Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies (Gluten Free)

Cozy up with these gluten-free pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip cookies, a nutritious and flavorful twist on a classic dessert.

Fall is arguably one of the best seasons, especially if you live in the hot desert of Arizona like me, where the sun has been blasting us for 3 months straight. I will happily welcome the cooler weather and this cozy little sweet treat. These Oatmeal Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies are the perfect gluten-free addition to your fall baking lineup with warm spices and the perfect hint of sweetness. Enjoy this wholesome recipe which includes added health benefits from the oats and pumpkin puree.

Why you’ll love these cookies:

• Soft-baked
• Chewy
• Simple to make
• Perfect hint of pumpkin spice
• Beneficial nutrients like Vitamin A, Vitamin C, potassium, and fiber

Ingredients For Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

• Coconut oil - For this go around I used coconut oil, but you can easily use unsalted melted butter instead if you prefer. You’ll need to use more butter compared to coconut oil though. Use ½ cup butter if using as a substitute. You can always use dairy-free and/or vegan butter in this recipe too. Some good options are Miyokos Creamery or Earth Balance.
• Brown sugar - You can use either light or dark brown sugar for this recipe. They can often be used interchangeably in recipes, as there isn’t a huge difference in taste or texture when one is used over the other.
• Cane sugar - You can use coconut sugar if preferred. Coconut sugar and regular cane sugar can be substituted in a 1:1 ratio. 
• Egg - To help give these cookies a more chewy texture, I used 1 egg white instead of an entire egg.
• Pumpkin puree (NOT pumpkin pie filling) - Another hack to give these cookies a chewy texture is to blot the pumpkin puree. Pumpkin puree is very moist and when that moisture is kept, it creates a more cakey cookie instead of a chewy texture. To remove the moisture, I put the pumpkin puree in a small bowl and pushed it to one side, letting it sit for a few minutes as gravity did its work and some of the water leaked out to the bottom of the bowl. I then blotted it out with a paper towel.

• Pure vanilla extract - 
• Gluten-free flour - I love using either Krusteaz Gluten Free All Purpose Flour or Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Baking Flour. Either can be used in a 1:1 ratio when substituting for regular flour.
• Quick cooking oats - Again, to keep a chewier texture, opt for quick oats instead of old-fashioned oats. Oats are naturally gluten-free but look for certified gluten-free quick oats to verify no cross-contamination of gluten, if needed.
• Baking powder
• Baking soda 
• Pumpkin pie spice - If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice on hand, you can also combine a few other spices to create it. Here’s a simple recipe for a homemade pumpkin pie spice. 
• Ground cinnamon 
• Fine salt 
• Dark chocolate chips - Dark chocolate chips or semi-sweet chocolate chips add the best sweet flavor to this recipe in my opinion. But feel free to use milk chocolate as well. To keep this recipe vegan, opt for ones like these from Enjoy Life. 

How to make these Pumpkin Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies

Here are quick and easy steps to make this delicious pumpkin oatmeal cookie recipe:

1. Combine the wet ingredients: Mix together coconut oil, brown sugar, cane sugar, egg white, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract. 
2. Add in the dry ingredients: In another bowl, combine together the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Once combined, add the dry ingredients to your wet ingredient mix. Fold in the chocolate chips by using a spatula.
3. Bake the cookies: Using a cookie scoop or heaping tablespoon, scoop the cookie mixture onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. When scooping cookies onto the baking sheet, flatten them slightly down. The cookies won’t spread too much while baking, but they will spread slightly if you flatten them down a bit. Bake at 350℉ for 13-14 minutes, or until cookies are lightly browned on the outside. Remove from oven and allow the cookies to cool for about 5 minutes on the baking sheet before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

How to store

• If storing on the counter, keep in a sealed airtight container with a lid. Cookies will last 3-4 days at room temperature.
• If storing in the fridge, let cool completely then keep in a sealed airtight container with a lid. Cookies will last 1-2 weeks in the fridge.
• If freezing, let cool completely, then keep in an airtight container with a lid or bag. Allow to thaw at room temperature before warming back up in the microwave for a few seconds.

Recipe FAQs

• Can you make it dairy-free? Yes! To make this recipe dairy-free, use dairy-free/vegan chocolate chip cookies like the ones from Enjoy Life.
• Can you use regular flour instead of gluten-free? You can absolutely use regular flour instead of gluten-free flour. You can use a 1:1 ratio when subbing out gluten-free flour for regular flour.