• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Home
  • Bread
  • Cookies
  • Cupcakes
  • Cake
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers & Sides
    • Breakfast
    • Brownies & Bars
    • Dinner
    • Drinks
    • Dessert

Science & Crumbs logo

menu icon
go to homepage
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Bread
  • Brownies & Bars
  • Cake
  • Cookies
  • All Recipes
  • Work with Me
×

Home » Cookies

October 6, 2021

Gluten Free Pumpkin Cookies

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

There is nothing better than soft and chewy gluten free pumpkin cookies. These cookies are filled with spices and scream “Fall!”. 

gluten free pumpkin cookies stacked on top of each other

So here is the truth, I’m a fan of anything with pumpkin. If it were up to me, I would make this whole blog pumpkin-related. Nevertheless, I’m delighted with how these cookies turned out. They are soft, chewy, and cake-like. If you have never had pumpkin cookies before, then you need to give this recipe a try! 

The secret to the best gluten free pumpkin cookies! 

The trick to creating good gluten-free baked goods is the ingredients. Using the right ingredients and correct measurements always yields good results. When developing this recipe, I was aiming for the following: 

  • Chewy & Soft Texture: I was looking for a chewy and soft texture, and to achieve it, the best combination of flour was white rice flour, tapioca, and brown rice flour. Meanwhile, the addition of one whole egg provides the cookies with moisture which helps them be soft. 
  • Cake-Like Texture: The best thing about these gluten free pumpkin cookies is their cake-like texture. To achieve a cake-like texture, the use of baking powder is essential. Meanwhile, these cookies have a higher liquid ratio than other cookies due to pumpkin puree. The extra liquid makes these cookies similar to muffins. 
  • Seasonal Flavors: It is hard for me to find pumpkin spice where I live. Therefore, to give these cookies the seasonal flavors, I used a mix of ground cinnamon, ginger, all-spice, and nutmeg. 

How to make soft pumpkin cookies?

The process of making these gluten free pumpkin cookies is as significant as the ingredients. Here is what you will need to do: 

  • Mix the dry ingredients: to begin, in a bowl, add the different gluten-free flours, baking powder, baking soda, and seasonal spices. Then, combine the ingredients using a whisk. 
mixing the dry ingredients
  • Beat the Butter & Sugar: when beating the butter and sugar, you will need to beat them at high speed until they are light and fluffy. This usually takes one to three minutes. Meanwhile, beating the butter and sugar helps incorporate air into the batter and makes the cookies rise in the oven. Furthermore, make sure that the butter is at room temperature (21°C, 70°F). 
the sugar and butter fluffy and light
  • Mix in the eggs: Afterwards, you will need to add the eggs, vanilla extract, and pumpkin puree. Combine the ingredients at medium-high speed until creamy. This takes about one to two minutes. 
the egg mixture in a grey bowl
  • Making the cookie dough: Next, you will need to add the flour mixture at intervals. This helps in creating a smooth batter and provides enough time for the flour to absorb the liquids. Once the batter is ready, roll the dough into a ball and set each cookie dough at least 3 cm ( 1-inch) apart. Then, bake the cookies at 180°C (350°F) for 10-13 minutes or until the edges are golden. 
the gluten-free pumpkin cookie dough in a grey bowl
gluten free pumpkin cookie dough on a baking tray aligned with parchment paper

Frequently Asked Questions about Pumpkin Cookies

How to decorate pumpkin cookies?

Gluten free pumpkin cookies can be decorated with lemon glaze, or if you are feeling lazy just dust them with powdered sugar.

Is canned pumpkin the same as pumpkin puree?

Yes. The terms are used interchangeably.

More Pumpkin Recipes? 

  • Gluten-free Pumpkin Muffins
  • Tunisian Couscous

Print
5 from 18 votes

Gluten free Pumpkin Cookies

There is nothing better than soft and chewy gluten-free pumpkin cookies. These cookies are filled with spices and scream “Fall!”. 
Prep Time15 mins
Active Time13 mins
Total Time28 mins
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American
Keyword: gluten free pumpkin cookies, pumpkin cookies
Yield: 24 Cookies
Calories: 130kcal

Ingredients

Metric - US Customary
  • 140 grams of White Rice Flour
  • 84 grams of Tapioca Flour
  • 56 grams of Brown Rice Flour
  • ½ teaspoon of Xanthan Gum
  • 1 ½ teaspoon of Baking Powder
  • 1 teaspoon of Baking Soda
  • 2 teaspoon of Ground Cinnamon
  • ½ teaspoon of Ground Ginger
  • ½ teaspoon of All-Spice
  • ¼ teaspoon of Nutmeg
  • ½ teaspoon of Salt
  • 130 grams of Unsalted Butter at room temperature
  • 150 grams of Brown Sugar
  • 110 grams of Granulated White Sugar
  • 1 Large Egg
  • 1 ½ teaspoon of Vanilla Extract
  • 255 grams of Pumpkin Puree

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F)
  • In a bowl, add the white rice flour, tapioca flour, brown rice flour, xanthan gum, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, all-spice, nutmeg, and salt. Using a whisk, combine the ingredients.
  • In a separate bowl, add the unsalted butter, brown sugar, and granulated white sugar. Using a stand-alone mixer or a hand-held mixer, beat the ingredients at medium-high speed until light and fluffy (1-2 minutes). Then, add the eggs, vanilla extract, pumpkin puree, and beat until creamy (1-2 minutes).
  • Then, reduce the speed of the stand-alone mixer to low and slowly add the flour mixture to the egg mixture. Beat until just combined.
  • Align a baking tray with parchment paper, and roll the cookie dough into balls, about one tablespoon and a half each. Set each cookie dough about 3 cm apart (1 inch).
  • Bake the gluten free pumpkin cookies for 10-13 minutes or until the edges are golden.

Notes

  • Make-Ahead: You can make the cookie dough ahead of time and store it in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to two days.
  • Storage: The gluten free pumpkin cookies can be stored in an air-tight container at room temperature for three days. They can also be stored in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to a week.
  • Dairy-free Option: To make these cookies dairy-free, use vegan butter instead of unsalted butter.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Cookie | Calories: 130kcal | Carbohydrates: 21g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 18mg | Sodium: 168mg | Potassium: 47mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 11g | Vitamin A: 1799IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 1mg
« Gluten-Free Cinnamon Coffee Cake
Gluten-free Buttermilk Biscuits »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Geetanjali Tung says

    October 10, 2021 at 10:14 pm

    5 stars
    This was so delicious! Thank you!

    Reply
  2. Toni says

    October 09, 2021 at 5:26 pm

    5 stars
    This should be on everyone's baking list this fall! It is so good!

    Reply
  3. Kayla DiMaggio says

    October 08, 2021 at 6:36 pm

    5 stars
    These gluten-free pumpkin cookies are amazing! They were so easy and fun to make!

    Reply
  4. Audrey says

    October 08, 2021 at 5:50 pm

    5 stars
    I made these for my mom who is gf and she loved these!

    Reply
  5. Jean says

    October 08, 2021 at 12:17 pm

    5 stars
    this GF pumpkin cookies came out great! love the soft and chewy bite

    Reply
  6. Lilly says

    October 08, 2021 at 1:29 am

    5 stars
    These cakey cookies are so good and I love all the warm fall flavors! Thanks for the recipe!

    Reply
  7. Linda says

    October 07, 2021 at 1:02 am

    5 stars
    These look amazing! I've been collecting all the GF pumpkin recipes for our fall entertaining and can't wait to serve these with some cinnamon ice cream!

    Reply
  8. Liz says

    October 07, 2021 at 12:53 am

    5 stars
    I love how you detail how to make them soft! This is the most important thing to me when eating cookies!

    Reply
  9. Makhaya says

    October 06, 2021 at 11:52 pm

    5 stars
    These pumpkin cookies were absolutely delicious! Thank you for sharing the recipe!

    Reply
  10. Linda says

    October 06, 2021 at 11:37 pm

    5 stars
    Love these pumpkin cookies and the addition of rice flour makes these cookies extra special

    Reply
  11. Colleen says

    October 06, 2021 at 10:15 pm

    5 stars
    These pumpkin cookies are perfect for fall, and I love that they are gluten free.

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Most Popular Recipe!

Gluten-Free Pizza Rolls

About

Hi, I'm Aya, an engineer by degree and a self-taught baker who happens to be gluten-intolerant. Here you will find creative gluten-free recipes made easy!

More about me →

Seasonal Recipes

  • Homemade Gluten-Free Garlic Bread
  • Gluten-Free Japanese Milk Bread
  • Easy Gluten Free Lemon Drizzle Cake
  • Gluten-Free Strawberry Cheesecake

Most Popular Recipe!

Gluten-Free Pizza Rolls

About

Hi, I'm Aya, an engineer by degree and a self-taught baker who happens to be gluten-intolerant. Here you will find creative gluten-free recipes made easy!

More about me →

Seasonal Recipes

  • Homemade Gluten-Free Garlic Bread
  • Gluten-Free Japanese Milk Bread
  • Easy Gluten Free Lemon Drizzle Cake
  • Gluten-Free Strawberry Cheesecake

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • About
  • Privacy Policy

Join Our Newsletter

    Built with ConvertKit

    Connect!

    As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2022 Science & Crumbs