Gluten-free Pumpkin Spice Cookies Recipe

Gluten-free pumpkin spice cookies recipe topped with cream cheese frosting – the perfect autumnal bake that’s easy peasy! Of course, it’s Coeliac-friendly too.

Gluten-free pumpkin spice cookies recipe, anyone? These chunky cake-like cookies were inspired by my pumpkin spice loaf cake, but with a crisp exterior and a fluffy middle, these take the flavour up a level or two thanks to the introduction of gluten-free oats. And yes – you can get tinned pumpkin puree easily here in the UK in supermarkets!

As you might have noticed, I’m really into my warming, cosy, autumnal baking this year and that’s why I absolutely had to share this recipe I’ve been working on.

These cookies are the type of thing I’ll see in the windows of small bakeries when the leaves start turning yellow and I wish I’d checked the weather forecast before I left the house. But as you all know, when you’re gluten-free, the chances of being able to eat something like this are very, very, very slim!

Fortunately, these are incredibly easy to whip up at home as you just need to mix up the cookie batter, chill, roll into balls and bake! Then, simply mix the cream cheese frosting together and spread it on top once they’ve cooled.

Needless to say, no one would ever know they’re gluten-free, so feel free to share all those cosy autumnal flavours with anyone lucky enough to be around while you’re baking these! Here’s what you’ll need… ??

Gluten-free pumpkin spice cookies recipe: What you’ll need…

• Butter: Make sure it’s softened and NOT straight from the fridge – so remember to remove the butter from the fridge a few hours before you start.
• Light brown sugar: This is key for that distinctive caramelised sweetness, which works so well with the spices below.
• Egg: Medium or large (UK size) eggs are fine for this recipe. I used medium.
• Gluten-free self-raising flour: This is a simple gluten-free flour blend I buy in the supermarket free from aisle. If you can’t find this where you live, you can always make your own using my flour blend recipe here.
• Gluten-free oats: You’ll find these down the free from aisle in supermarkets. Sadly there’s no easy swap for these and they form an important part of the base of these cookies.
• Bicarbonate of soda: This is also known as baking soda, but don’t confuse it with baking powder! Bicarb is much stronger and certainly not replaceable with baking powder.
• Ground mixed spice: To achieve that warming spice, I used mixed spice, which you’ll find with all the other spices in supermarkets.
• Xanthan gum: This is an important binder in gluten-free baking and goes a long way in preventing crumbly cookies! You’ll find it down the free from aisle in supermarkets near the gluten-free flour blends.
• Tinned pumpkin puree: This makes this recipe super easy as there’s no need to prepare/cook/blend fresh pumpkin. I usually buy mine in Sainsburys or Tesco.
• Cream cheese: I used full-fat cream cheese for this recipe and I’d very strongly recommend you do too. Low-fat cream cheese lacks a high enough fat content to whip and you can end up with a very sloppy, unpleasant mixture!
• Icing sugar: This is a staple in almost any frosting or icing. In the US it’s known as confectioner’s sugar.
• Vanilla extract: The better quality your vanilla extract is, the better it will taste!

So now you know what you’ll need for my gluten-free pumpkin spice cookies recipe, how do they taste?

In a word: exceptional! Expect a similar flavour profile to my pumpkin spice loaf cake with the pumpkin puree offering a unique sweetness and subtle flavour and a warming spice and creamy frosting.

However, these cookies have a crisp exterior and an even fluffier middle, made even better by the addition of gluten-free oats which not only helps bind the cookies, but add tons of almost nutty flavour too.

Trust me, these are seriously addictive! Here’s a few frequently asked questions before we get started…

Gluten-free pumpkin spice cookies recipe: Frequently Asked Questions

Can I make this recipe gluten-free? Is it suitable for Coeliacs?

It is gluten-free, though nobody would know just by tasting it – trust me!

Bear in mind that minimising cross-contamination is hugely important if you’re Coeliac or making this for someone who is. Here’s some tips from Coeliac UK on minimising the risk of cross contamination.

Also, make sure that all ingredients used don’t have any gluten-containing ingredients. Then make sure that they also don’t have a ‘may contain’ warning for gluten, wheat, rye, barley, oats (which aren’t gf), spelt and khorasan wheat (aka Kamut).

Here’s some more info from Coeliac UK on identifying safe gluten-free products.

How do I make this recipe dairy-free?

All you need to do is make two simple swaps:

• Use Stork hard margarine instead of butter
• Use dairy-free cream cheese (21g fat per 100g minimum)

That’s it!

Can I make your gluten-free pumpkin spice cookies recipe vegan?

Yep! If you follow the instructions above to make this recipe dairy free, then all you’ve got left to contend with is the egg.

Here’s a few ideas you can use as egg replacements, so each of these = 1 egg.

• 3 tablespoons of aquafaba (whisked until frothy) – water from a can of chickpeas. Keep the chickpeas for a future dinner!
• 1 tbsp of ground flaxseed and 3 tbsp of water
• Egg replacement powder – I’d recommend using Orgran as it’s gluten free.
• 1 tablespoon of chia/flax seeds mixed with 2 tablespoons of water and left for 10 minutes in the fridge.
• 3 tablespoons of applesauce.

I haven’t tested all of these egg alternatives so let me know how you get on in the comments below.

Is this recipe low FODMAP?

Yes – as long as you use lactose-free cream cheese. That makes one cookie suitable for the elimination phase of the low FODMAP diet.

What can I use instead of gluten-free oats?

There’s no easy straight swap for gluten-free oats in this recipe sadly as they’re not just there for flavour. They play an important role in ensuring the mixture binds together!

Where do I get tinned pumpkin?

I buy mine in Sainsburys or Tesco. They sell it in Waitrose too, but it’s a lot more expensive at the time of writing.

Can I use real pumpkin?

In order to use real pumpkin, you’d need to chop fresh pumpkin, cook it, drain it and blend it. Though I haven’t tested it, I am sure you’ll have great success making your own pumpkin puree to use in this recipe – give this recipe a try here.

Do I need weighing scales to make your gluten-free pumpkin spice cookies recipe?

In short… yes, yes and yes! And I wouldn’t advise attempting any of my recipes without them. One of the worst things you can do in any recipe is alter the quantities by mistake or on purpose.

(unless you know what you’re doing of course)

Why? Well, you’re sort of just gambling with the recipe and praying that it turns out ok, don’t you think? And I’ve generally already done the hard work there for you, so you don’t have to do the guesswork with measurements!

A lot of work went into fine tuning ratios and quantities so I wouldn’t mess around with them unless you really know your stuff. I’d recommending using digital cooking scales like these so you know you’re getting an accurate measurement and replicating my recipe as accurately as poss.

Gluten-free pumpkin spice cookies recipe: Tips for perfection!

1. The cookies don’t spread hugely so you don’t need to have them too spread out.
2. If the mixture is too sticky a little extra flour on the worktop and your hands is not a problem – try not to add too much though as it can make the cookies dry and more crumbly.
3. Smaller gluten free oats are preferable otherwise the mixture can be a little more loose.

Thanks for reading all about my gluten-free pumpkin spice cookies recipe! If you make it, I’d love to see how it turned out so don’t forget to take a snap of your creations and tag me on Instagram!

Any questions about the recipe? Please do let me know by following me on Instagram or TikTok and leaving me a comment on a recent post!

Thanks for reading,

Becky xxx

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