Give your fall baking list an upgrade with these scrumptious Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies. They’re the right amount of sweet, perfectly chewy, and are made with healthy ingredients.
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Why You’ll Love This Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookie Recipe
- Pumpkin Spice. Need I Say More? My fall baking list always includes something with pumpkin and warm spices. While I’m a huge fan of Healthy Pumpkin Bread and Pumpkin Sheet Cake, there’s just something extra special about these delightful little cookies.
- The Cookies Have the Perfect Texture. Forget the cakey, dry, or bland pumpkin cookies of your past. These are the best pumpkin oatmeal cookies! Chewy on the outside and tender and moist on the inside, they’ve got the ideal pumpkin cookie texture (just like these Pumpkin Snickerdoodles). If you like your pumpkin cookies with a little extra crunch or chew, you could even upgrade this recipe with chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or raisins.
- The Maple Glaze is Next Level. While there are many who might turn down a regular oatmeal cookie (not these Healthy Oatmeal Cookies or my classic Oatmeal Cookies though), these pumpkin cookies with that heavenly maple glaze can’t be ignored.
5 Star Review
“LOVE THESE! They were exactly what I was craving. I will definitely be making these again!”
— Molly —
How to Make the Best Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
The Ingredients
- White Whole Wheat Flour. I opted to use white whole wheat flour for this recipe because it contains more nutrients than white flour.
- Pumpkin Puree. For delicious pumpkin flavor and a nutrition boost! Pumpkin is rich in vitamins and helps keep these as low calorie pumpkin oatmeal cookies. (If you want to use up your leftover pumpkin puree, try this Pumpkin Oatmeal.)
- Rolled Oats. Along with the pumpkin, oats are the co-star of these cookies. They give the cookies their texture. Packed with fiber, oats are also a healthy addition to these cookies.
- Pumpkin Pie Spice. The blend of spices we’ve all come to know and love in our pumpkin-flavored treats.
- Cinnamon. Because when it comes to pumpkin, you can never have enough cinnamon.
- Coconut Sugar. Although coconut sugar is a natural sweetener, it provides all the caramel-like goodness that these cookies need.
- Egg Yolk. Important for the perfect chewy texture.
- Maple Syrup. Another way to add natural sweetness to these cookies. Plus, it tastes incredible with pumpkin!
- Vanilla. Vanilla makes these cookies taste extra warm and cozy.
- Maple Glaze. An optional but highly recommended finishing touch.
The Directions
- Melt the Coconut Oil. Preheat the oven.
- Mix the Dry Ingredients. Whisk the dry ingredients together.
- Mix the Wet Ingredients. Stir the sugar into the oil, then whisk in the remaining wet ingredients.
- Prepare the Dough. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry.
- Get Ready to Bake. Drop cookie dough balls onto a baking sheet.
- Bake. Bake pumpkin oatmeal cookies at 350 degrees F for 11 to 12 minutes. Make the glaze.
- Frost the Cookies. DIG IN!
Storage Tips
- To Store. The cookies’ flavor is best on Day 2. Store leftovers in an airtight container lined with paper towels at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- To Freeze. Place cookies in an airtight freezer-safe storage container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- Baking Sheets. A must-have for baking cookies.
- Batter Scoop. My trick to perfectly-sized cookies.
- Small Whisk. Keep your ingredients in the bowl with this small, easy-to-use whisk.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Just the Yolks. For this recipe, we’re only using an egg yolk. It helps create the perfect chewy, tender texture. (Save the egg white to make Pumpkin Granola.)
- Don’t Skimp on the Spices. While the pumpkin is an important part of these cookies, it is not the main source of flavor. The warm, rich spices are what makes these cookies addictive, so don’t hold back!
- Know Thy Oven. Cookies (and all baked goods) can go from done to overdone in a matter of minutes. If you know that your oven tends to run hot, make sure you check them early and often.
Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
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Ingredients
For the Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies:
- 1/2 cup coconut oil
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour (plus 2 tablespoons)
- 3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1/2 cup packed coconut sugar or substitute light brown sugar
- 1 large egg yolk at room temperature
- 1/2 cup pure pumpkin puree not pumpkin pie filling
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
For the Maple Glaze (optional):
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar sifted
- 1/2 to 1 tablespoon milk any kind of dairy or non-dairy milk you like or cream
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 1/4 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone baking mats. Set aside.
- In a microwave-safe medium bowl, melt the coconut oil and set aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
- To the bowl with the coconut oil, add the coconut sugar, and stir until well combined. Once combined, whisk in the egg yolk. Add the pumpkin, maple syrup, and vanilla, and whisk until the mixture is well blended. It will be very thick.
- Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour the wet ingredients into the well.
- Stir and fold the batter by hand with a rubber spatula or spoon, just until combined and the flour disappears. The dough will be very thick and will seem dry, but keep stirring and folding and it will come together. Do not overmix.
- With a cookie scoop or spoon, portion the dough by 2 tablespoonfuls. Roll into balls and place on the baking sheet, leaving about 1 1/2 inches between each. Lightly flatten the tops of the balls to help the cookies spread in the oven, but do not flatten them completely.
- Bake the cookies for 11 to 12 minutes, until very lightly browned on the edges, dry to the touch, and still appearing soft in the centers. Allow the cookies to cool 4 minutes on the baking sheet, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- While the cookies cool, make the glaze: In a medium bowl, whisk together the powdered sugar, 1/2 tablespoon milk, maple syrup, and vanilla until evenly combined. If the glaze is too thick to drizzle, add additional milk 1/2 teaspoon at a time until you reach your desired consistency.
- To frost: Transfer the cookies to a plate or clean sheet of parchment. Dip a fork into the glaze and drizzle it over the top of the cookies in a zigzag pattern. Let the cookies sit at room temperature until the glaze sets, about 20 minutes. Enjoy!
Notes
- TO STORE: The cookies’ flavor is best on Day 2. Store leftovers in an airtight storage container lined with paper towels at room temperature for up to 1 week.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze cookies in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator.
Nutrition
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Sign Me UpFrequently Asked Questions
Yes, you can make these pumpkin oatmeal cookies vegan. Swap the egg yolk for a flax egg.
I haven’t tried a healthy pumpkin oatmeal cookies applesauce swap, so I can’t say for certain whether or not it could replace the egg yolk; I believe it would most likely make the cookies cakey.
Yes, you can definitely make these into pumpkin oatmeal chocolate chip cookies. Fold in the chocolate chips in at the end of Step 5. Or, try my classic Healthy Pumpkin Cookies.
If you don’t want to use the maple glaze from this recipe (it’s absolutely delicious on these cookies!), then you could swap it for the vanilla glaze from my Apple Oatmeal Cookies recipe (also delicious!).
Have a great time at the wedding Erin and these cookies look amazing!
Thank you so much Heather! xo
Awww…have the best time this weekend! I’m sure you’re speech will be great! And if all else fails, just pass out some of these cookies! Lol.
LOVE THIS PLAN! Thanks Liz! xoxo
While the fall pumpkin recipe market can get bloated really quickly, I haven’t seen a recipe like this one yet… looks great! Can’t wait to try it!
I’m so happy to hear that there’s still room for this cookie Georgia! Thank you so much.
If Fall was a cookie, it’d DEFINITELY be this one!!
TOTALLY agree Gaby! Thank you so much!
Can you use butter instead of coconut oil? Sorry if this is in the comments already, don’t have a chance to read them at this second but the recipe looks so good!
Yes Jessi, that would work just fine (be sure to use unsalted). I hope you enjoy the recipe!
So we made them last night… and they were super delicious! They taste like autumn in a bite. And they were pretty easy to make! A real winner all around! <3
HOORAY Jessi! Thank you so much for taking the time to try these and report back. I’m so glad to hear you enjoyed them!
Okay I’m looking to make these again and have a new question. :) What egg yolk replacement would work for making these cookies vegan?
Hmm, I haven’t tested any substitutions, so I can’t say for certain. You could try a flax egg—if you do decide to experiment, I’d love to hear how it goes!
Can I share your trainer? And then you make me these too? K, thanks. Haha have fun this weekend!
LOL. Yes and yes! Thanks so much Lindsay!
OMGosh, these are delicious, I used gluten free flour instead of wheat flour and dropped by the tablespoon full as my dough didn’t get stiff enough to roll but they are awesome!!! Perfect for the first day of fall, thanks Erin for such good recipes!
Paula, this makes me so happy to hear! Thanks so much for trying the recipe and taking time to leave this lovely review, as well as to let me know that the gluten free flour works well. That’s really valuable info! Enjoy every bite.
Exactly my cup of tea ! Thank you so much !
I hope you love them!
These sound delicious! I have made all kinds of oatmeal cookies but have never used pumpkin in them. Looking forward to trying these soon.
I hope you love them Peggy (and thanks so much for your kind words about the wedding too. It was BEAUTIFUL!)
And…congratulations to the new bride and groom!
Made these this weekend and YUM. I did sub butter as I didn’t have coconut oil, added plumped white raisins and chopped walnuts. Delicious!! I agree that somehow they taste even better the 2nd day, flavors must need time to blend. I made them a little smaller and got 2 dozen, but hey, you can always eat two. ? Oh yes, and they are also delicious without the glaze!! A great healthier cookie.
Patricia, I am so so excited to hear this! Thanks for trying the recipe and leaving this lovely review!
P. S. Congrats to all on the nuptials!
I made these cookies with my daughter tonight and they are amazing!!
I am so excited to hear that Sheri, thank you!!
hey girl- these look so yummy! Have a great week!
You too Shawnna! Thank you so much!
Not want, NEED. And I’m talking a dozen, not one or two (for myself, to be clear). Cannot wait to try these!
Haha, I giggled throughout most of this post, especially the cat lady part. I saw a few pics on Insta you posted from the wedding. So beautiful!
Has anyone substituted another sweetener such as honey or maple syrup for the granlulated that the recipe calls for? I assume that you could I just wouldn’t know the ratio and if I should reduce the amount of liquid elsewhere in the recipe.
Thanks!
Hi Jasmine, I know this probably isn’t what you’re hoping to hear, but I think it would be very difficult to use all liquid sweetener, as it would make the cookies too runny. The only way that I can vouch for the recipe is the way that it is written. If you’d like to sweeten cookies with only maple syrup or honey, you might like these carrot cookies.
Thank you so much. Currently making these cookies the way they are written only because I love and trust your recipes so much. Can’t wait to try them!
That makes my day to hear you enjoy my recipes, Jasmine! I hope you love these too.
I made these to share at the office and they were gobbled up quickly!
I’m happy to hear they were a hit, Shannon! Thanks so much for reporting back!
I found this recipe earlier last month and I’ve made them multiple times. They keep getting eaten, so I keep needing to make more! Is there something I can substitute for the maple sugar? It’s quite expensive and seems to be the limiting reagent in the recipe. Can I use honey or some other sweetener instead? Corn syrup?
Hi Erin! I’m so glad you enjoy the cookies. I think you could try swapping honey for the maple syrup. I haven’t tested it that way, but if you do decide to experiment, I’d love to hear how it goes.
Mama Funke brought these to the Hersh Thanksgiving and they were a HIT!!!! Totally making these in th eFit Foodie kitchen <3
Hooray! I’m glad they were a hit. Thanks for reporting back, Lee!
Good flavor, but I was a little disappointed there weren’t more oats in these. Based on the picture of them in the article I assumed they would be more oat based. But the texture is very cake like & they are yummy even without the icing!
Hi Emily, I’m glad to hear you enjoyed the cookies! Thanks for sharing this review.
LOVE THESE! they were exactly what i was craving. easy enough to make with a baby in one arm too. i added dark chocolate chips! will definitely be making these again!
YAY! I’m so happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe, Molly! Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review!
Reporting back a year later, they came out great with the flax egg!
Thank you for taking the time to report back, Jessi! I’m so happy these turned out well!
This is a very good, very easy recipe. I used brown sugar and added pecans, and on a couple batches added chocolate chips. Great holiday cookies. I didn’t frost them. Maybe next time.
Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review, Kathy! I’m so happy to hear that this recipe was a hit!
Sooo yummy!! I skipped the glaze and only had whole wheat flour but they still turned out amazing!
Thank you for taking the time to share this kind review, Kristie! I’m so happy to hear that this recipe was a hit!
They taste amazing but my icing turned out translucent. So they didn’t look as nice for picture ?
I’m happy that you enjoyed the flavor, Adriana! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
I don’t know what I did wrong, but my batter was more the consistency of a thick pancake or muffin batter. However, the flavor is delicious and we’ll just have to see how they turn out!
Hi April! I’m sorry to hear that! It’s hard to know what went wrong without being in the kitchen with you. Hope you were still able to enjoy them!
Best cookie recipe ever!!! And so easy! I made these for Thanksgiving and I’m still making them by request!!! The flavor is unbelievably delicious and they’re perfect with raisins and walnuts!
You’re the best!👍🏻😋❤
Hi Beckie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Is something off in the ingredients list? I was careful to get the portions correct but the dough is soupy — not dry at all. Haven’t decided yet how to fix this.
I’m sorry to hear that you had trouble with the recipe, Pamela. The amounts are correct and have worked well for myself (and others) so I wished it would have been a hit for you too! I know it can be so disappointing to try a new recipe and it does not turn out for you.
Yay!! Thank you!
Honestly delicious. Perfect fall cookie. Easy to make. Glad this recipe exists!!
SO glad, thanks Andrea!
Loved these cookies!! Now, I’m trying to figure out how to make them gluten free.
So glad you enjoyed it Debbie!
These are delicious. I used all the substitutes to make them dairy free and they came out perfectly delicious!
Question- has anyone used this recipe for gluten free cookies. Wondering what the conversion is?
Glad it worked out for you!