These soft and chewy vegan pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are packed with warm and cosy spices and pockets of melted chunks of dark chocolate. Made without eggs and dairy, these cookies are so delicious, you’ll want to bake them year round.
These dairy free chocolate chip cookies are one of my all time favourite cookie recipes. And just like with my vegan pumpkin snickerdoodles I knew the answer to making them vegan without compromising on the thick and chewy texture that egg usually provides was to add pumpkin.
Pumpkin is one of the best egg replacers making these soft and chewy cookies just as delicious as one that contains eggs and dairy. Plus it gives these cookies an incredible sweet flavour that is then paired with the cosy spices from my homemade pumpkin pie spice blend containing cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, cloves and allspice.
These cookies are everything you love about regular chocolate chip cookies but with the extra flavours of pumpkin and spice. All while being completely egg free and dairy free. Seriously you just need to bake these cookies asap and enjoy them alongside a nice cup of tea.
Key Ingredients
You don’t need any unusual ingredients to make these vegan pumpkin chocolate chip cookies, just a few pantry staples and of course, some pumpkin!
Note all ingredients and their quantities are laid out in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.
- Dairy free butter – use a quality dairy-free butter substitute here for the best flavour. I love and always use Nuttelex Buttery which is an Australian product. In the US, the closest alternative is Earth Balance which I understand to be very similar.
- Brown and white sugar – this recipe uses a combination of both sugars, the brown for moisture and a richer flavour and white sugar to help the cookies spread and give us the crispy edges.
- Pumpkin puree – the pumpkin not only adds flavour but acts as an egg replacer in this recipe. I am using my homemade pumpkin puree but you can also use canned pumpkin in this recipe.
- Vanilla extract – always, to enhance the other flavours.
- Plain flour – also known as all purpose flour in the US.
- Pumpkin pie spice – I am using my homemade pumpkin pie spice blend which is a combination of ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, allspice and cloves. You can use a store bought blend or just substitute with all cinnamon.
- Bicarbonate of soda – also known as baking soda in the US, helps the cookies to puff up and then deflate.
- Dark chocolate – you can use either dairy free chocolate chips or cut up a dark chocolate bar into chunks (70% or more chocolate is usually dairy free). I prefer to use the chopped chocolate chunks because they melt when cooked and usually have a better taste.
Equipment and Tools
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- Cookie scoop – makes measuring and scooping the cookie dough so easy.
- Baking trays – I just started using these NordicWare baking sheets and they are insanely good quality – I wish I had upgraded sooner!
- Measuring cups and spoons – accurate measurements are crucial for baking, as even small differences can affect the texture and taste.
- Cooling rack
Step-By-Step Instructions
To get the best textured, chewy cookies, you will need to start by draining and blotting your pumpkin puree. I like to add it to some paper towels and squeeze out the excess moisture. The volume of the puree may reduce slightly but that’s ok! You just want to get as much moisture out as possible.
Add the drained pumpkin puree to a large mixing bowl or the bowl of your stand mixer, with the melted dairy free butter that has been cooled, along with the brown and white sugars and vanilla extract.
I like to use my stand mixer when making chocolate chip cookies as I find it’s the easiest but you can just use a wooden spoon or spatula if that’s what you have.
Add the flour, pumpkin pie spice, bicarbonate of soda and salt and mix until a soft cookie dough forms. Mix through most of the chocolate chips or chopped up chocolate, saving a few pieces to press into the top of the cookies before baking, and mix again to combine.
Cover and chill the cookie dough in the fridge for 2 hours minimum, up to overnight.
Why chill the cookie dough?
Letting the cookie dough rest and chill is essential as it’s going to give the dough time to set. Because we used melted butter, if we baked the cookies immediately they would spread too thin and not result in thick and chewy cookies which is what we’re looking for.
When the cookie dough rests, the dairy free butter will firm back up and the flour starts to absorb all the liquid in the dough which results in the cookies baking more evenly, having a better texture and creating a more pronounced flavour.
Once the cookie dough has chilled, remove it from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature. This will also make the dough easier to scoop.
Using a cookie scoop and your hands, roll approximately 1.5 tablespoons of cookie dough into balls and place on baking trays leaving space between each cookie for them to flatten out. Press a few of the extra reserved chocolate chips or pieces into the top of the cookie balls.
Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. The cookies will still be soft but should be starting to crisp around the edges. You can bang the tray on the counter to help deflate the cookies as well if they are looking a bit puffy. Allow the cookies to cool slightly on the tray to firm up before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Finish the cookies by sprinkling the tops with a little flaky sea salt.
👉Tip! For perfect looking cookies, as soon as the cookies have been removed from the oven, use a spoon or a large round cookie cutter that fits over the cookie, to gently shape the cookie back into a circle. This only works if the cookies are still soft so needs to be done immediately before they start to cool.
Storing and Freezing Instructions
These dairy free pumpkin chocolate chip cookies will last an airtight container for around 4 days without going soft.
If you don’t feel like cooking and eating all of these cookies at once, then the easiest option is to freeze the cookie dough balls so that you can just grab one or two out at a time and enjoy freshly baked cookies whenever you want.
To do this, it’s easiest if you flash freeze the balls on a baking tray in the freezer for 30 minutes and then you can place the balls in a zip lock bag and freeze for up to three months.
To bake, grab the dough balls out of the freezer and place on a baking sheet and bake – no need to thaw first. You’ll just need to cook them for a few minutes longer from frozen.
You can also freeze cooked and cooled cookies in an airtight container or zip lock bag for up to 3 months. Let them thaw at room temperature or zap in the microwave for 15-30 seconds.
More cosy vegan pumpkin recipes:
Vegan Pumpkin Doughnuts
Vegan Pumpkin Cupcakes
Pumpkin Pie Overnight Oats
Vegan Pumpkin Bread
Vegan Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Vegan Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Ingredients
- ½ cup (125 grams) dairy free butter melted and cooled
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup white sugar
- ⅓ cup pumpkin puree
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 cups plain flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup chopped dark chocolate or dairy free chocolate chips
- Flakey sea salt optional
Instructions
- Start by getting your pumpkin puree and blotting as much moisture as possible from it using paper towels.
- In a large mixing bowl, or the bowl of your stand mixer, add the melted dairy free butter, the brown and white sugars, pumpkin puree and vanilla extract. Mix with the paddle attachment of your stand mixer or with a wooden spoon until smooth.
- Add flour, pumpkin pie spice, bicarbonate of soda and salt and mix until a soft cookie dough forms. Mix through most of the chocolate chips or chopped up chocolate, saving a few pieces to press into the top of the cookies before baking, and stir through to combine.
- Cover and chill the cookie dough in the fridge for 2 hours minimum, up to overnight.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C and remove the cookie dough from the fridge and allow it to come to room temperature. Line 2 baking trays with baking paper.
- Using your hands, roll balls of cookie dough using approximately 1.5-2 tablespoons of the mixture and place the balls on the prepared baking trays leaving space between each cookie for them to flatten out. Press a few extra chocolate chips or pieces into the top of the cookie balls.
- Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes. Allow the cookies to cool slightly on the tray to firm up before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Finish the cookies by sprinkling the tops with a little flaky sea salt if desired.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is provided as a guide only and is calculated using automated online tools, therefore we cannot guarantee the accuracy. We encourage you to make your own calculations based on the actual ingredients used in your recipe.
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