Healthy Pumpkin Cookies are flourless, free of refined sugar, and made without oils or butter. Mix everything in one bowl and they’re ready in under 30 minutes.
author’s note
One Bite = Hooked on These Pumpkin Cookies!
I created these Healthy Pumpkin Cookies one afternoon when I had an open can of pumpkin puree sitting in the fridge and didn’t want it to go to waste. I didn’t feel like making another loaf of bread or muffins, and I was craving something quick, easy, and sweet. That’s when these cookies came together!
I tested them a few different ways. Sometimes with chocolate chips, sometimes with walnuts, and sometimes plain. Every version disappeared fast in my house. My kids even started asking for them in their lunches, which is always the biggest win for me. I love that these cookies feel indulgent but are made with wholesome ingredients I can feel good about.
Ingredients
| Ingredient | Swaps or Tips |
|---|---|
| Pumpkin Puree | Use canned pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. If homemade puree is watery, blot with paper towels. |
| Almond Butter | Swap with cashew butter for a mild flavor or peanut butter for a stronger taste. |
| Maple Syrup | Honey works too, though flavor will change slightly. |
| Oats | Rolled oats work best. Use certified GF if needed. |
| Spices | Adjust cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice to your liking. |
| Dark Chocolate Chips | Try chopped pecans, dried cranberries, or white chocolate chips for a twist. |
Featured Comment
“I know there’s already 938275985 comments on this post but I just made these cookies and the are FANTASTIC!!!! Definitely a new favorite!”
– Becca
How To Make Healthy Pumpkin Cookies
- Prep: Preheat oven to 350°F and line baking sheets with parchment paper.
- Mix wet ingredients: Stir pumpkin, egg yolk, almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla, baking soda, salt, and spices in one bowl.
- Add dry: Blend oats into flour, then stir into the bowl.
- Fold in extras: Mix in chocolate chips or nuts. Chill dough briefly (about 10 minutes).
- Shape & bake: Scoop dough, flatten slightly, and bake 6–7 minutes until tops are just set. Cool on the sheet before enjoying.
More Pumpkin Desserts:
Healthy Pumpkin Cookies
With no refined sugars or flour, these Healthy Pumpkin Cookies are both simple and delicious!
Equipment
- 2 Sheet pan (15" x 10") with liners
- Blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons pumpkin
- 1 large egg yolk discard the egg whites or use in a different recipe
- 1/2 cup almond butter
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1-1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice
- 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup oat flour old-fashioned or quick oats; oats that have been blended, see note 1
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips coarsely chopped
- Flaky sea salt optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 2 large sheet pans with parchment paper or a nonstick liner and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add the pumpkin, egg yolk, almond butter, maple syrup, vanilla extract, baking soda, salt, pumpkin pie spice, and ground cinnamon. Mix until smooth.
- Grind up oats in a blender or food processor until the oats are the texture of regular flour. Make sure to measure the 1/2 cup after grinding the oats so you have a leveled 1/2-cup measure of blended oats. Add to the cookie dough. Mix dough with a wooden spoon or hand mixer until the dough is smooth and well combined.
- Coarsely chop the chocolate chips and stir into the batter. Cover dough and refrigerate for 10 minutes.
- Use a tablespoon to scoop out cookie dough balls. It is sticky, so use a finger or another spoon to coax the dough from the spoon onto the prepared trays. Smooth and flatten the tops of the cookie dough balls. Space them about 2 inches apart to fit 8 per tray. Bake, 1 tray at a time, for 6–7 minutes. Cookies should still look very soft; watch carefully to not overbake. As soon as the tops are no longer wet and glossy, they are done.
- Remove the trays from the oven and let the cookies stand on the cookie sheet for 10 minutes without touching. If desired, press a few more chocolate chips into the tops of the cookies and sprinkle a pinch of sea salt flakes. Then use a metal spatula to transfer the cookies to a cooling rack. These cookies are very fragile and will fall apart right out of the oven if handled while still hot. They set up and solidify as they cool.
Final step! Please let us know how it was by leaving a review.
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Be sure to measure the oats after they’ve been blended—not before. You should have a leveled 1/2 cup of blended oats.
Note 2: This recipe has been modified slightly to completely remove the refined sugars and improve the texture a bit. Here’s the recipe from 2014 if desired.
Safety: Ensure all the products you are using are indeed gluten-free. While all the ingredients listed are naturally gluten-free, they are sometimes made in facilities with gluten. To be safe, always check the labels of what you’re using.
Storage: Keep in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or keep in a sealed container for up to a week. You can also wrap cookies individually and freeze for up to 3 months, thaw at room temperature.
Nutrition
Serving: 15cookies | Calories: 137kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 8g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 12mg | Sodium: 86mg | Potassium: 150mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 6g | Vitamin A: 328IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 62mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Healthy Pumpkin Cookies Tips
- Press extra chocolate chips on top after baking for picture-worthy cookies.
- Don’t over-bake: They’re best when just set in the center.
- Cool completely: These cookies firm up as they cool.
- Customize add-ins: Pecans, walnuts, or dried fruit all taste amazing.
Storage
- Room Temperature: Store healthy pumpkin cookies in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerate: Keep in a sealed container for up to a week for freshness.
- Freeze: Wrap cookies individually and freeze for up to 3 months; thaw at room temperature.
Great option for a cookie but I needed more spice!!! And then we FROZE them and OMG, they are so good frozen!!!!
Yes definitely feel free to adjust the spice to personal preference since everyone’s is so different! And I LOVE the idea of freezing these – I’ll definitely need to try that!! Thanks Jackie 🙂
These are great! I blended the oatmeal in a mason jar instead of the blender container (in case you don’t know that trick, most standard mason jars screw right into the blender base). The smaller container made it easier to blend, and easy to measure because the jars have markings. The jar filled loosely about 3/4 of the way made 1 c. of oat flour. And so much easier to clean! Thanks for the great recipe – my kids will be thrilled to have a treat waiting when they get home from school – I won’t tell them they’re healthy! (I know there is still sugar, but no butter/oil is a win in my book).
Okay I’ve never heard of that trick!! I must try that ASAP – thanks Michelle :)! Thanks for the comment!
These look wonderful. I love the idea of healthy, flourless cookies!
Thank you Teresa!!
These look delish! And FYI, to make oat flour AND clean your blender in 30 sec, put hot water and dish soap in the blender, and blend it for a few seconds. Rinse, dry, and voila, clean blender! 🙂
Brilliant!! I love it 🙂
I found your recipe this morning and made the cookies this afternoon… they were absolutely delicious! I’m an October birthday so pumpkin is my favorite and I have made my fair share of pumpkin cookies in my lifetime. These were honestly the best pumpkin cookies I have EVER made. No joke. I’ve even tried those “Iced Pumpkin Cookies” that have rave reviews on allrecipes.com a few times, and didn’t care for them at all. Too cakey and dry. Yours were a million times better!
I quadrupled the recipe and measured loosely – which tells me this is a forgiving recipe b/c it turned out wonderful still. Didn’t quite grind enough oats so I used whole wheat flour for 1/4 of the flour called for. My children are the pickiest eaters alive and I fully expected them to turn their noses up after one bite – but they both loved them and also said they were the best I’ve ever made. So, TWO THUMBS UP – WAY UP! And THANK YOU SO MUCH!
This comment made my morning!!! Thanks so much Sabrina! I’m so glad to hear you all loved them 🙂 and happy birthday soon!!
I made these tonight and they are amazing. I added some flax and vanilla, and sea salted the top. Super great! Thank you for sharing this!
Thanks so much for taking the time to leave a comment!! And sea salt? Definitely trying that next time – yum!! 🙂
I made these this morning. Added a dash of salt and a 1/2 tsp of vanilla extract to your recipe. So so good! Love that they are healthier too!
Great additions! Thanks so much for the comment Kara! 🙂
These look delicious…but it is misleading for the Tastespotting caption to say there is only 2 T of brown sugar when it also includes 2T of honey…….but I will still make them cause I love sugar…lol
And chocolate chips which also have sugar. I noticed a lot of little shops often boast “sugar-free,” but still use honey, agave, and chocolate chips. It’s misleading to people. They still look delish though and would love to try these.
I’m so sorry!! Wasn’t trying at all to be misleading- I meant refined sugar. But then you are right – the chocolate chips have sugar too! I updated the description to be more accurate!
Lilly’s chocolate chips are sweetened with stevia- ZERO sugar. 😉
W
I cannot wait to make these!
A way to clean your blender is to make a smoothie–oats are a great addition. Yes, I realize you would still have to clean out the blender after that too but may be easier 😉