These almond butter pumpkin spice chocolate chip cookies bring together soft pumpkin cookies, warm fall spices, and chocolate chips, finished with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar. They’re vegan and gluten-free, made with brown rice flour and a flax egg, so there’s no complicated flour blend to track down.
After years of eating gluten-free, I still found specialty baking flours a little intimidating, especially when buying several bags for one recipe. But a chocolate chip cookie craving during pumpkin season finally got me baking. These cookies use creamy almond butter, pumpkin puree, and just two mixing bowls, making them manageable even on a busy afternoon.
Table of Contents
Why You’ll Love These Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Soft and warmly spiced: Pumpkin puree, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, cloves, and allspice bring plenty of fall flavor.
- No complicated flour blend: Brown rice flour is the only flour you need.
- Vegan and gluten-free: A flax egg provides binding, and dairy-free chocolate chips add chocolate to every bite.
- Simple cleanup: The dough comes together with two mixing bowls.
- A cinnamon-sugar finish: A light sprinkle before baking adds an extra touch of sweetness and spice.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Brown rice flour, pumpkin puree, and creamy almond butter form the base of these vegan, gluten-free cookies. Here’s what to know before you start. Exact quantities are in the recipe card below.
- Ground Flaxseed & Water: These make the flax egg that helps bind the dough. Let the mixture sit for at least 5 minutes, until slightly gel-like.
- Brown Rice Flour: Use brown rice flour for the original recipe, rather than white rice flour or a gluten-free flour blend. Those alternatives have not been tested here and may change the cookies’ texture.
- Pumpkin Puree: Adds moisture and pumpkin flavor. Use plain pumpkin puree, not sweetened and spiced pumpkin pie filling.
- Creamy Almond Butter: Adds richness and nutty flavor while contributing fat to the dough, so the recipe doesn’t call for separate oil. Stir thoroughly before measuring if the oil has separated. Don’t replace it directly with oil, since almond butter also contributes solids that affect the dough’s consistency.
- Coconut Sugar & Vanilla: Coconut sugar sweetens the cookies, while vanilla complements the pumpkin, spices, and chocolate. Brown sugar is a possible substitute, but it has not been tested.
- Baking Soda, Baking Powder & Salt: The leaveners help the cookies rise, while salt balances the sweetness.
- Warm Spices: Cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, and allspice provide the pumpkin spice flavor. A prepared pumpkin pie spice blend has not been tested here; stick with the listed spices for the original version.
- Dairy-Free Mini Chocolate Chips: Mini chips distribute chocolate throughout the dough. Choose chips labeled vegan and gluten-free if needed for your dietary requirements.
- Cinnamon-Sugar Topping: A sprinkle of coconut sugar and cinnamon adds sweetness and spice before baking.
For another easy pumpkin snack, try these Peanut Butter Pumpkin Granola Bars with Chocolate Chips (Vegan + Gluten-Free).
Kitchen Tools You’ll Need
Gather two mixing bowls, measuring cups and spoons, a sturdy spoon or spatula, and a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
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A tablespoon-sized cookie scoop is helpful for making similar-sized cookies, but a tablespoon works too. No electric mixer is needed.
For an option that skips flour and baking altogether, try these Gluten-Free Vegan No-Bake Cookies.
PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD: Almond Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
Flax Egg
- 1 Tbsp ground flaxseed
- 2½ Tbsp filtered water
Pumpkin Spice Cookies
- 1 cup brown rice flour
- ½ cup pumpkin pureé
- ½ cup creamy almond butter
- ½ cup coconut sugar
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ¼ tsp each of cloves, ginger, allspice**
- pinch of salt
- ½ cup dairy-free mini chocolate chips
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
- 1 Tbsp coconut sugar
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Make the flax egg: Mix the ground flaxseed and water in a small bowl. Let it sit for at least 5 minutes, until slightly gel-like.
- Prepare the oven and pan: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, stir the almond butter, pumpkin puree, and coconut sugar until smooth. Stir in the vanilla extract and prepared flax egg.
- Add the dry ingredients: Add the brown rice flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, ginger, allspice, and salt. Mix until combined, then fold in the mini chocolate chips.
- Portion the dough: Scoop tablespoon-sized portions onto the prepared baking sheet. The original recipe allows you to gently flatten the scoops or leave them rounded.
- Add the topping: Mix the coconut sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, then sprinkle over the cookies.
- Bake: Bake for 15–17 minutes.
- Cool and store: Transfer the cookies to a wire rack to cool. Once completely cool, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Notes
- Pumpkin: Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Almond butter: Stir thoroughly before measuring if the oil has separated.
- Substitutions: Peanut butter, other nut butters, brown sugar, and a prepared pumpkin pie spice blend have not been tested in this recipe.
- Storage: Cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
How To Make Almond Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
These cookies come together in two mixing bowls, with no mixer needed. Start by making the flax egg in a small bowl, so it has time to thicken while you prepare the dough.
In a larger bowl, stir the almond butter, pumpkin puree, and coconut sugar until smooth, then mix in the vanilla and flax egg. Stir the separated almond butter thoroughly before measuring so you get an even mixture of oil and nut butter.
Add the flour, leaveners, spices, and salt, then fold in the mini chocolate chips. Scoop tablespoon-sized portions onto a lined baking sheet. You can gently flatten the scoops or leave them rounded, as described in the original recipe.
Finish with the cinnamon-sugar topping and bake at 350°F for 15–17 minutes. Let the cookies cool before handling and storing them.
Find the exact measurements and complete step-by-step instructions in the recipe card above.
If you have extra almond butter, these Almond Butter Date Balls (Healthy No-Bake Energy Bites) are another simple option. Craving another chocolate treat? Try our Best Flourless Dark Chocolate No-Bake Cookies.
Tips For Baking These Pumpkin Cookies
- Measure carefully: Stick with the listed amounts of pumpkin puree and brown rice flour. Adding extra flour to change the dough’s consistency may produce drier cookies.
- Stir the almond butter: Mix any separated oil back in thoroughly before measuring.
- Let the flax egg thicken: Give it at least 5 minutes before adding it to the dough.
- Keep portions consistent: Use tablespoon-sized scoops and shape them similarly so they bake at a comparable rate. The original recipe allows rounded or gently flattened scoops.
- Watch the baking time: Follow the 15–17-minute range at 350°F, beginning your check at 15 minutes.
- Handle gently: Allow the cookies to cool enough to transfer without breaking, then finish cooling on a wire rack.
Baking Questions Answered
Still have a question about these cookies? These answers cover a few details that aren’t addressed elsewhere in the recipe. If you don’t see your question here, drop it in the comments, and we’ll be happy to help.
Can I Substitute Peanut Butter For Almond Butter?
Peanut butter has not been tested in this recipe. It may work, but differences in consistency could affect the dough, spreading, and finished texture. For the most reliable results, use creamy almond butter.
Can I Use Fresh Pumpkin Instead Of Canned Pumpkin Puree?
You can, but the consistency matters. Homemade pumpkin puree can contain more water than canned puree, which may make the cookie dough wetter. If using fresh pumpkin, drain excess liquid and aim for a thick, smooth consistency similar to canned pumpkin puree.
Do I Need To Chill The Cookie Dough?
This recipe is designed to go directly from mixing to scooping and baking. No chilling time is required, making it a good option when you want cookies without waiting for dough to rest in the refrigerator.
Can I Make These Cookies Without Chocolate Chips?
You can leave out the chocolate chips if you prefer a plain pumpkin spice cookie. The cookies will be less sweet and have a milder chocolate flavor, but the pumpkin, almond butter, and warm spices will still stand out.
Can I Double The Recipe?
Double each ingredient using the same proportions. Mix the dough as instructed, and bake the cookies in batches. Avoid overcrowding the baking sheet to leave enough space between cookies.
Why Do I Need Both Baking Soda And Baking Powder?
The two leavening agents work differently during baking. Baking soda needs an acidic ingredient to work, while baking powder contains both the acid and base needed for leavening. Using both helps achieve the desired structure and texture.
More Pumpkin Treats To Try
If you enjoyed these cookies, here are three more ways to pair pumpkin spice with a sweet treat:
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars: Enjoy pumpkin and chocolate in an easy slice-and-serve bake.
- Peanut Butter Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Granola Bars: Try another combination of pumpkin, nut butter, and chocolate, this time with oats.
- Vegan Pumpkin Spice Popcorn: Switch things up with a crunchy pumpkin-spiced snack.
Pick a batch to bake for the week or a bowl of popcorn to share on movie night.
How Did Your Cookies Turn Out?
We’d love to hear how your batch turned out! Leave a comment with your results or questions. If you tried a substitution, tell us what you changed and how it worked for you.
