Warmly spiced Gluten-Free Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies: a tender and sweet one-bowl gluten-free cookie recipe with all the flavors of fall!

This recipe was originally published on October 3, 2020. It was updated on September 2, 2021.

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Article summary:

In this blog post we will be making gluten-free pumpkin oatmeal cookies. These cookies are tender, nutty, warmly spiced, and comforting. They're an easy baking recipe that kids will like to help bake, too! Read on to learn how to make this recipe, check out recipe pro-tips, and more.

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The time is officially here, my friends.

The time to....

• Stock up on all things pumpkin at Trader Joe's (don't even get me started on their Pumpkin Swirl Brioche bread!)
• Order pumpkin spice lattes at Starbucks
• Carve pumpkins
• Make anything pumpkin that we can possibly get our hands-on
• And (obviously) proudly profess a love for pumpkin on the internet

Did I mention that so far this week I have made these gluten-free pumpkin cookies (more on that in a second) twice, whipped up some pumpkin butter, and made a batch of my pumpkin muffins?!

Oh yeah, and I've also started my mornings with pumpkin bagels (Trader Joe's, of course!), dreamt of pumpkin ice cream, and made a pumpkin cake!!

I think I need help. 😬

And the pumpkin-eating monster inside of me still. Isn't. Satisfied.

But, I guess that monster should be relieved to know she still has plenty of time to dive into pumpkin treats.

One of those treats I'm going to continue to dig into between now and the end of whenever pumpkin season ends (I insist on that being Thanksgiving, by the way. #positivethinking) is going to be these gluten-free oatmeal pumpkin cookies.

With a thick, chewy, and warmly spiced pumpkin interior and a cinnamon maple frosting that I wish I could jump headfirst into, these cookies do a good job of satiating my inner pumpkin monster.

Until the next pumpkin craving hits, that is.

But when pumpkin season hits only once a year, how are we to blame these insatiable orange monsters?!

Instead, let's give them the respect they deserve by feeding them as many pumpkin treats as possible. Might as well start with these oatmeal pumpkin cookies. 🎃

These gluten-free pumpkin cookies are...

• Warmly-spiced
• Nutty
• Sweet
• Pumpkin-y

And yes, they're even good enough for me to make up new adjectives for them!

Recipe ingredients

• Canned pumpkin - pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie mix
• Coconut oil - raw, or virgin coconut oil is the best because it adds a sweet and nutty flavor to the cookies
• Large eggs
• Pure maple syrup
• Pure vanilla liquid extract
• Oat flour - using gluten-free oat flour keeps the recipe gluten-free without having to purchase an expensive gluten-free flour blend. This recipe is best if you make your own oat flour -- see my instructions on how below (hint: it's super easy and requires only oats!)
• Old fashioned oats - we want the old-school style rolled oats or old fashioned oats. Quick cook oats and steel-cut are the wrong textures for this recipe
• Pumpkin spice blend - use a store bought blend (I love the blend at Trader Joe's!) or make your own with this recipe!
• Cinnamon
• Baking powder & Salt

How to make pumpkin oatmeal cookies:

1. Whisk together the wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
2. Add the dry ingredients into the mixing bowl and whisk until mixed well.
3. Fold the oats into the batter.
4. Fold in chocolate chips (if using).
5. Scoop cookie batter onto parchment-lined baking sheets.
6. Bake the cookies.
7. Let the cookies cool. While cooling, whisk up the cinnamon maple glaze with a fork.
8. Drizzle the glaze over the cookies.
9. Let the drizzle dry and serve!

How do you drizzle a glaze over cookies?

Here's how you drizzle glaze over cookies:

• Place your cookies, spaced out an inch apart, on a piece of parchment paper
• Dip a fork in the glaze
• Lift up the fork and let the heavy glob of glaze fall off the fork into the bowl
• With the remaining drizzle on the fork, move the fork around in the air above the cookies as it drizzles the glaze on the cookies
• Complete with the rest of the cookies
• Let the cookies rest at room temperature or in the refrigerator, uncovered, or until the glaze has hardened
• Enjoy the cookies!

Pro-tip: whisk up the glaze immediately before drizzling it on the cookies. Otherwise, the glaze will start to form a skin or harden, making it hard to drizzle.

Recipe pro-tips:

• Line the baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. This helps the cookies cook evenly and not burn or stick to the baking sheets.
• Cool the cookies before drizzling with icing. If the cookies are iced when they are warm the icing will melt off of them or absorb into the cookie. Prevent this by icing them only when the cookies are completely cooled.

A note on how to measure flour:

The best way to measure flour is by measuring it. It is, without a doubt, the most accurate way to do so. I offer grams measurements in my recipe so you will want to weigh out grams.

The least accurate way to measure flour is by scooping the cup directly into the flour.

If you don't have a scale, here's a link to my favorite one (it's less than $10 on Amazon!). Otherwise, I recommend spooning the flour into a measuring cup and leveling it for the second-best results.

Recipe FAQs:

Optional mix-ins:

Make these cookies your own by stirring 1 cup of any of the following ingredients into the cookie dough:

• Chocolate chips
• Dried cranberries
• Pepitas, or pumpkin seeds
• Flaked dried coconut

Storage directions:

Leftover cookies last covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. They also can be frozen in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.

Tools needed to make this recipe:

• Large mixing bowl
• Whisk
• Measuring cups and spoons
• Flour scale
• Cookie scooper
• 2 Large baking tray/cookie sheets
• Parchment paper or silicone baking mats

More pumpkin recipes:

• Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread
• Banana Pumpkin Muffins
• Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins
• Gluten-Free Iced Pumpkin Cookies
• Dairy-free Pumpkin Pie (without Evaporated Milk)
• Pumpkin Spice Granola Bars

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