These Pumpkin Sugar Cookies are sweet, super soft and chewy eggless sugar cookies with a mild pumpkin flavor throughout. Topped with a maple glaze drizzle, they’re also gluten free, nut free, easily vegan and only require 30 minutes of chilling!
These Pumpkin Sugar Cookies have a soft and smooth pumpkin flavor, just like my Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies. I do like pumpkin flavor but I’m not one for having it be super aggressive and slapping me in the face. That’s why these sugar cookies are so wonderful.
If you're looking 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.
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.
- 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 drizzle 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
- 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- 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
- 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.
How to 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 cookies!
Make The Cookies
Step 1: Whisk Together the Dry Ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the gluten free flour, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
Step 2: Cream the Butter and Sugar
In the large bowl of an electric mixer or using a hand held mixer, beat the room temperature butter or vegan baking stick with ¾ cup of granulated sugar until smooth and creamy. About 2 minutes.
Step 3: Combine the Pumpkin and Vanilla and add to the Creamed Butter and Sugar
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. The mixture will be slightly chunky and that's normal.
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.
Step 5: Freeze The Dough and Preheat the Oven
The dough will be super sticky, almost like cake batter. Transfer to a bowl and pop the entire bowl uncovered in the freezer for at least 30 minutes; make sure the bowl is freezer safe.
When the dough has 15 minutes left of chilling, preheat your oven to 350 degrees and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
Step 6: Scoop The Dough and Coat with Sugar
Take the bowl of dough out of the freezer. Using an ice cream scoop, scoop the dough out into 6 scoops.
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. You can also wash the cookie scoop half way through.
Drop the dough balls one at a time into the remaining ¼ cup of sugar and coat completely.
Step 7: Bake the Cookies and Cool
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.
Immediately reshape the cookies into a circle with a spatula when they come out of the oven and let cool on the baking sheet for 5 min before transferring to a cooling rack. If you don't let them cool on the baking sheet, the cookies will break apart into a giant mess.
If the cookies haven't gone down all the way in the center, simply press the centers gently with the spatula and then reshape again.
Let the cookies cool completely before adding the glaze, otherwise the glaze will turn into a liquid mess.
Make The Glaze
Step 1: Mix All The Ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk together the confectioners’ sugar, 2 tablespoons of the maple syrup and 1 tablespoon of water until combined and smooth.
Step 2: Drizzle The Glaze
Drizzle the maple glaze on top of the cool cookies. If you drizzle it on warm cookies, the glaze with melt.
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
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.
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.
Yes you can but keep in mind the cookies will probably be even sweeter.
I prefer to use pure grade A maple syrup.
Once the cookies have cooled and the drizzle has hardened, store them 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.
Other Autumn Recipes You'll Love
Did you try this recipe? Please leave me a ⭐ review below!
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📖 Recipe
Pumpkin Sugar Cookies
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 1:1 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 bowl and pop the entire bowl uncovered in the freezer for at least 30 minutes.Make sure the bowl is freezer safe.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.
- 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.Let the cookies cool completely before adding the glaze, otherwise the glaze will turn into a liquid 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 cool cookies. If you drizzle it on warm cookies, the glaze with melt. Let the glaze harden. Enjoy!
John
What a spooky cookie treat for fall!
Lee
Thank you!!!!
Nancy
The directions were very easy to follow. These pumpkin cookies came out amazing. I can not stop eating them. They are that good!
Barbara
If I use salted butter should I leave out the kosher salt? These sound amazing.
Lee
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!
Thelma Louise
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
Lee
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.
Kellyn
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!