These vegan pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are the perfect chocolate chip cookie variation for fall. No one will believe these are actually plant-based!
I think vegan pumpkin chocolate chip cookies might be a new fall tradition in our house. I first made these thinking that they were a fun idea, but that maybe the flavour combination of pumpkin and chocolate wouldn’t work, but it really does! If you’re looking for something new to bake this fall that everyone will be excited to try, definitely give this autumn chocolate chip cookie variation a try.
These would be perfect for a cookie tray at any gathering you have coming up this season, or on the dessert table for Thanksgiving. Maybe you could even add a few candy eyeballs on top if you’re making them closer to Halloween.
Ingredients Needed for the Pumpkin Cookies
You’ll need:
- Canned pumpkin puree (you can also make pumpkin puree in your crock pot)
- Brown sugar
- Granulated white sugar
- Plant-based butter substitute (I’ve been using Becel brand sticks lately with great results)
- Vanilla extract
- Both baking soda and baking powder
- Salt
- All-purpose flour
- Pumpkin spice (store bought or learn how to make your own homemade pumpkin pie spice here)
- Ground cinnamon
- Semi-sweet chocolate chips (look to make sure they don’t have any milk ingredients)
The pumpkin in this recipe is a great substitute for a binding agent, so you can still make these cookies even if you’re out of your favorite vegan egg replacer, just like with vegan pumpkin snickerdoodle cookies. I used regular-sized chocolate chips for these cookies as opposed to the mini chips I use for most of my chocolate chip cookie recipes and the extra large chocolate chunks were so good. If you’re making these for people who avoid dairy, double check the packaging for your dark chocolate chips because many brands still include milk ingredients.
Method for Preparing the Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
As I often do when I share a favorite chocolate chip cookie recipe, I have a few specific suggestions for making the finished cookie look as beautiful and as mouth-watering as possible. It might not matter to you for everyday baking, but it’s nice to be able to create something that really catches people’s eye if you’re going to be sharing these or setting them out on a dessert buffet. Read on for my exact instructions for what I did at the end of this section.
To prepare the cookie dough, start out by combining softened butter with both sugars in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment. Cream everything together on high speed until the mixture looks light and fluffy. Add in the vanilla and the pumpkin and continue mixing for a few seconds until you have a smooth consistency.
In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, spices, baking powder, and baking soda, then add that to the mixer bowl as well, a little at a time, with the speed running on low. Finally mix in your chocolate chips and keep mixing until everything is evenly distributed.
Use a medium cookie scoop to scoop out your cookie dough onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat. This dough doesn’t have a tendancy to spread, so there’s no need to refrigerate before you start baking.
Here’s the part that makes a difference in the final presentation of your little pumpkin masterpieces. Place your baking sheet in the oven, then remove it when the baking time is half-done. Press each cookie dough ball down with the back of a tablepoon to flatten it out a bit. Then add two-three more chocolate chips to the top of each cookie. Rotate your baking tray, then place it back into the oven to finish baking.
When the baking time is up, allow the cookies to cool for five-ten minutes on a wire cooling rack. Store your cookies in an airtight container at room temperature after allowing them to cool completely. We actually enjoy these even more the next day and you may find that you do as well! There’s just something perfect about their chewy, cake-like texture and classic autumnal flavor.
These cookies would be perfection paired with other vegan chocolate sweets like double chocolate chip cookies for a a fun spin on an orange and black color scheme for October.
Here’s the full printable recipe!
These vegan pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are the perfect chocolate chip cookie variation for fall. No one will believe these are actually plant-based!
- 1/2 cup Plant-based butter substitute softened
- 1/4 cup Brown sugar
- 1/2 cup Granulated white sugar
- 1/2 cup Pumpkin puree
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 1 3/4 cup All-purpose flour
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 tsp Pumpkin spice
- 3/4 cup Plant-based chocolate chips (plus a few extra for the tops of the cookies)
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In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together both sugars and the butter until light and fluffy. Add in the pumpkin puree and the vanilla and continue mixing until everything is well-combined.
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In a medium bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and the spices. With the mixer running on low speed, slowly add the dry ingredients into the creamed mixture, a little at a time. Mix until everything is evenly combined.
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Add in the 3/4 cup of chocolate chips and mix until the chocolate chips are well-distributed throughout the cookie dough.
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Using a medium cookie scoop, scoop the dough out onto a baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silpat. Bake in a 350° degree oven for 15 minutes, removing the cookies halfway through the baking time to press them down with the back of a tablespoon, add 2-3 additional chocolate chips to the top of each cookie, then rotate the baking sheet before putting it back into the oven for the remainder of the baking time.
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Cool the cookies on a wire rack, then store in an airtight container at room temperature. Repeat as needed throughout the fall season. 🙂
Courtenay Hartford is the author of creeklinehouse.com, a blog based on her adventures renovating a 120-year-old farmhouse in rural Ontario, Canada. On her blog, Courtenay shares interior design tips based on her own farmhouse and her work as founder and stylist of the interior photography firm Art & Spaces. She also writes about her farmhouse garden, plant-based recipes, family travel, and homekeeping best practices. Courtenay is the author of the book The Cleaning Ninja and has been featured in numerous magazines including Country Sampler Farmhouse Style, Better Homes and Gardens, Parents Magazine, Real Simple, and Our Homes.