These chewy vegan pumpkin white chocolate chip cookies are soft and buttery with lightly crisp edges. Packed with sweet white chocolate chips and warm autumn spices, they're a delicious alternative to traditional cake-like pumpkin cookies.
Golden pumpkin cookies dotted with mini white chocolate chips make a delightful fall treat. Maple syrup, caramelized sugar, and a generous blend of pumpkin spice give them a rich, warmly spiced flavor. Unlike traditional thick, puffy pumpkin cookies, these bake into delicate rounds with soft centers and lightly crisp edges.
I've made plenty of pumpkin treats over the years, but I had something very specific in mind for these cookies. I wanted a recipe that celebrated the flavors of fall without the usual cake-like consistency. After tasting one nearly a full day after baking, I knew I had a keeper. It was every bit as good as the day before!
While researching pumpkin cookies, I came across Ashley Manila's recipe at Baker by Nature. It helped inspire my version, which I adapted with vegan butter, maple syrup, and mini white chocolate chips. After testing the dough, baking time, and cookie size, I landed on the soft, chewy texture I was looking for.
If you love baking with pumpkin, be sure to try my Vegan Pumpkin Muffins with Maple Syrup, Homemade Vegan Pumpkin Bread and this classic Vegan Pumpkin Pie. All three are wonderful ways to enjoy the flavors of fall.
Table of Contents
Why this recipe works
✔️ Thin and chewy, not cakey
Unlike traditional puffy pumpkin cookies, these bake into thin rounds with soft, chewy centers and lightly crisp edges.
✔️ Rich, buttery sweetness
Maple syrup and caramelized sugar bring depth and sweetness that complement the pumpkin and warm autumn spices.
✔️ Plenty of white chocolate chips
Mini vegan white chocolate chips add creamy sweetness to every bite and create a pretty, polka-dot appearance against the golden pumpkin cookies.
✔️ Deliciously spiced
A generous blend of pumpkin spice adds warmth and character without overpowering the other flavors.
Ingredient Notes
See the printable recipe card below for quantities and full details
- All-purpose flour - Provides structure while allowing the cookies to spread into thin, chewy rounds.
- Vegan butter - Adds richness and buttery flavor. Use softened vegan butter, not melted.
- Brown sugar - Contributes caramel-like sweetness and helps create a soft, chewy texture.
- Granulated sugar - Adds sweetness and encourages the lightly crisp edges.
- Pumpkin purée - Gives the cookies their golden color, moisture, and subtle pumpkin flavor. Use plain pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Pumpkin spice - Brings a pronounced blend of warming autumn spices that complements the sweetness of the cookies.
- Vegan white chocolate chips - Mini white chocolate chips distribute creamy sweetness throughout the cookies and create their distinctive polka-dot appearance.
- Maple syrup - Adds another layer of sweetness and subtle maple flavor.
- Vanilla extract - Rounds out the flavors of the pumpkin, spices, and chocolate.
- Non-dairy milk - Adds moisture and helps bring the dough together. Choose an unsweetened variety. I used soy milk in mine.
- Baking soda - Helps the cookies spread and contributes to browning.
- Salt - Balances the sweetness and enhances the other flavors.
How to Make Homemade Pumpkin Spice
If you don't have packaged pumpkin spice, it's easy to make your own! My homemade pumpkin spice blend makes 8 teaspoons, enough for several batches of cookies. You'll need 2 teaspoons for this recipe. Store the remaining spice in an airtight jar to use in pumpkin bread, pumpkin mousse, pancakes, oatmeal, or other fall treats.
How to Make These Pumpkin Cookies
1. Prepare the oven and baking sheet
Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Prepare a cookie sheet by lining with parchment paper.
2. Combine the dry ingredients
Whisk together the flour, pumpkin spice, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside.
3. Cream the butter and sugars
In a large bowl, use an electric hand mixer or stand mixer to beat the softened vegan butter, brown sugar, granulated sugar, and vanilla until smooth and well combined, about 2 minutes.
4. Add the pumpkin and liquids
Add the pumpkin purée, maple syrup, and non-dairy milk. Mix on low speed just until combined.
The mixture may look grainy or separated at this stage. This isn't unusual. See my Kitchen Notes below.↓
5. Add the dry ingredients
With the mixer on low speed, gradually add the flour mixture. Mix just until the flour is incorporated. The finished dough should be thick and scoopable.
6. Fold in the white chocolate chips
Using a silicone spatula or large spoon, gently stir in the vegan white chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
7. Chill the dough
Cover the bowl and refrigerate for about 30 minutes.
8. Scoop and bake
Drop rounded tablespoons of dough onto the prepared baking sheet, leaving a few inches between cookies to allow for spreading.
Bake at 375°F for approximately 8-9 minutes, until the edges are lightly golden. The centers will still be soft.
9. Cool completely
Allow the cookies to cool completely on the baking sheet before removing them. They will become more stable as they cool while retaining their soft, chewy texture.
Connie's Kitchen Notes🥕
A few helpful tips for getting the best texture, flavor, and appearance from these pumpkin cookies.
Use softened vegan butter. The butter should be soft enough to cream with the sugars, but not melted. Melted butter can change how the dough spreads during baking.
Don't worry if the mixture separates. After adding the pumpkin purée, maple syrup, and plant milk, the creamed butter mixture may look grainy or curdled. These water-rich ingredients can cause the mixture to temporarily split. This happened during my testing, and the cookies turned out beautifully. Just continue with the recipe.
Measure the flour carefully. Too much flour can make the cookies thicker and drier. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off, or use a digital kitchen scale for accuracy.
Add the dry ingredients gradually and don't overmix. Stir just until the flour is incorporated. Excessive mixing develops gluten in the flour, which can make the cookies tough and less tender instead of soft and chewy.
Don't skip chilling the dough. Refrigerating the dough for about 30 minutes helps firm the butter and makes the dough easier to scoop. The cookies will still spread as they bake.
Leave plenty of room between cookies. These aren't thick, puffy pumpkin cookies. They spread into thin rounds, so space the dough portions a few inches apart.
Watch the edges, not just the clock. Remove the cookies when the edges are lightly golden, even if the centers still look soft. They'll continue to firm as they cool.
Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet. Fresh from the oven, they're delicate and may break if moved too soon. Allow them to cool completely before transferring or serving.
Use vegan white chocolate chips. Check the ingredient label, since many conventional white chocolate chips contain dairy. Mini chips work especially well because they distribute throughout the cookies and give them their distinctive polka-dot appearance.
Storage & Serving
Room Temperature: Store completely cooled cookies in a covered container at room temperature. They'll stay soft and chewy with lightly crisp edges.
Refrigerating: For longer storage, I prefer keeping these cookies in a covered container in the refrigerator. They're delicious served cold or at room temperature.
Freezing: Freeze cookies in a freezer-safe container, separating layers with parchment paper if needed. Thaw at room temperature before serving. The cookies retain their flavor and texture after thawing.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to remove moisture from the pumpkin purée?
No. This recipe was developed using pumpkin purée straight from the can. There's no need to blot or drain it. Just be sure to use plain pumpkin purée, not pumpkin pie filling.
Can I make the cookie dough ahead of time?
Yes. You can prepare the dough in advance and keep it covered in the refrigerator. If it's too firm to scoop, let it soften slightly at room temperature. Keep in mind that longer chilling may affect how much the cookies spread during baking.
Recipe
Chewy Vegan Pumpkin White Chocolate Chip Cookies
Equipment
- 1 Electric hand or stand mixer
- 2 mixing bowls
- 1 silicone spatula
- 1 baking sheet
- 1 Parchment paper
Ingredients
- ½ cup vegan butter softened, not melted
- ¾ cup brown sugar light brown, packed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
- 2 Tbsp unsweetened non-dairy milk (I used soy milk)
- ⅓ cup pumpkin purée (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 2¼ cups all-purpose flour (see notes below)
- 2 teaspoon pumpkin spice see notes for making your own
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¾ cup vegan white chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven at 375℉
- Prepare a large cookie sheet by lining with parchment paper.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, pumpkin spice, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- Using a large bowl and electric mixer, beat together the softened butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and vanilla a few minutes until thick and creamy.
- Next add the pumpkin purée, maple syrup, and non-dairy milk. Mix on low speed just long enough to combine. The mixture may look grainy or separated (split). Don't worry if it does, your cookies should turn out fine (see notes below).
- Set the mixer to low speed and gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet just until everything is combined. Don't over-mix. The dough should be thick.
- Gently stir in the chocolate chips with a silicone spatula or large spoon.
- Cover the bowl and let the dough chill about 30 minutes in the refrigerator.
- Use a tablespoon to scoop the dough into rounded spoonfuls and place onto the lined cookie sheet, a few inches apart. The cookies will spread while baking, so allow a few inches of space between them.
- Bake at 375℉ for 8-9 minutes, until the edges look lightly golden brown. The centers will be soft until the cookies fully cool.
- Remove from oven and allow the cookies to cool completely before removing from the baking sheet.
Notes
Nutrition
These are estimated values generated from a nutritional database using unbranded products. Please do your own research with the products you're using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.
Connie Edwards McGaughy says
If you're looking for something new to make with pumpkin, you owe it to yourself to give this recipe a try. These chewy pumpkin cookies are simply scrumptious with just the right amount of warm fall spices and sweet chewy goodness!