Pumpkin cookies are a fall essential, but finding a good gluten-free version that's not dry and cakey can feel impossible. My gluten-free pumpkin cookies are chewy, warmly spiced, and studded with creamy white chocolate chips. Perfect for fall baking, they balance pumpkin flavor with sweet, buttery notes in every bite!
You're looking at a recipe perfected by a home baker who has sacrificed far too many afternoons to subpar bakes. Trust me when I say this is the last recipe you'll ever need.
Recipe Highlights
- Texture: These cookies have soft and chewy centers with lightly crisped edges thanks to the balance of pumpkin purée and egg yolks.
- Flavor: Every bite is filled with warm and cozy pumpkin spice, with little pockets of creamy white chocolate — they taste like fall in cookie form!
- Easy: No chill time, no fancy equipment necessary! Just a straightforward dough that comes together in minutes.
- Allergen-friendly: This recipe can also be made dairy-free and nut-free, without sacrificing flavor!
Ingredient Notes
Here are a few important things to keep in mind before you start:
Gluten-Free Flour: For the best results, I recommend using a good quality gluten-free 1-to-1 flour blend that’s designed to be a direct substitute for all-purpose flour. Make sure it contains xanthan gum, which is crucial for giving gluten-free baked goods their structure. My go-to is Bob Red Mill’s Gluten-Free 1-to-1 Baking Flour.
Egg Yolks: This recipe uses only egg yolks because we’re adding pumpkin purée, which already contains a lot of moisture, so if we include egg whites it can create a more cake-like texture. This is my secret to achieving a perfect soft and chewy cookie every time.
Canned Pumpkin: Be sure to use 100% pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling. Pumpkin pie filling is pre-sweetened and spiced, and will make the cookies too sweet and overly spiced.
Butter & Vegan Subs: I use unsalted butter in this recipe, but if you need a dairy-free alternative, you can use vegan butter sticks that have an 80% fat content (that’s 8g fat per 2 teaspoons).
White Chocolate Chips: Technically, they're optional, but I highly recommend adding white chocolate chips. Dairy-free chocolate chips will work as well! I love how the sweet creaminess of the white chocolate contrasts with the pumpkin spice.
How to Make Soft & Chewy Pumpkin Cookies
1. Combine the dry ingredients.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour blend, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and pumpkin pie spice. Set aside.
2. Cream the butter and sugars.
In a large mixing bowl or stand mixer, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar for about 1–2 minutes, just until the mixture looks creamy and well combined. Avoid over-creaming—too much air makes the cookies cakey instead of chewy.
3. Add the wet ingredients.
Mix in the egg yolks, pumpkin purée, and vanilla extract until smooth. The batter may look slightly curdled at this stage, which is normal.
4. Bring the dough together.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and mix on low speed until you no longer see streaks of flour. Fold in the white chocolate chips.
5. Chill the dough.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for at least 2 hours. Chilling helps prevent spreading and gives the cookies their soft, chewy centers.
6. Scoop and shape.
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Scoop out the dough with a cookie scoop or two spoons, spacing each portion 2 inches apart. Gently flatten the tops. For a bakery-style look, press a few extra white chocolate chips on top.
7. Bake and cool.
Bake for 8–9 minutes, just until the edges are set and the centers look slightly underbaked. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 10–15 minutes before transferring to a wire rack. The cookies will finish setting as they cool.
Gluten Free Pumpkin Cookie Recipe
Ingredients
- 2½ cups gluten-free 1-to-1 flour blend (containing xanthan gum)
- ¾ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1 cup butter softened at room temperature
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 2 large egg yolks
- ⅓ cup pure pumpkin purée
- 1½ t vanilla extract
- 1½ cup white chocolate chips
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the gluten-free flour blend, salt, baking soda, and pumpkin pie spice. Mix and set it aside.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer (or a large bowl with a hand mixer), add the softened butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and beat for a couple minutes until fluffy and light in color.
- To it, add the egg yolks and cream again. Add the pumkin purée, vanilla, and mix until combined. Your mixture may look slightly curdled, but don't worry.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until you see no pockets of dry ingredients. Add the white chocolate chips and mix again. Cover the bowl and let it chill in the fridge for at least 2 hours.
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Scoop out the chilled dough onto the baking sheet using a cookie scoop or two spoons, and flatten the top very slightly to ensure an even bake. Leave 2 inches in between each dough ball to prevent them from spreading and sticking to each other in the oven. You can top them with extra chocolate chips if you want the chips to be showing after they're baked.
- Bake the cookies for 8 or 9 minutes. They may look underbaked but they will continue baking after you take them out of the oven. Let the cookies cool for 10 to 15 minutes on the baking sheet before taking them off onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Nutrition
Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the recipe card and tell me how it turned out in the comments below!
Storage Instructions
To Store: Store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days. They can also be refrigerated for up to a week.
To Freeze: These cookies freeze well. Place them in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw them at room temperature before serving.
FAQs & Troubleshooting
The most common cause of crumbly gluten-free cookies is too much flour. It's crucial to use the proper measuring technique, like the "spoon and level" method, to ensure you don't accidentally pack in too much flour. Also, always make sure the gluten-free flour blend you're using contains a binder like xanthan gum, which helps mimic the binding properties of gluten.
This recipe uses a specific ratio of fats and liquids, so substituting butter with oil is not recommended as it will change the texture of the cookie. The recipe uses a combination of butter and egg yolk to achieve the soft and chewy texture.
A cakey texture is often caused by incorporating too much air into the dough. To avoid this, be careful not to over-cream the butter and sugars in the first step. Mix them together only until they are just combined, without becoming light and fluffy. This is a key step to ensure your cookies stay soft and chewy.
Yes, you can. You can prepare the dough and refrigerate it for up to 3 days. Before baking, let the dough sit at room temperature for a few minutes to soften slightly. You can also freeze the raw cookie dough balls in an airtight container for up to 3 months. When you are ready to bake, thaw them on the counter for 30 minutes before baking.
Absolutely. Using a cookie scoop, portion out the dough onto a cookie sheet and put it in the freezer for 30 minutes, or until solid. Put them in a freezer bag, squeeze out as much air as possible as you close the bag, and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
More Gluten-Free Pumpkin Desserts
Here are some more delicious pumpkin recipes you should try:
These bakery style gluten-free pumpkin muffins are so fluffy and moist, and the crunchy streusel topping makes them irresistible!
This gluten-free pumpkin bread is another delicious recipe that's easy to make! It's soft, moist, and goes perfectly with your cup of coffee.
These pumpkin bars can easily be made gluten-free by swapping out the all-purpose flour for gluten-free 1-to-1 flour, and resting the batter before baking.
This dairy-free pumpkin pie is hands down my favorite pie to bake in the fall, and using a gluten-free crust works perfectly, whether it's store bought or homemade!
When I have vegan friends over, I choose this vegan pumpkin pie recipe—it's so easy to make and super delicious!
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