 8 ounce package cream cheese softened
- 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter softened
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 ½ cup confectioners' sugar
- pinch of salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt until combined. Set aside.2 ½ cups gluten free flour blend, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 Tablespoon pumpkin pie spice, ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Use an electric mixer to cream together butter, shortening and sugars until fluffy.½ cup unsalted butter, ½ cup vegetable shortening, ½ cup brown sugar, ¾ cup granulated sugar
- Mix in the whole egg and the extra yolk. Mix in pumpkin puree and vanilla extract.1 large egg plus 1 egg yolk, 1 cup pumpkin puree, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Fold in the dry ingredients and mix until combined.
- Scoop dough out, place on a baking sheet, and use your fingers to evenly flatten cookies into rounds until they are about a ½ inch thick.
- Bake in preheated oven for 11 - 12 minutes. Transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Once cool frost with Maple Cream Cheese Frosting.
Maple Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a mixing bowl beat together the cream cheese, butter, maple syrup, and salt. Slowly add the confectioners' sugar until fluffy. You may not need all the sugar.1 8 ounce package cream cheese, 4 Tablespoons unsalted butter, 2 Tablespoons maple syrup, 1 ½ cup confectioners' sugar, pinch of salt
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Notes
- If your flour does not contain xanthan gum, you will need to add a ¾ teaspoon to the dry ingredients.
- Different brands of GF flours have different weights so measurements are approximate. You may need to add up to a ⅓ cup of extra flour to get the right consistency.
- To make a maple cream cheese glaze omit the powdered sugar and increase the maple syrup to ¼ cup. Use a mixer to whip the ingredients together and drizzle it over the cookies.
Angela says
I am gluten free love to bake.
Jen Wooster says
Then you are in the right place! We have so many delicious gluten-free baking recipes planned for the rest of the year.