These homemade soft Dairy Free Gluten Free Pumpkin Cookies will give you all the fall feels. Each cookie is full of sweet pumpkin, spices, and topped with a dreamy cream cheese frosting.
You won't believe what you're enjoying is gluten and dairy free, but they are.
Prepare for these cookies to melt-in-your-mouth. You'll find yourself baking and icing several batches before Thanksgiving.
There is no doubt these cookies are one of our family's all-time favorite fall desserts.
Even without the dairy free cream cheese frosting, these cookies are a dream. They're so soft and delicious, and everyone's favorite.
Grab your canned pumpkin and baking sheets. Let's enjoy the change of season with these super soft Gluten-Free pumpkin cookies.
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Why Make These Cookies
- These are gluten free and dairy free and so simple to make
- You probably already have these simple ingredients in the pantry
- This recipe gives you 2 dozen cookies and can easily be scaled to make more
- You get the just the right amount of pumpkin flavor with each bite
Recipe ingredient notes
Get all the info on these basic ingredients in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- dairy free butter-- Earth Balance Buttery Sticks is our go-to. They are gluten, dairy, and soy free. But you can use your go to vegan butter as well.
- granulated white sugar
- baking soda
- baking powder
- salt
- ground cinnamon
- pumpkin pie spice- check that your pumpkin spice is safe
- egg- using room temperature eggs help make mixing the dough easier
- vanilla extract - always check that yours is safe from hidden allergens
- canned pumpkin - use 100% pure canned pumpkin puree just don't use pumpkin pie filling
- gluten free all purpose flour-- We commonly use Bob's Red Mill GF 1 to 1 Baking Flour for this recipe, which has xanthan gum in the blend. But you can use other gluten-free flour that you have on hand
- xanthan gum-- omit this from the recipe if your gluten free flour has this in the blend or guar gum
- dairy free cream cheese-- there are a few dairy free brands on the market. For this recipe, we find the Kite Hill dairy free Plain Cream Cheese works best. This is also soy free.
- powdered sugar
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How to Make Gluten Free Pumpkin Cookies
To Make Cookie Dough
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, beat butter for 1 minute. Add in dry ingredients: sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice until well combined.
- Add egg and vanilla extract, then mix well.
- Next, add in pumpkin until well combined.
- Then add in flour and xanthan gum (if needed). Beat until completely incorporated.
- Drop dough by large tablespoons on prepared cookie sheet (12 per baking sheet). Bake for 10-12 minutes.
- Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 2-3 minutes; then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting. Cookies can even cool overnight in an airtight container.
Preparing the Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Then place powdered sugar and vanilla extract into the bowl and beat until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Ice cookies while still on the cooling rack and place on a serving dish or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Storage
Pumpkin cookies should be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
Be careful when storing if you are frosting the cookies before storing them. You don't want to layer these cookies with the frosting.
If you must layer them, use parchment paper or wax paper in between layers.
You can freeze these cookies by flash freezing and then storing in a freezer safe container or freezer safe bag for up to 3 months.
Tips and Variations
- To make more uniform sized dairy free pumpkin cookies, use a cookie scoop or ice cream scoop to drop the dough on the baking sheets.
- Make sure you use the spoon and level method when measuring out your gluten free flour for these gluten free cookies. Don't just scoop it out of the bag or container with the measuring cup.
- If you are making multiple batches to cookies, be sure to let the cookie sheet cool in between batches. You don't want to add your dough to a warm pan and melt it.
- Sweeten up the cream cheese frosting by adding some pure maple syrup and some dark brown sugar to the frosting bowl.
- Be sure you're using pure pumpkin not pumpkin pie filling for these delicious cookies.
FAQ
Sure, if you aren't all about the drop cookie look. You can use the back of a spoon to smooth out your cookie dough balls.
The cookies won't spread out or fluff up while baking so the shape you see on the baking tray is very similar to what your chewy pumpkin cookies will look like when you pull them out of the oven.
Sure thing! Instead of using an egg in this gluten free pumpkin cookie recipe, swap it out for an egg replacement like unsweetened applesauce or a flax egg.
These delicious pumpkin cookies are the perfect treat to make for Halloween, Thanksgiving or anytime during pumpkin season. All friends and family who are pumpkin fans will fall in love with these delicious gluten and dairy free cookies.
Enjoy with a cup of hot chocolate or nice warm coffee.
More fall recipes you'll love
- crock-pot taco soup-- this is one of my go-to fall meals. It's easy to prepare the night before in the crock-pot and place in the refrigerator until morning. The flavors are mouthwatering, and the topping ideas are endless.
- deep fried apple fritters-- growing up I loved nothing more in the fall than deep fried fritters. I love being able to enjoy these again... gluten and dairy free.
- crunchy crock-pot chex mix-- this must-have snack mix is my go-to for sporting events, travel, and during game nights with family and friends.
- pumpkin bread
- chocolate pumpkin bread
- pumpkin ice cream
Gluten Free Dairy Free Pumpkin Cookies
Ingredients
Cookie Ingredients
- 1 cup dairy free butter softened, suggestions in post
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup canned pumpkin
- 2 cup gluten free all-purpose flour see post for suggestion
- 1 teaspoon xanthan gum omit if your GF flour blend has this
Cream Cheese Frosting
- ¼ cup dairy free butter softened but not melted
- 4 ounces dairy free cream cheese, softened, suggestions in post
- 1½ cups powdered sugar
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Prepare 2 large cookie sheets with parchment paper and set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, beat butter for 1 minute. Add in sugar, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice until well combined.
- Add egg and vanilla extract, then mix well.
- Next add in pumpkin until well combined.
- Then add in flour and xanthan gum (if needed). Beat until completely incorporated.
- Drop dough by large tablespoons on prepared cookie sheet (12 per baking sheet). Bake for 10-12 minutes.
- Allow to cool on the cookie sheet for 2-3 minutes; then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely before frosting. Cookies can even cool overnight in an airtight container.
Preparing the Cream Cheese Frosting
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and cream cheese until smooth. Then place powdered sugar and vanilla extract into the bowl and beat until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.
- Ice cookies and place on a serving dish or in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
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