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.
Table of contents
- These gluten-free pumpkin cookies are...
- Recipe ingredients
- How to make pumpkin oatmeal cookies:
- How do you drizzle a glaze over cookies?
- Recipe pro-tips:
- A note on how to measure flour:
- Recipe FAQs:
- Optional mix-ins:
- Storage directions:
- Save this Recipe for Later on Pinterest
- Tools needed to make this recipe:
- More pumpkin recipes:
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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, eaten a few batches of Pumpkin Protein Balls, 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
- Nutritious
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:
- Whisk together the wet ingredients in a large mixing bowl.
- Add the dry ingredients into the mixing bowl and whisk until mixed well.
- Fold the oats into the batter.
- Fold in chocolate chips (if using).
- Scoop cookie batter onto parchment-lined baking sheets.
- Bake the cookies.
- Let the cookies cool. While cooling, whisk up the cinnamon maple glaze with a fork.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cookies.
- 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:
To make your own flour, just pour about 2 ½ cups old fashioned oats (gluten-free if you want your cookies to be GF!) into a blender or food processor and blend until the oats form a fine flour.
The best way to get evenly-sized cookies is to use a cookie scooper. They're easy to use and, if you level the bottoms off while cooking are very uniformly sized.
Yes, you certainly can make these cookies without the glaze. They will be slightly less sweetener than they would be with the glaze, but still just as delicious.
Yes, these cookies are perfect for high altitude baking. The only adjustment you need to make is the baking temperature from 350 to 365 degrees Fahrenheit (as I share on the recipe card), but everything else works perfectly as-is!
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.
Save this Recipe for Later on Pinterest
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
- Pumpkin Pudding
- Pumpkin Blondies
- Pumpkin Protein Shake
- Banana Pumpkin Muffins
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Muffins
- Gluten-Free Iced Pumpkin Cookies
- Dairy-free Pumpkin Pie (without Evaporated Milk)
- Pumpkin Spice Granola Bars
Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
- ¼ cup coconut oil melted
- 2 large eggs
- ⅔ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 ½ cups or 240g oat flour
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice blend
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon baking powder
- 2 ½ cups old fashioned oats
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips optional
Cinnamon Maple Glaze
- ¾ cup confectionary sugar
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon unsweetened milk almond, dairy, or other nut milk
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Instructions
- 1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (365 degrees if baking at high altitude) and line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper or a silicone baking mat.
- 2. In a large mixing bowl whisk together the pumpkin puree, coconut oil, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla extract until combined.
- 3. Add in the oat flour, salt, pumpkin pie spice blend, ground cinnamon, and baking soda into the mixing bowl with the wet ingredients. Whisk until there are no streaks of flour left in the batter.
- 4. Fold in the old fashioned oats with a spatula or wooden spoon until the oats are evenly mixed into the batter. Fold in the chocolate chips, if using.
- 5. Scoop the cookies onto a baking sheet in 1.5-2 tablespoon balls about 1.5-2 inches apart. Bake the cookies for 10-12 minutes, or until the bottom of the cookies are golden and the cookies have firmed up.
- 6. Remove the cookies from the oven and place the pans on wire cooling racks. Cool for 5 minutes. Then move the cookies directly onto the wire rack and cool until at room temperature.
- 7. If glazing the cookies, make the cinnamon maple glaze: whisk together the confectioner's sugar, maple syrup, almond milk, and ground cinnamon until a smooth and runny glaze forms.
- 8. Drizzle the glaze over the cookies and let them cool for 45 minutes- 2 hours, or until the glaze has hardened. Enjoy with a glass of tea or almond milk!
Theese look absolutely scrumptious! Bookmarking these for later!
These look so delicious and yummy! I can't wait to make this recipe! My family is going to love this!
thanks, Beth!! Hope you love it!!
Healthy and delicious. You said it’s cheaper too... I think it’s perfect for the fall season.
thanks, Sonal! I love the 1 to 1 gluten-free flours, but they can add up! I always think it's nice to have options. 🙂
I've been looking for a gluten free pumpkin cookie recipe & so happy I found these - incredible! thank you!
Of course!! Hope you love the recipe, Tawnie!
My daughter made these delicious pumpkin cookies for an outdoor, socially-distanced gathering. She saved me a few, and boy were they yummy. I need to make a whole batch just for myself! hahahaa
Awe!! I am so happy to hear they were a hit!! I always say that you can never have enough cookies. 😀
Thanks so much for commenting. Have a great night!
I love all the flavours and how perfect for this time of year.
Thanks, Jaqueline!! Nothing like some good pumpkin this time of year! I can't seem to get enough of it. 😉
Thanks again and have a great night!
Hi! These look so good - can I sub gluten free flour for the oat flour?
Hi, Hannah! I don't know for sure since I have yet to try it out myself (so I can't make any promises), but it might work. You can also easily make oat flour if you have oats -- just pop them in a blender and blend until fine.
Please let me know how it goes for you!
Best,
Chelsea
I made these today with some substitutions: my pumpkins aren't ready, so I substituted sweet potatoes, I happened to have on hand.
Instead of the maple syrup, I used home made date syrup.
They came out great, but needed a bit additional baking time.
We already ate four of them, and I will definitely make them again!
I didn't love them right away but all my kids did. The next day they tasted better to me (flavors melded?). I like the oat flour and oats used in them, healthy treat!
Hi Tia,
Glad you liked them more over time! Did they seem more moist on the second day? Sometimes the maple syrup can soften the cookies a bit overnight, making them more tender and sweet.
thanks for reviewing and sharing!
Best,
Chelsea