Healthy Recipes 101

The Heart of The Home Beats in The Kitchen

  • Recipe Index
  • Courses
    • Main Dishes
    • Side Dishes
    • Desserts
    • Appetizers & Snacks
    • Beverages
  • Method
    • Air Frying
    • Boiling
    • Broiling
    • Frying
    • Grilling
    • Oven Baked
    • One-Pan
  • About

Hot Tags

  • Juices
  • Chicken
  • Salmon Recipes
  • Air Fryer
  • Instant Pot
  • Salads
Fact-checked
Cookies

Healthy Pumpkin Cookies Recipe

5 from 2 votes
  • Appetizers & Snacks
  • Cookies
  • Desserts
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 12 mins
Servings 18 Cookies
Calories 129 kcal
Pumpkin Cookies Recipe
Jump to Recipe
facebook pinterest twitter Print Recipe

It wasn’t until the summer breeze had gone and the first leaf had turned that I realized it was time for a healthy pumpkin cookies recipe.

Imagine sitting in the backyard with your friends, holding a cup of hot chocolate in the fall twilight. What better than a scrumptious plate full of soft, warm pumpkin cookies to go with it? 

Eating cookies when they’re still warm makes them extra delightful: break-apart softness with an exquisite pumpkin flavor, and the perfect amount of sweetness. Finished with a touch of salt and melted chocolate, these cookies are a must for fall— give them a try before the season passes by and make a batch for National Homemade Cookies Day (October 1)!

An Easy Recipe for Healthy Pumpkin Cookies

Healthy Pumpkin Cookies Recipe

The traditional pumpkin cookie is often deemed unhealthy, high in calories and fat. Not to worry! We have a healthier and even simpler version for you.

Let us show you how simple this recipe is. All you need is a bowl and four essential ingredients: pumpkin puree, quick oats, peanut butter, and maple syrup. If you don’t have every single ingredient, this recipe is very forgiving. For example, you can switch out dark chocolate with other ingredients like walnuts or almonds to make it work for you.

You may wonder why we use maple syrup instead of the usual white granulated sugar. Maple syrup is less processed, has a richer flavor and more pleasant sweetness. It is also healthier for you; even though it’s three times as sweet, it comes with fewer calories.

An Easy Recipe

How To Make Pumpkin Cookies

Our pumpkin cookies are soft and have a cake-like texture. Take a bite and you will feel like it’s melting in your mouth with all that delicious, comforting flavor from pumpkin and spice. 

Step 1: Preheat the oven

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

Step 2: Combine wet ingredients

Combine peanut butter and pumpkin puree in a large bowl. Pour in syrup and add a little salt to balance the sweetness. Beat until the mixture is creamy.

Step 3: Combine dry ingredients

Add in almond flour, cornstarch, pumpkin pie spice, and baking powder. Mix until just combined. 

Step 4: Prepare baking sheet

Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone mat, parchment paper or spray it with cooking spray. 

Step 5: Form the cookies

Scoop out a tablespoon of cookie mix, then, using your hands, form it into a cookie shape. Place on the baking sheet. 

Step 6: Bake

Put them in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes until slightly brown. 

Step 7: Cool the cookies

Remove from the baking sheet to a cooling rack. When completely cool, use melted chocolate, drizzle over to decorate your cookies. 

Step 8: Serve

Serve or store cookies in an airtight conditioner.

How To Make Healthy Pumpkin Cookies

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Cookies

For chocolate chip pumpkin cookies, you simply fold chocolate chips into the batter before scooping it out onto the baking sheet. 

You can use any kind of chocolate and in whatever proportion you like (remembering that the more you add, the more sugar and calories you add). The combination of milk and bittersweet is surprisingly delicious.

Baking time is a matter of personal preference; some like firmer cookies, some like softer. However, you shouldn’t overbake these cookies. 

If the edges begin to brown too much, your chocolate chip pumpkin cookies will be dry and tough. One tip that helps is to start checking your cookies in the oven at the minimum suggested bake time, then add another minute or two if needed.

You can make some changes to our recipe, and the cookies will still turn out stunning. We can proudly say that these cookies will become your ultimate fall recipe!

Pumpkin Spice Cookie

Loaded with authentic pumpkin flavor, these cookies are chewy, soft, and tasty with a hint from a cinnamon coating. Pumpkin spice cookies are a great treat for autumn!

Pumpkin spice cookie recipes are quite similar to the original pumpkin cookie recipe, but with the addition of a cinnamon sugar coating. Some recipes even call for a frosting which adds an extra layer of deliciousness.

The frosting is a combination of butter, sugar, and pumpkin spice. You can switch butter with heavy cream, which gives the frosting a richer texture.

Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

If you are looking for other pumpkin cookie recipes, pumpkin oatmeal cookies deserve a place on your favorite cookies list. They are dense, soft, and offer a classic element of fall – pumpkin pie spice.

For this recipe, we simply add oats to the classic pumpkin cookies recipe. We use old-fashioned oats, and you can substitute them with flake oats, or quick oats.

Thanks to pumpkin puree and oatmeal, these cookies turn out super chewy with a mild pumpkin taste. Not too sweet and not too creamy – these pumpkin oatmeal cookies hit the mark for almost everyone they are flavor-balanced and healthy.

Check out this 30+ healthy dessert compilation for more tasty cookies.

Are Pumpkin Cookies Vegan?

Most pumpkin cookies recipes require butter, milk, and eggs, so they are not vegan. However, we can easily switch the ingredients to make a vegan version. Simply omit eggs, replace milk with vegan milk, and try vegan butter instead.

So, what is vegan butter? Regular butter contains dairy-based ingredients, but vegan butter is made from plant-based elements like almond flour, coconut oil, and non-dairy milk. More amazingly, it melts the same and bakes the same as dairy butter.

Without eggs and milk, your vegan cookies will be chewy and tasty as any regular cookies. The reason behind that is pumpkin puree. Pumpkin puree can act as an egg replacer in many baked recipes.

Speaking of texture, vegan pumpkin cookies are crunchy on the outside and super soft on the inside. These beautiful treats are flavored with vanilla, pumpkin spice and chocolate chips, or even nuts of choice. Vegan pumpkin cookies are as healthy and delicious as they sound!

Can These Cookies Be Chewy?

Can Pumpkin Cookies Be Chewy

From our experience, most store-bought pumpkin cookies either have a tough texture or taste like soft pumpkin cake. How to make pumpkin cookies with crisp-edges and chewy-centers has haunted me for years.

By making small changes to the ingredients and playing around a bit, we discovered that pumpkin can replace eggs! Using pumpkin puree instead of eggs gave the cookies a soft and chewy texture while adding more pumpkin flavor. And as a bonus, it helps transform the original recipe into a vegan one.

If you are looking for another healthy cookie recipe, our peanut butter cookies and homemade sugar cookies recipes are great options.

But Wait, There’re More!

  • Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe
  • Oatmeal Bar Recipe
  • Honey Butter Biscuits Recipe
Pumpkin Cookies Recipe

Healthy Pumpkin Cookies Recipe

5 from 2 votes
PRINT RATE Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Pinterest
When you try this fall-inspired recipe, ready to be blown away by a variety of flavors: bitter-sweet chocolate, spicy cinnamon, and fresh pumpkin. This Healthy Pumpkin Cookies Recipe is crazy-delicious and you won’t be able to resist it!
Prep Time 10 mins
Cook Time 12 mins
Inactive time 10 mins
Total Time 32 mins
Course Cookie, Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 18 Cookies
Calories 129kcal

Ingredients
 

  • 1.8 oz peanut butter
  • 6 oz pumpkin puree
  • 3.5 oz maple syrup
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 1 tbsp pumpkin pie spice
  • 8 oz almond flour
  • 2 oz cornstarch
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 oz dark chocolate
  • 0.5 oz white chocolate

Instructions
 

  • Combine peanut butter and pumpkin puree in a large bowl. Pour in syrup and add a little salt to balance the sweetness. Beat until the mixture is creamy
  • Add in almond flour, cornstarch, pumpkin pie spice, and baking powder. Mix until just combined.
  • Line a rimmed baking sheet with a silicone mat, parchment paper or spray it with cooking spray.
  • Scoop out a tablespoon of cookie mix, then, using your hands, form it into a cookie shape. Place on the baking sheet.
  • If the stickiness of the batter bugs you, pop the mixture in the fridge for 10 minutes before shaping the cookies. This helps your cookies firmer.
  • Put them in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes until slightly brown.
  • Remove from the baking sheet to a cooling rack. When completely cool, use melted chocolate, drizzle over to decorate your cookies.
  • Serve or store cookies in an airtight conditioner.

Nutrition

Nutrition Facts
Healthy Pumpkin Cookies Recipe
Amount Per Serving (1 serving)
Calories 129 Calories from Fat 39
% Daily Value*
Fat 4.3g7%
Saturated Fat 0.6g4%
Cholesterol 1mg0%
Sodium 87mg4%
Potassium 42mg1%
Carbohydrates 12g4%
Fiber 2g8%
Sugar 5g6%
Protein 4g8%
Vitamin A 1471IU29%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 39mg4%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
how to make Pumpkin Cookies Recipe

homemade peanut butter cookies recipe
Previous Recipe
Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe
oatmeal raisin cookies recipe
Next Recipe
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe
Luna Regina

Luna Regina

facebook instagram pinterest youtube twitter linkedin
Luna is the founder and chief recipe developer of Healthy Recipes 101. Apart from cooking, she also loves reading, programming, exploring the outdoors, and collecting useless facts about everything.

Comments/ Reviews

Cancel reply
Pumpkin Cookies Recipe
Healthy Pumpkin Cookies Recipe
Recipe Rating




Comments

  1. Rosie

    September 9, 2019 at 2:52 am

    Amazing

    Reply
    • Towsif

      April 20, 2020 at 2:58 pm

      Amazing

      Reply
    • Luna Regina

      April 25, 2020 at 6:09 am

      Thank you, Rosie :))

      Reply
  2. Violette

    September 15, 2020 at 5:07 am

    These cookies look awesome! Thanks sharing the recipe.

    Reply
    • Kathy

      May 3, 2021 at 5:47 pm

      Thank you Kathy from Mh Bahamas these cookies are amazing I added walnuts to it and really liked him not to sweet just perfect

      Reply
Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD
Recipe developed by Luna Regina on November 23, 2021 Nutritionally reviewed by Lizzie Streit, MS, RDN, LD

Latest Recipes

oatmeal raisin cookies recipe

Appetizers & Snacks
Oatmeal Raisin Cookies Recipe

homemade peanut butter cookies recipe

Cookies
Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe

Sugar Cookies Recipe

Cookies
Homemade Sugar Cookies Recipe

Carrot Cake Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

Cookies
Carrot Cake Cookies Recipe

Zucchini Brownies Recipe

Desserts
Zucchini Brownies Recipe

Top Pinterest

Mango Yogurt Smoothie Recipe

Smoothies
Mango Yogurt Smoothie Recipe

Strawberry Blueberry Smoothie

Smoothies
Strawberry Blueberry Smoothie Recipe

Pineapple Coconut Smoothie Recipe

Smoothies
Pineapple Coconut Smoothie Recipe

Apple Smoothie Recipe

Smoothies
Apple Smoothie Recipe

Pineapple Smoothie With Milk Recipe

Smoothies
Pineapple Smoothie With Milk Recipe

Orange Juice Apple Cider Vinegar And Honey Recipe

Cocktails
Orange Juice Apple Cider Vinegar and Honey Recipe

AS SEEN ON
eatthis
parade
bustle
insider
buzzfeed
forbes
cnn
msn
Healthy Recipes 101
We do not offer medical, dietetic, or nutritional advice. Please seek consultation from a qualified health care professional prior to any decision to alter your current diet. Learn more See additional information.
  • Recipe Index
  • Course
  • Method
  • About
  • Cooking Challenge
  • Nutrition Guidelines
  • Recipe Development
  • Cooking Tips
  • Terms of Use
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact

Follow Us

facebook instagram pinterest youtube twitter linkedin

Get our latest healthy recipes

Stay up-to-date with our latest RDN-approved recipes, kitchen tips, and healthy eating challenges.

Opt-out at any time by clicking the 'unsubscribe' link at the bottom of our email.

Visit our other Healthy101 sites:

Healthykitchen101
© 2021 Healthy Kitchen 101, LLC - All Rights Reserved
Return to Top