Name: Gluten-Free Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Cookies
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 20 min
Yield: 18 cookies
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 1/4 cup gluten-free flour blend (180g); 1/4 teaspoon xanthan gum (if your blend doesn't already contain it); 1/2 teaspoon baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon baking soda; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice (homemade or store-bought); 1/2 cup unsalted butter (melted (113g); 1/3 cup pure pumpkin puree (80g); 3/4 cup brown sugar (packed (150g); 2 tablespoons molasses (40g); 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract; 1 cup chopped chocolate (150g, 5.25 oz); 1 teaspoon flaky sea salt (optional)

A closeup of gluten-free pumpkin chocolate chip cookies on a cooling rack.

Why this recipe works

Pumpkin season is here! These gluten free pumpkin chocolate chip cookies are the perfect indulgence for you to enjoy as the weather cools down. They’re so soft, chewy and flecked with rich chocolate chunks. You’re not going to be able to get enough of them this fall season!

I find that pumpkin puree can easily make cookies or other baked goods very cakey. I don’t know about you, but I like my cookies to be chewy, including these gluten-free pumpkin cookies.

The solution? Molasses! Molasses gives these cookies a warm, deep flavor while adding moisture and a chewy texture. These cookies are the perfect balance between cakey and chewy!

And don’t forget the flaky sea salt! They take these chewy pumpkin chocolate chip cookies to the next level. Trust me, put out a plate at your next gathering and watch them disappear!

You’ll love this easy recipe because:

It’s gluten-free. These pumpkin cookies are formulated to be gluten-free using a gluten-free flour blend. Trust me, you won’t be able to tell there’s no gluten in these delicious cookies!
No chilling time. You don’t need to chill the dough for these cookies, making them incredibly quick and easy to make. They’re on the table in less than 20 minutes!
It’s chocolatey. I use chopped chocolate in this recipe because I love the size variation in the chunks and you get chocolate in every bite. It’s SO good!
It’s egg-free. If you have an egg allergy, this is the recipe for you! Pumpkin takes the place of egg in this recipe, acting as a binder. You can easily make this recipe dairy-free and vegan by swapping out the melted butter for vegan butter, too.

Ingredients

Ingredient Notes

Gluten-free flour blend – I tested this cookie recipe with both Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour (in the blue bag) and King Arthur Baking Gluten Free Measure For Measure Flour. Both of these flour blends already contain xanthan gum. If you do not have access to either of these blends, I recommend using a gluten-free flour blend that is meant to be used as a 1-for-1 swap with all-purpose flour. Please use the metric measurements for best results as the way you scoop floor into a measuring cup could affect the outcome of the cookies.
Xanthan gum – Xanthan gum is used as a binder and provides elasticity in gluten-free instead of gluten. If your blend does not already contain xanthan gum, use the amount as specified in the recipe instructions. The flour blends I tested and recommend using already contain xanthan gum, so you do not need to add it when using those gluten-free flour blends.
Pumpkin puree – Use 100% pure pumpkin puree for this recipe. Do NOT use pumpkin pie filling, which already contains sugar and spices in it. Your cookies will be way too sweet and will spread too much. You can use store-bought pumpkin puree or if you have sugar pumpkins, try my homemade pumpkin puree recipe !
Melted butter – Instead of creaming room temperature butter with sugar, we use melted butter which helps keep these cookies chewy!
Molasses – Molasses helps sweeten the cookies, adds extra moisture, keeps the cookies chewy, and adds a deep flavor. Use dark molasses for this recipe. Do not use blackstrap molasses as it is too bitter.
Flaky sea salt – A little bit of flaky sea salt goes a long way with these cookies! I use Maldon salt, which is a salt with large, irregular crystals that is perfect for sprinkling on cookies. It balances the sweetness of the cookies perfectly.

Chopped chocolate gives you those irregular pools of chocolate on top of the cookies. The smaller pieces of chopped chocolate become little flecks in the dough, meaning you get chocolate in every bite. You can even use a combination of chocolate chips, chunks, or chopped chocolate!

Step-by-Step instructions

This gluten-free pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe is so easy to make with just a few simple ingredients. Follow the step-by-step instructions with matching photos below to help you make these cookies perfectly every time!

For the ingredient list with measurements, full instructions, printable recipe, and additional notes, please scroll down to the recipe card.

A glass mixing bowl with gluten-free flour, baking soda, baking powder, and pumpkin spice in it before mixing together.

Add the gluten-free flour blend, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and pumpkin pie spice to a mixing bowl. Whisk together. A glass mixing bowl with melted butter, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, molasses, and vanilla extract before mixing.

A glass mixing bowl with melted butter, pumpkin puree, brown sugar, molasses, and vanilla extract before mixing.

In a separate bowl, add the melted butter, molasses, brown sugar, pumpkin puree, and vanilla. Whisk until smooth. A glass mixing bowl with a brown sugar and butter mixture topped with a gluten-free flour blend.

A glass mixing bowl with a brown sugar and butter mixture topped with a gluten-free flour blend.

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Stir until combined. A glass mixing bowl with gluten-free pumpkin cookie dough topped with chopped chocolate chunks.

A glass mixing bowl with gluten-free pumpkin cookie dough topped with chopped chocolate chunks.

Add the chopped chocolate to the pumpkin cookie dough. A portion scoop filled with gluten-free pumpkin chocolate chip cookie dough over a bowl of cookie dough.

A portion scoop filled with gluten-free pumpkin chocolate chip cookie dough over a bowl of cookie dough.

Use a cookie scoop to scoop out cookie dough about 1.5 tablespoons in size. Six balls of gluten-free pumpkin chocolate chip cookie dough on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Six balls of gluten-free pumpkin chocolate chip cookie dough on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Place the cookie dough on a parchment lined baking sheet, leaving about 2 inches in between each one. You will need two baking sheets. A baking sheet lined with parchment paper with gluten-free pumpkin chocolate chip cookies staggered on the baking sheet.

A baking sheet lined with parchment paper with gluten-free pumpkin chocolate chip cookies staggered on the baking sheet.

Bake for 8-10 minutes, until browned and cooked through. Top with additional chocolate chunks and flaky sea salt. A cooling rack filled with gluten-free pumpkin chocolate chunk cookies topped with flaky sea salt.

A cooling rack filled with gluten-free pumpkin chocolate chunk cookies topped with flaky sea salt.

Let cool on a wire cooling rack.

For best results, use a food scale and follow the metric measurements stated in the recipe card. Baking with a food scale is far more accurate for dry ingredients, especially gluten-free flour that can vary easily depending on the way you scoop it.

Recipe FAQs

What gluten-free flour blend is best?

I’ve tested this recipe with King Arthur Baking Gluten Free Measure for Measure flour and Bob’s Red Mill 1-to-1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. Both contain xanthan gum and are meant to be substituted as a 1-for-1 swap with all-purpose flour. I cannot guarantee that other brands of flour will work in this recipe as I have not tested them myself.

Can I use almond flour or coconut flour in this recipe?

No. Almond flour and coconut flour do not work the same way as a gluten-free flour blend does and the ratios are very different. Please do not use these flours in this recipe as you will be wasting your ingredients. Use a recipe that calls specifically for one of these flours.

Should I refrigerate the dough before baking?

No. Pumpkin puree makes the cookies bake up thick and cakey, but we’re looking for chewy cookies. Leaving the dough at room temperature keeps the dough soft so that it spreads the perfect amount. If you refrigerate the dough, the cookies will bake up too cakey.

How do you store leftover cookies?

Store cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. You can individually wrap and freeze cookies for longer storage, too.

hints & tips

Don’t chill the dough. Pumpkin puree tends to make cookies bake up cakey and they don’t spread. If you chill the dough, the cookies are more likely to not spread at all. I don’t chill my dough, which makes the cookies spread the perfect amount. If you do need to chill your dough, lightly press down on the cookie dough balls before baking to help them spread a bit.
Press additional chocolate into the tops of the cookies after baking. Not only does this make the cookies look really beautiful, but it also gives more chocolate flavor in each bite.
Don’t skip the flaky sea salt. I love Maldon salt, which gives these cookies the perfect combination of sweet and salty. You can skip it, but it really does give these cookies a whole different level of flavor.

An overhead view of a cooling rack filled with gluten-free pumpkin chocolate chunk cookies with sea salt next to a green linen napkin.

Need ways to use up your pumpkin puree? Try these recipes!

This pumpkin chocolate chunk cookie recipe uses only 1/3 cup of pumpkin puree, meaning you might have some left over in the can. If you’re looking for ways to use up the rest of the can, you’re going to love these other gluten-free pumpkin recipes:

My gluten-free pumpkin bread uses a whole cup of pumpkin puree meaning it’s FULL of pumpkin flavor!

Looking for a savory recipe? Try my instant pot pumpkin mushroom risotto . It uses 3/4 cup of pumpkin puree and pairs perfectly with sautéed mushrooms and fresh thyme.

Give classic crème brûlée a pumpkin twist with my pumpkin crème brûlée recipe! Using 3/4 cup of pumpkin puree, it’s a great way to use up some of that extra pumpkin!