These healthy pumpkin breakfast cookies are soft and chewy with autumn flavours in every bite. Made with no flour, and packed with fibre and nutrients, these gluten-free pumpkin oatmeal cookies are perfect for satisfying and easy make-ahead breakfasts, snacks or healthier treats! {Gluten-free, Nut-free & Vegetarian}
Gluten-Free Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
Fall is my favourite time of year and for good reason! It’s the perfect time to get those sweaters out and cozy up inside on those chilly evenings…and of course, we can’t forget about about pumpkin season!
These healthy pumpkin breakfast cookies are a nutritious way to enjoy those autumn flavours, and they are ideal for a tasty on the go breakfast or snack for the whole family.
Not to mention, they are so moist, chewy and soft from the pumpkin and oatmeal, and have just the right amount of gooey chocolate chips and crunch from the pumpkin seeds.
And let’s talk about that smell! These spiced pumpkin cookies will fill your house with the ultimate warm and cozy aroma.
If you’re looking for more healthy pumpkin recipes, be sure to check out these No Bake Pumpkin Balls and Baked Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins.
Why We Love These Healthy Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies
- Easy: They’re made with simple ingredients and are ready to enjoy in less than 30 minutes.
- Nutritious: These healthy pumpkin oatmeal cookies are made from wholesome ingredients and contain no refined sugar, but have just the right amount of sweetness. They’re also packed with fibre, healthy fats and vitamin C and A!
- Easily adaptable: These chewy cookies can be easily adapted so they’re perfect for a variety of different dietary requirements. They’re also nut-free, so great for those lunch boxes!
- Delicious: Perfectly spiced, soft, chewy and full of fall flavours. Cookies don’t get much better than this!
Ingredient Notes
- Oats: I used a combination of rolled also known as old fashioned oats and quick-cooking oats to provide a more chewy texture to the cookie. Feel free to sub in certified gluten-free oats if necessary.
- Flaxseed: Use the ground flaxseed; not the whole flaxseeds. The ground flaxseeds are easier to digest whereas the whole ones may pass through undigested, which means you won’t reap all of the benefits of them such as the omega-3’s, fibre and antioxidants.
- Pumpkin seeds: Add a nice crunch to the cookies. Use raw unsalted pumpkin seeds. You can also sub in sunflower seeds or any preferred nuts, if desired.
- Pumpkin purée: The pumpkin puree is the star ingredient and is what makes these soft cookies moist and perfect for Fall. Be sure to use 100% pure pumpkin puree and not the pumpkin pie filling which is sweet and much higher in sugar.
- Coconut oil: The coconut oil adds some additional moisture to the cookies and a subtle coconut flavour. Use 100% unrefined extra virgin coconut oil if possible.
- Maple syrup: Provides some natural sweetness to the cookies. Use 100% pure maple syrup. You can also sub in honey if desired.
Step by Step Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large mixing bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients together until combined.
- In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.
- Pour the pumpkin mixture into the dry ingredients and mix until well combined.
- Using your hands or a spoon, scoop up mixture and form into twelve cookies of equal size (they should be about an inch or so thick). Place each cookie on the parchment paper-lined cookie sheet, leaving about an inch between each cookie.
- Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until cookies are slightly firm to the touch. Allow them to cool on a wire rack before serving or storing for later.
Keep scrolling to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
- I recommend using your hands to form the cookies. It will allow you to better shape the cookies and help the mixture stay together. If you find the mixture is sticking to your hands, you can wet your hands a bit before forming the mixture into cookies or use kitchen gloves.
- I made my cookies fairly thick so that they resemble a breakfast cookie. I find that they’re more soft and chewy this way.
- Be sure to line the baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent them from sticking to the baking sheet and for super easy clean up!
- Be sure to let the pumpkin oat cookies cool completely before storing them.
- Feel free to customize the cookies and add in extras like dried cranberries, other nuts like walnuts, pecans, sliced almonds or hemp hearts if desired.
Recipe FAQs
Typically, pumpkin cookies are best stored in the refrigerator or freezer to help prevent the oil and pumpkin puree from “sweating” from the cookies, thus making them sticky. You can store them at room temperature for several hours, but for best results, they should be stored in the fridge or freezer.
The amazing thing about these pumpkin cookies is that they’re primarily made of oats, pumpkin, and ground flaxseed which provides that soluble fibre which can help to stabilize the blood sugar and keep those energy levels up.
Then, add in the pumpkin seeds for a dose of protein and healthy fats, some dark chocolate chips for some antioxidants and you’ve got one nutrient-packed, energizing breakfast cookie.
Oats are inherently gluten-free, but some varieties may have been cross contaminated with gluten. If you or someone in your family has celiac disease or a gluten intolerance, be sure to check that your oats are gluten-free certified when mixing the oats into these cookies.
How to Store
Refrigerator: Once the oatmeal pumpkin cookies have cooled, place them in an airtight container. They will keep in fridge for up to four days. I like to make a batch on a Sunday for easy breakfasts or healthy snacks during the week.
To freeze: Allow cookies to cool completely and then freeze them solid on a baking sheet. You can then transfer them to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container and they will keep well for up to 3 months.
To defrost: Thaw frozen cookies at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour before enjoying.
Serving Suggestions
You can eat these pumpkin breakfast cookies on their own or pair them with some extras for an even more satisfying breakfast, snack or treat!
Try them with any of the following recipes:
- Healthy Pumpkin Spice Latte
- Turmeric Latte with Almond Milk
- Banana Smoothie without Yogurt
- Hot Chocolate with Cacao
- Halloween Fruit Tray Ideas
Recipe Variations
The beauty of these gluten-free pumpkin cookies is that you can easily switch up the add-ins. See below for some ideas!
- Add nuts: Try sliced almonds, chopped walnuts or pecans.
- Add different seeds: Try sunflower seeds, Hemp seeds or chia seeds
- Add dried fruit: Try raisins or dried cranberries.
- Add more protein: Add a scoop of protein powder to the cookie mixture. If you choose to do so, you may need to add a bit of extra liquid to prevent the batter from being too dry.
- Try different spices: Add some pumpkin pie spice or a dash of dried ginger.
- To make vegan: You can make these cookies vegan by replacing the egg with a vegan-friendly egg replacer or a flax egg.
More Healthy Treats
- Zucchini Chocolate Chip Cookies
- Easy Pumpkin Pie without Evaporated Milk
- Healthy Pumpkin Bread
- Pumpkin Protein Pancakes
- Pumpkin French Toast Sticks Recipe
- Vegan Pumpkin Cheesecake Cups {No-Bake}
- Healthy Pumpkin Cake with Applesauce
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies {Gluten-free}
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 1 cup rolled oats can use gluten-free, if necessary
- 1 cup quick oats
- 1/4 cup ground flaxseed
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup pumpkin seeds
- 1/4 cup dark mini chocolate chips
Wet Ingredients:
- 3/4 cup pure pumpkin puree
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/4 cup coconut oil melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, mix all of the dry ingredients together until combined.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix until well combined.
- Using your hands or a spoon, scoop up mixture and and form into twelve cookies of equal size (they should be about an inch or so thick). Place each cookie on parchment paper, leaving about an inch between each cookie.
- Bake in oven for 15 minutes or until cookies are slightly firm to the touch. Allow to cool on a wire rack.
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Notes
- I recommend using your hands to form the cookies. It will allow you to better shape the cookies and help the mixture better stay together. If you find the mixture is sticking to your hands, you can wet your hands a bit before forming the mixture into cookies or use kitchen gloves.
- I made my cookies fairly thick so that they resemble a breakfast cookie. I find that they’re more soft and chewy this way.
- Be sure to line the baking sheet with parchment paper to prevent them from sticking to the baking sheet and for super easy clean up!
- Be sure to let the cookies cool completely before storing them.
- Feel free to customize the cookies and add in extras like dried cranberries, other nuts like walnuts, pecans, sliced almonds or hemp hearts if desired.
Nutrition
Adapted from Cooking Classy
This recipe was originally posted October 2020 and was updated September 2022 to include more helpful tips and photos.
Really tasty and easy to make! I added 3 tbsp cranberries and chopped pecans each. Would make again for sure
So happy you enjoyed the cookies! Love the addition of the cranberries and pecans — I bet that was delicious! :)