A fusion of fall flavor with a traditional cookie style, these Grain Free Pumpkin Sugar Cookies are the best of both worlds! The soft and fluffy texture is completed with the crisp sugar granules on top. These remind me of the fluffy sugar cookies of my childhood just now with a pumpkin spice twist and better-for-you ingredients!

And while rolling the dough in the cinnamon sugar mixture is an extra step, it’s definitely worth it. The light coating creates a slightly crisp edge to these cookies that’s just *chef’s kiss* perfect. These are sure to become your new seasonal favorite!

Another pumpkin dessert to try would be these Pumpkin Pie Bars that are 10x easier and just as tasty as a traditional pie. And if you’re looking for another seasonal cookie, check out these Paleo Soft Ginger Cookies that are perfect alongside some coffee or hot cocoa.

A ceramic bowl is filled with Grain Free Pumpkin Sugar Cookies and sitting on a cloth linen. There are crinkles and cinnamon sugar granules on top of the cookies. Cinnamon sticks also sit in the bowl alongside the cookies. In the background are more slightly blurred out pumpkin sugar cookies.

Ingredients

Egg Yolk – Helps to make these pumpkin sugar cookies more chewy and rich in flavor. Since the pumpkin puree adds extra moisture, I found x1 egg yolk was the perfect amount to give these cookies the perfect texture.

Pumpkin Puree – Make sure to use 100% pure pumpkin puree for these cookies and *not* pumpkin pie filling. This will affect the final texture and flavor!

Coconut Sugar & Maple Syrup – Two refined-sugar free sweeteners that add a cozy, caramel like flavor.

Coconut Oil – Make sure you melt it then cool it before adding to the bowl. Otherwise it may start to cook the eggs or create lumps in the dough mixture.

Almond Flour – My favorite gluten + grain free flour that creates the best fluffy texture for these gluten free pumpkin cookies. I love using Bob’s Red Mill because their super fine, blanched almond flour is high quality and creates the ideal flavor/texture when baking.

Pumpkin Pie Spice – The key to fall flavor and full of warming spices like cinnamon, clove, ginger, and nutmeg!

Baking Powder & Soda – Helps these cookies rise a bit and not be too dense. When baking with a heavier flour like almond flour it’s important to use proper leavening agents for best texture.

Cinnamon – Since pumpkin pie spice doesn’t have too much cinnamon in it, I like to add extra for that perfect pumpkin spice flavor.

Top down shot of a ceramic bowl filled with Grain Free Pumpkin Sugar Cookies. There are crinkles and cinnamon sugar granules on top of the cookies. Cinnamon sticks also sit in the bowl alongside the cookies. In the background there are the edges of a cloth linen or cinnamon slightly blurred out.

How to make the best Pumpkin Cookies

1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a baking tray with parchment paper.

2. To a large bowl, whisk together egg yolk, pumpkin puree, coconut sugar, coconut oil, and maple syrup.

3. Add in almond flour, pumpkin pie spice, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir until just combined. Move dough to the fridge and chill for 30 minutes.

4. Remove from the fridge and roll into 12 balls (~2-3 tbsp each). Optional: coat with cinnamon sugar mixture.

5. Evenly space dough balls on a parchment-lined baking tray and press down to slightly flatten with your hands until they are about 1” thick.

6. Move to the oven and bake 350F 12-14 minutes until cookies have cracked tops and edges have started to brown. Remove from the oven and let cool completely. Enjoy!

A bowl has egg yolk, pumpkin puree, coconut il, maple syrup, and coconut sugar in it for the dough of pumpkin cookies.

A bowl has whisked wet ingredients in it for pumpkin sugar cookies. A whisk sits in the mixture.

Pumpkin Sugar Cookies with Cream Cheese Frosting

While these cookies are plenty delicious on their own, another option is to make Iced Pumpkin Cookies. For this variation, top them off with my favorite vanilla bean cashew cream frosting. I originally made it to frost a Paleo Carrot Cake but I think it’d be perfect for these pumpkin sugar cookies too. After all, it’s just a healthy and vegan take on the traditional cream cheese which pairs *so* well with anything pumpkin!

Plus it’s super easy with only seven ingredients and three steps to it. The only part to be mindful of is the time it needs to chill in the fridge and thicken up. I suggest making it ahead of time and then it’s ready to go once your pumpkin pie sugar cookies are fully cooled.

Libby’s Pumpkin Cookies

I’ve written about this in previous posts so hopefully you all know by now that pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie filling are not the same thing! It’s important to differentiate between the two because pure pumpkin puree is only roasted pumpkin and what you want to use in all of my recipes. Canned pumpkin pie filling has additional sweeteners and flavors in it that just won’t work out!

My go-to brand for pumpkin puree though is Libby’s and here’s why:

It’s 100% pure pumpkin with no added sugars or flavors

The pumpkin is grown and harvested in the USA

The consistency is better than other brands! I’ve found that Libby’s is much higher quality and thicker which works better for baking. Some brands have a watery consistency to the puree that just doesn’t work as well.

Top down shot of a ceramic bowl filled with Grain Free Pumpkin Sugar Cookies and some cinnamon stciks. There are crinkles and cinnamon sugar granules on top of the cookies. In the background are more slightly blurred out pumpkin cookies and cinnamon sticks.

Do these cookies freeze well?

If you somehow manage to not devour all of these healthy pumpkin cookies then yes, they definitely freeze well! My best advice would be to freeze them in one of two ways.

One option would be that once the cookies bake, let them cool completely then store in an airtight container and use parchment paper to separate the cookie layers. Stash in the freezer and then remove whenever the cookie craving strikes.

Another way would be to freeze the cookies before baking. I’d suggest still chilling the dough so that you can properly roll the dough into balls but then instead of rolling in the sugar + cinnamon mixture and baking, simply place the dough balls in an airtight container or storage bag. Separate any layers with parchment paper then freeze for up to 3 months. And once you’re ready to bake, simply thaw the dough balls for a few hours in the fridge, roll in the sugar + cinnamon mixture and pop in the oven! The baking time may vary and texture may change a bit but overall the flavor will still be amazing.

Tips for the best Gluten Free Pumpkin Cookies

Make sure to refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes. This will give the dough time to thicken and make it easier to handle / roll into balls.

If you decide to coat the dough in the cinnamon-sugar mixture, I suggest using one with a thicker granular – I like the organic cane sugar from Whole Foods. If you want to keep these cookies paleo, you could also leave out, just coat in cinnamon, or use coconut sugar instead of organic sugar.

Press the cookies slightly flat (see example photo below, about 1″ thick) before moving to the oven to bake.

Twelve slightly flattened pumpkin sugar cookies are on a parchment paper lined baking sheet before baking.

Twelve freshly baked pumpkin sugar cookies sit on a parchment paper lined baking sheet. The cookie tops are slightly crinkled and topped with cinnamon sugar.

Why I love these Healthy Pumpkin Cookies

Made with better-for-you ingredients – gluten free, grain free, and dairy free!

Super soft pumpkin cookies that just melt in your mouth. Basically my take on a pumpkin snickerdoodle cookie.

Easy to make! These cookies need just 11 ingredients and require less than 20 minutes of hands on time.

If you’re looking for more easy yet delicious pumpkin treats this holiday season be sure to check out these Gluten Free Pumpkin Oat Muffins or these Gluten Free Pumpkin Pancakes, both are delicious and make for a satisfying breakfast!

And if you try this recipe, please let me know by leaving a comment and rating in the boxes below! I always love to hear from you, and it also helps other people find this recipe when they search online for the BEST Grain Free Pumpkin Sugar Cookies 🙂