• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Lane & Grey Fare
  • Home
  • Gluten Free Recipes
  • Subscribe
  • Our Story
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Summer Recipes
  • Gluten Free Recipes
  • Our Story
  • Shop
  • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Summer Recipes
    • Gluten Free Recipes
    • Our Story
    • Shop
    • Subscribe
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
  • ×
    Home » Gluten Free Dessert Recipes » Gluten Free Cookie Recipes

    Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

    Published: Sep 13, 2022 · Modified: Sep 25, 2022 by Lee · This post may contain affiliate links · 12 Comments .

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video

    These Pumpkin Sugar Cookies are sweet, super soft and chewy eggless sugar cookies with a mild pumpkin flavor throughout. Drizzled with a maple glaze, they’re also gluten free, nut free, easily vegan and only require 30 minutes of chilling! If you love pumpkin desserts, these beauties are for you!

    A Pumpkin Sugar Cookie with a bite taken out.

    I love easy fall recipes and these Pumpkin Sugar Cookies are one of my favs! They have a soft and smooth pumpkin flavor, just like my Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. I do like pumpkin recipes, but I’m not one for having the flavor be super aggressive and slapping me in the face. That’s why these chewy pumpkin cookies are so wonderful!

    For more sugar cookie recipes try my Sprinkle Sugar Cookies, Small Batch Sugar Cookies, Dark Chocolate Sugar Cookies or my super popular Chocolate Chip Sugar Cookies.

    Jump to:
    • Reasons To Love These Cookies
    • Ingredient Notes
    • Substitutions and Variations
    • How To Make Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
    • Expert Baking Tips
    • Recipe FAQS
    • Other Autumn Recipes You'll Love
    • 📖 Recipe
    • Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

    Reasons To Love These Cookies

    • Allergy Friendly- These cookies are gluten free, nut free, egg free and can easily be dairy free (vegan)!
    • Soft & Chewy- These cookies are the most perfect texture with soft and chewy middles. 
    • Covered in a Maple Drizzle- The maple glaze helps give added sweetness that blends beautifully with the pumpkin flavors. You can also find this maple glaze on my banana scones.
    • Autumn Flavors- The pumpkin, cinnamon and maple combined remind us of fall just like in my baked pumpkin donuts!

    Ingredient Notes

    The ingredients for the cookies in separate containers with their text names over it.
    • Gluten Free Flour- If you also have nut allergies, make sure to use a brand that’s made in a nut free facility.  I really love to use this gluten free flour because it’s nut safe but it does contain dairy. It also contains xanthan gum which really helps give baked goods their bounce.
    • Unsalted Butter or Vegan Baking Sticks- Only use room temperature. Don’t use melted; the cookies will spread into a giant mess when baking.
    • Pure Pumpkin: Make sure to use only canned pure pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling. I like Libby's brand.
    • Granulated Sugar: I would not use light brown sugar; the granulated sugar helps the cookies keep that orange hue. Also, there is enough moisture due to the pumpkin just like in my Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Cookies.
    • Cinnamon- Brings in the sweet yet woodsy flavor like in my Gluten Free Snickerdoodles.
    • Maple Syrup- We use pure grade A maple syrup in the glaze that ties all those cozy flavors in together!

    See my recipe card below for a complete list of the ingredients with measurements.

    Substitutions and Variations

    How to Make these Vegan Cookies

    • Use a gluten free flour that’s free from dairy.
    • Make sure the brand of sugar you use is vegan. 
    • Use vegan baking sticks instead of butter.
    • Read the label on your pumpkin to make sure there are no weird fillers. It should be canned pure pumpkin.

    Make this Recipe with All Purpose Flour

    • Use 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed AP flour (168 grams plus 2 tablespoons).
    • You still need to chill the dough due to the lack of eggs.

    How to Make Smaller Cookies 

    • Use a small cookie scoop or roll the dough into 1 inch balls. 
    • Bake the cookies at the same temperature but for 13 minutes. Reshape as needed. Should make 12 cookies.

    This recipe has not been tested with all of these substitutions and/or variations due to celiac disease and food allergies. If you change any of the ingredients, please let us know how the recipe turned out in the comments below!

    How To Make Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

    Here are the step by step instructions to make these chewy pumpkin cookies!

    A whisk with the dry ingredients in a bowl.

    Step 1: Whisk Together the Dry Ingredients

    In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.

    A bowl of creamed butter and sugar.

    Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugar

    In the large bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand held mixer, beat the butter with ¾ cup of granulated sugar until smooth and creamy. About 2 minutes.

    Mixing the creamed butter and puree.

    Step 3: Add in the Pumpkin and Vanilla

    In a small bowl, whisk together the pumpkin and the vanilla until combined.

    With the mixer on low speed, beat in the pumpkin and vanilla until combined. It will be chunky; that's normal.

    Combining the wet and dry ingredients into a batter.

    Step 4: Mix In The Dry Ingredients

    With the mixer on low speed, slowly add in the gluten free flour mixture and mix until just combined.

    Scrape down the sides of the bowl with the spatula and combine. Freeze the dough for 30 minutes.

    A cookie dough ball in a bowl of sugar.

    Step 5: Scoop The Dough and Coat with Sugar

    Using a large cookie scoop (I use a 2 ounce cookie scoop), scoop the dough out into 6 scoops.

    Drop the dough balls one at a time into the remaining ¼ cup of sugar and coat completely. 

    Baked sugar cookies on a cooling rack.

    Step 6: Bake the Cookies and Cool

    Bake the cookies at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes until golden on the bottoms.

    If the cookies are puffed up, gently press down and immediately reshape the cookies. Let cool on the baking sheet for 5 min before transferring to a cooling rack.

    A bowl of sugary glaze.

    Step 7: Make the Maple Glaze

    In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, 2 tablespoons of the maple syrup and 1 tablespoon of water until combined and smooth.

    A crosshatch pattern of glaze on a cookie.

    Step 8: Drizzle The Glaze

    Drizzle the maple glaze on top of the cool cookies.

    Expert Baking Tips

    • Use Packed Cups of Flour- Normally in baking we do not use packed cups however, when working with gluten free, I've found using packed cups works best to help the baked goods keep their shape. Or use the gram amount.
    • Use Room Temperature Butter/ Vegan Baking Stick- Do not use melted butter. Since these cookies have no eggs, if you use melted butter they will spread into a giant mess while baking. 
    • Freeze the Dough- If you don’t freeze the dough for at least 30 minutes, the cookies will spread and be flat and thin.
    • Wash Your Cookie Scoop- If you noticed the dough is starting to get sticky, wash and dry your cookie scoop halfway through making the dough balls.
    • Wet Your Hands- The cookie dough will be quite sticky and may stick to your hands if they're warm. If this happens, rinse your hands and then shake off any excess water. You want them slightly wet but not dripping wet. This will help prevent the dough from sticking. If the dough balls need some reshaping, simply use your slightly wet hands to make the dough ball tops smooth. You can see my video for how I do this.
    • Reshape the Cookies- If you want your cookies nice and round, reshape them as soon as they come out of the oven. Use a spatula to push them back into a circle shape.
    • Making the Glaze- If the glaze appears too watery, add more confectioners’ sugar 1 tablespoon at a time. If it appears too thick, add more water ¼ teaspoon at a time. You want the glaze thin enough to drizzle but thick enough to solidify on the cookies.

    Recipe FAQS

    How do I prevent my cookies from spreading out?


    The main way is to chill that dough.

    Second, make sure you do not grease your baking sheet. Only use parchment paper or a silicone mat with no grease.

    Third, use packed cups of flour or read the gram amount.

    Can I make the dough ahead of time?


    You can make the dough the night before. Keep it in the bowl, wrapped in plastic and place it in the fridge. If doing this, there is no need to chill it again, prior to baking.

    Or you can freeze the dough for up to 30 days. Thaw the dough in the fridge the night prior to using.

    Can I use store bought syrup like Pearl Milling Company syrup?


    Yes you can but keep in mind the cookies will probably be even sweeter.

    I prefer to use pure grade A maple syrup.

    How do I store these Pumpkin Sugar Cookies?


    Once the maple glaze has hardened, store the cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

    If you want them warm and gooey, heat the cookie in the microwave for a few seconds prior to serving. Be careful not to burn your mouth.

    A look at the inside of a cookie.

    Other Autumn Recipes You'll Love

    • A plate of donuts sit covered in cinnamon sugar.
      Baked Apple Cider Donuts
    • A scoop of Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream topped with marshmallows.
      Pumpkin Spice Ice Cream
    • An internal look at the layers of Apple Cider Layer Cake.
      Gluten Free Apple Cake
    • A scoop of Apple Pie Ice Cream coming out of the darkness.
      Apple Pie Ice Cream

    Did you try this recipe? Please leave me a ⭐ review below!

    Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram @laneandgreyfare and follow along on Pinterest, Facebook and YouTube! Enjoy!!! 

    📖 Recipe

    A Pumpkin Sugar Cookie with a bite taken out.

    Pumpkin Sugar Cookies

    Author: Lee
    These Pumpkin Sugar Cookies are sweet, super soft and chewy eggless sugar cookies with a mild pumpkin flavor throughout. Drizzled with a maple glaze, they’re also gluten free, nut free, easily vegan and only require 30 minutes of chilling! If you love pumpkin desserts, these beauties are for you!
    5 from 6 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Freeze Time 30 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr 5 minutes mins
    Course Dessert
    Cuisine American
    Servings 6 Large Cookies
    Calories 296 kcal

    Equipment

    • Baking Sheet
    • Mixing Bowls
    • Measuring Cups and Spoons
    • Whisk
    • Spatula
    • Cooling Rack

    Ingredients
     
     

    For The Cookies

    • 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons gluten free flour blend  (I use a gluten free multipurpose flour with xanthan gum already in it)
    • ¾ teaspoon baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
    • ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
    • ¼ cup unsalted butter or vegan baking stick, room temperature
    • 1 cup granulated sugar (keep ¼ cup separate)
    • ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons pure pumpkin (not pumpkin pie filling)
    • 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

    For The Glaze

    • 1 cup confectioners' sugar
    • 2 tablespoons pure maple syrup (I use grade A)
    • 1 tablespoon water

    Instructions
     

    • In a large bowl, whisk together the 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons gluten free flour, the ¾ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon cinnamon and the ¼ teaspoon salt. Set aside.
    • In the large bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand held mixer, beat the room temperature ¼ cup butter or vegan baking stick and the ¾ cup of granulated sugar until smooth and creamy. About 2 minutes.
    • In a small bowl, whisk together the ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons pumpkin and the 2 teaspoons vanilla until combined.
    • With the mixer on low speed, add in the pumpkin and vanilla and beat until combined. The mixture will be slightly chunky and that's normal.
    • With the mixer still on low speed, slowly add in the gluten free flour mixture. Mix until just combined. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with the spatula and combine.
    • The dough will be super sticky, almost like cake batter. Transfer to a freezer safe bowl and pop the entire bowl uncovered in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.
      When the dough has 15 minutes left of chilling, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 
    • Take the bowl of dough out of the freezer. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the dough out into 6 scoops. If it is sticking to your hands, get your hands slightly wet.
    • In a small bowl, whisk together the remaining ¼ cup granulated sugar.
      Drop the dough balls one at a time into the sugar and coat completely. 
      Place dough balls about 3-4 inches apart on the parchment lined baking sheet. 
    • Bake the cookies in the center rack of the oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 15 minutes until golden on the bottoms. You can carefully use a cookie spatula to check.
    • If the cookies are puffed up, gently press down on the center of the cookie.
      Immediately reshape the cookies when they come out of the oven. Use a spatula to push them into a circle. Let them cool on the baking sheet for 5 min before transferring to a cooling rack. If you don't do this, the cookies will break apart into a giant mess.
    • In a medium bowl, whisk together the 1 cup confectioners’ sugar, 2 tablespoons of maple syrup and 1 tablespoon of water until combined and smooth.
    • Drizzle the maple glaze on top of the completely cool cookies. If you drizzle it on warm cookies, the glaze with melt. Let the glaze harden. Enjoy!

    Video

    Notes

    For smaller cookies: Use a small cookie scoop and bake at same temperature for 13 min. Make sure to keep dough in the fridge in-between baking the batches.
    Vegan: Use a dairy free gluten free flour, vegan sugar, vegan baking sticks and vegan pumpkin (no weird fillers). 
    All Purpose Flour: I cannot test this due to celiac disease, but use 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons packed regular flour (168 grams plus 2 tablespoons). Still freeze the dough.
    Storing: Keep extra cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Warm in microwave a few seconds before serving if you want them warm and gooey. Be careful. not to burn yourself.
    Cookies will be soft and chewy in the middle with crip edges the first day. After being in an airtight container, the cookies will be soft throughout. 
    Freezing: Wrap dough in a disc in plastic wrap and then pop it in a zip top bag. Freeze for up to 30 days. Thaw dough in the fridge the night prior to using. 
    Nutrition: The info below is a generated estimate and is not guaranteed to be accurate. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 296kcalCarbohydrates: 58gProtein: 0.1gFat: 8gSaturated Fat: 5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 0.3gMonounsaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0.3gCholesterol: 20mgSodium: 153mgPotassium: 21mgFiber: 0.1gSugar: 57gVitamin A: 237IUVitamin C: 0.01mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 0.1mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    More Gluten Free Cookie Recipes

    • Lavender stars and purple and periwinkle rod sprinkles decorate the top of the frosted chocolate cookies.
      Frosted Chocolate Cookies
    • Soft, gooey mug cake featuring melted chocolate chips topped with delicious ice cream with rich chocolate sauce.
      Cookie Mug Cake
    • Mini and regular sized chocolate chips adorn the tops of the delicious Triple Chocolate Cookies.
      Triple Chocolate Cookies
    • Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars are overloaded with melted chocolate chips on a warm chocolate base.
      Chocolate Chocolate Chip Cookie Bars

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Allie

      November 27, 2023 at 11:22 am

      5 stars
      These turned out amazing! Great flavor and texture. I forgot to buy unsalted butter so I used salted instead and did not add any additional salt. Will definitely make again!

      Reply
      • Lee

        November 27, 2023 at 12:28 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
    2. Elana

      November 14, 2023 at 5:11 pm

      I'm excited to try these. How do you make the glaze look so pretty--like all the criss-cross?

      Reply
      • Lee

        November 15, 2023 at 3:51 pm

        Hi Elana! Sorry! I still need to do a step by step video for this recipe. I am in the process of making step by step videos for all my older recipes. All my new recipes have them. I show you how to do this pattern in my Chocolate Ginger Cookies video. You take a little bit of glaze on a spoon and drizzle it over the cookie, side to side. Once you do that, you get a bit more glaze on the spoon and drizzle it back and forth from top to bottom. I hope the video helps!

        Reply
    3. Kellyn

      September 09, 2023 at 2:13 pm

      5 stars
      These turned out so good!! Soft, chewy and a perfect fall flavor. We rolled them in turbinado sugar which added a great touch to them!

      Reply
    4. Thelma Louise

      August 03, 2023 at 5:39 pm

      Sorry to ask to re-write the recipe, and to go off-brand, but I'm not always good with altering recipes when baking.

      1. Could you sub in (baked) sweet potato for the pumpkin?
      2. Could AP flour be used in a 1:1 sub if gluten free is not a requirement?

      Thanks in advance. I'm planning my list fall treats and would love to incorporate these!

      Thelma Lousie

      Reply
      • Lee

        August 08, 2023 at 9:29 am

        Hi there! I haven't tried it with sweet potato but yes, you should be able to use baked and then mashed sweet potato instead of the pumpkin! Equal amounts...but don't add anything into the mashed potatoes. As for AP flour...yes! I cannot test it due to celiac but if you go to the section of this blog post entitled, "substitutions and variations" I explain what to do for AP flour. I also have it listed in the notes section of the recipe card in case you want to print the recipe. Hope this helps.

        Reply
    5. Barbara

      September 14, 2022 at 2:48 am

      If I use salted butter should I leave out the kosher salt? These sound amazing.

      Reply
      • Lee

        September 14, 2022 at 11:18 am

        Hi Barbara! Thanks! Yes, leave out the salt if you use salted butter however I would use unsalted if you can. Unsalted butter is fresher and creates a better flavor.In addition, every company adds different amounts of salt in their salted butters. So, you can possibly be adding double the amount of salt recommended. Hope this makes sense!

        Reply
    6. Nancy

      September 13, 2022 at 2:22 pm

      5 stars
      The directions were very easy to follow. These pumpkin cookies came out amazing. I can not stop eating them. They are that good!

      Reply
    7. John

      September 30, 2021 at 7:13 pm

      5 stars
      What a spooky cookie treat for fall!

      Reply
      • Lee

        September 30, 2021 at 10:14 pm

        Thank you!!!!

        Reply
    5 from 6 votes (2 ratings without comment)

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

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

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    LET'S CONNECT!

    • Instagram
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
    • YouTube
    • TikTok

    Lee, the beautiful founder of Lane and Grey Fare.

    Hi guys, I'm Lee! As a mother of two children with celiac disease and multiple food allergies, I wanted to share all that I’ve learned with others in a way that’s entertaining and helpful. All my food is 100 percent gluten free, nut free, seed free, egg free and most of my baked goods can easily be made dairy free (vegan).

    Read More

    Summer Recipes

    • A round pink Strawberry Sugar Cookie on wax paper amongst fresh strawberries.
      Strawberry Sugar Cookies
    • An insane amount of chocolate chips inside Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Muffins.
      Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Muffins
    • A Perfect Bite taken from this soft Lemon Raspberry Cookie with raspberry glaze.
      Lemon Raspberry Cookies
    • A Sprinkle Sugar Cookie with a bite taken out.
      Sprinkle Sugar Cookies
    • Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies on a cooling rack.
      Small Batch Chocolate Chip Cookies
    • Freshly baked delicious Blueberry Cookies with a bite taken out.
      Blueberry Cookies

    Popular Recipes

    • A round pink Strawberry Sugar Cookie on wax paper amongst fresh strawberries.
      Strawberry Sugar Cookies
    • Freshly baked delicious Blueberry Cookies with a bite taken out.
      Blueberry Cookies
    • A delicious slice of vegan flourless chocolate cake with a strawberry on top on a black plate.
      Vegan Flourless Chocolate Cake
    • Chocolate Lemon Cake on a stand with star sprinkles and slices of lemon.
      Chocolate Lemon Cake
    • The layers alternating from cake, to pudding, to cake, to frosting.
      Brooklyn Blackout Cake
    • A Sprinkle Sugar Cookie with a bite taken out.
      Sprinkle Sugar Cookies

    Featured on

    Apartment Guide Logo
    Eat Blog Talk Logo
    Tiny Beans Logo
    Spokin Logo

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    ABOUT
    ABOUT ME
    PRIVACY POLICY
    ACCESSIBILITY POLICY
    RESOURCES
    WORK WITH ME

    NEWSLETTER
    SIGN UP for emails and updates

    CONTACT
    CONTACT
    PORTFOLIO

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 Lane & Grey Fare, All Rights Reserved.

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required

    Recipe Ratings without Comment

    Something went wrong. Please try again.