From soft and cake-like to chewy and lightly crisp, this collection of gluten-free pumpkin cookie recipes covers every craving. Explore a wide variety of gluten-free pumpkin spice cookies that capture warm autumn flavors and make the season a little sweeter.
If you’ve been diagnosed with celiac disease or manage a gluten intolerance, you don’t have to skip pumpkin season. These recipes use simple, wholesome ingredients and classic fall spices so you can enjoy cookies that taste like the holidays—without the gluten. Whether you prefer soft, cakey cookies or dense, chewy ones, you’ll find reliable recipes and practical advice to get consistent results at home.
Gluten-Free Baking Tips
Before you dive into the recipes, keep these gluten-free baking tips in mind. They’ll help you avoid common pitfalls and deliver the best texture and flavor from your pumpkin cookies.
- Measure precisely: Weigh ingredients when a recipe provides grams. For cup measurements, use the spoon-and-level method—spoon flour into the cup and level the top with a knife—to avoid packing too much flour.
- Mind ingredient temperatures: Room-temperature ingredients blend more evenly. Softened butter gives you a light, uniform texture; melted or cold butter can change the mixing and final cookie structure.
- Choose the right gluten-free flour blend: Gluten-free flours behave differently. Many recipes are tested with a specific blend, so use the blend recommended for the best texture. If a blend contains xanthan gum or guar gum, it will improve structure and chew.
- Include a binder: Xanthan gum or guar gum imitates gluten’s elasticity and prevents crumbly cookies. If your blend lacks a binder, add a small amount per the recipe guidance.
- Use certified gluten-free oats: If a recipe includes oats, choose certified gluten-free oats to avoid cross-contamination.
- Follow recipe technique: Small steps matter. For chewy cookies, squeeze excess moisture from pumpkin purée, or follow the specified egg usage. Technique influences texture as much as ingredients do.
- Use 100% pumpkin puree: Most recipes call for pure pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling, which contains added sugar and spices. Double-check the label to avoid surprises.
- Reduce refined sugar carefully: Coconut sugar can replace white sugar 1:1 in many recipes. Liquid sweeteners like maple syrup will alter dough hydration and may need recipe adjustments.
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cookies
Here are a selection of tried-and-true gluten-free pumpkin cookie recipes that highlight different textures and flavor pairings—from chocolate chips and oats to snickerdoodle spices and cream cheese frosting. Each recipe delivers autumnal warmth and can be adapted to your dietary needs.
Gluten-free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
Gluten-Free Vegan Pumpkin Cookies
Gluten-free Pumpkin Snickerdoodles
Gluten-free Pumpkin Cream Pies
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Whoopie Pies
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Gingerbread Cookies
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pecan Cookies
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Molasses Cookies
More Gluten-Free Pumpkin Recipes
If you love these cookies, explore additional gluten-free pumpkin desserts and baked goods. Try gluten-free pumpkin pies, bundt cakes, bars, and quick breads to round out your holiday table. You can also make a simple pumpkin-spice sauce to flavor homemade lattes if you enjoy pumpkin spice lattes at home.
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Pie (Libby’s)
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bundt Cake
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bars
- Gluten-Free Pumpkin Bread
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Recipe FAQs
Often the issue is the flour blend. Choose a gluten-free mix that includes a binder like xanthan gum or guar gum. These ingredients help mimic gluten’s elasticity and hold cookies together. If your blend lacks a binder, add a small amount to improve structure.
Leavening agents—baking powder and baking soda—create carbon dioxide gas when they react with liquids and acids. That gas inflates the dough during baking and helps create a light texture. Ensure your leavening agents are fresh and labeled gluten-free.
Gluten-free flours can absorb more liquid than wheat flour, causing dryness. Make sure the recipe includes enough moisture and avoid overbaking. Following a tested gluten-free recipe rather than substituting flours 1:1 will usually yield better texture.
Use the gluten-free flour blend the recipe recommends. Different blends perform differently, and a tested blend gives the most reliable outcome. Popular, well-tested mixes include King Arthur Measure for Measure, Bob’s Red Mill 1:1, and Cup4Cup Multipurpose flour.
More Fall Gluten-Free Baking Recipes
- Gluten-Free Apple Pie
- Pre-Cooked Apple Pie Filling (Gluten-Free)
- Gluten-Free Pie Crust
- Gluten-Free Pecan Pie
Recipe
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Spice Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting
Katie Olesen
Ingredients
For the Cookies
- ½ cup butter, softened
- 1 cup brown sugar
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (100% pumpkin)
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ¾ cups gluten-free flour blend (for example, Pamela’s All-Purpose blend)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
For the Cream Cheese Frosting
- 2 Tablespoons butter, softened
- 2 oz cream cheese, softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 4 cups powdered sugar
- 3 Tablespoons milk, plus more as needed
Instructions
For the Cookies
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats.
- Whisk the dry ingredients (gluten-free flour blend, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and pumpkin pie spice) in a bowl and set aside.
- Cream the softened butter and brown sugar in a stand mixer or with a hand mixer until light and fluffy, about 1–2 minutes.
- Add the pumpkin purée, egg, vanilla, and milk. Mix until combined and smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients and mix just until incorporated. Do not overmix.
- Drop tablespoonfuls of dough onto prepared baking sheets. Bake 10–12 minutes, or until the bottoms are lightly golden and the cookies spring back when touched. Cool completely before frosting.
For the Frosting
- Cream the softened butter and cream cheese together until smooth.
- Add the vanilla and powdered sugar, mixing until well combined and thick.
- Add 1 tablespoon of milk and mix; continue adding milk a tablespoon at a time until the frosting reaches a smooth, spreadable consistency.
- Frost the cooled cookies and, if desired, dust with a pinch of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice before serving.
Estimated Nutrition
* Nutritional information is an estimate and should be used as a guideline only.