These cookies take everything that is delicious about sweet treats and wrap it up into one amazing cookie - soft, bursting with pumpkin flavor and super easy... they're none other than gluten free pumpkin cookies with cream cheese frosting! And they're also dairy free!
That's a long title but these pillow soft cookies are worth every bit of mixing that goes into them. Which, by the way, is not any different from any other cookie - creaming, adding the egg, then the flour mix - nothing complicated... but these little beauties aren't just gluten free, but dairy free too (see that frosting, yum!) So they are a big win and a big win deserves a big shout out!
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Why this recipe is the Best!
Cookies are one of the best desserts/treats... they mix together rather quickly and if you use a mix like these cake mix cookies do, you can literally sink your teeth into them in no time. Besides being gluten and dairy free, these spiced pumpkin cookies are also:
- Melt-in-your-mouth soft
- Convenient, since they start with a pre-made flour blend (note that this is not the Zest For Baking flour blend, the King Arthur blend works wonderfully though)
- Great for storing - they last for several days at room temperature!
- Delicious with or without the frosting
- Perfectly spiced with pumpkin pie spice, additional cinnamon and of course, pumpkin!
Baker's pro tips
For the absolute best tasting and best textured cookies follow these tips:
Use room temperature ingredients
Room temperature ingredients are important in not just this recipe, but other breads, muffins and even pancakes too. The reason why has to do with the mixing. Imagine trying to mix a stick of cold butter in the mixer - it won't mix easily, if at all, resulting in batter that is not the correct consistency. Cold ingredients don't incorporate easily, which can negatively affect the end result. (More on this in my baking masterclass!).
Use a digital scale to weigh ingredients
Although you might see cups and be tempted to whip out those measuring cups for the flour and starches, don't! Cups is not an accurate measurement and can drastically change your breads, rolls and biscuits as one cup of flour can be more or less than the recipe actually calls for. Instead, pull out your digital scale and weigh your flours and starches in grams. Grams is undeniably accurate!
Use pumpkin puree, unseasoned
Pumpkin can be found in a couple different varieties... you can actually make your own puree from cooking an actual pumpkin or you can buy a can in the store. Whichever route you take, you'll want the pumpkin that is just straight pumpkin, nothing added to it. And since this recipe only uses 130 grams, you'll have enough left over for making these pumpkin scones too!
Use the flour mix recommended in the recipe
This recipe has been tested and retested with King Arthur Measure for Measure flour blend. It's a dairy free blend that I have found to work perfectly in these cookies. They don't turn out grainy or crumbly and aren't challenged with dryness. Other blends may work but they have not been tested.
Dairy free cream cheese frosting tip...
As you're working with dairy free cream cheese, keep this in mind: The dairy free version of cream cheese tends to be softer than it's regular counterpart. That's why you'll only use 4 ounces instead of the usual 8 ounces to mix the frosting.
How to make these cookies
Room temperature ingredients
Let all the ingredients come to room temperature - this includes the flour blend if it's stored in the refrigerator too. The egg can be quickly warmed by floating in a glass of warm water for 1-2 minutes.
Mixing
I won't say this recipe is the easiest one to make, but it's definitely one of the simplest. In a medium mixing bowl, mix the dry ingredients together (step 1 above). Then using the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the butter and sugars (step 2). Add in the pumpkin, egg and vanilla extract and mix well (step 3). It will look very thin and runny (image 4).
Add the flour mixture to the batter (image 5) and mix. The batter will come together nicely at this point.
Rest time
Once the batter is completely mixed, set the bowl aside to rest for 30 minutes (step 6). This rest period gives the flours and starches time to hydrate, which is essential for nicely textured gluten free baked goods. Find out more about this rest period with these gluten free baking tips.
Forming and baking
Toward the end of the rest period, preheat your oven to 350F. This recipe will make about 30 cookies, depending on the size of your cookie scoop. With a scoop like this one, it's 30, with a larger scoop, expect around 24 cookies. You'll just portion them onto the pan and pat them a little to flatten the tops (makes frosting them easier). After a 12 minute baking time, they're ready to cool.
Dairy free cream cheese frosting
If you like cream cheese frosting, you'll love this one! It's a delicious mix of sweet sugar and the mild cream cheese. Yum!
Use a medium bowl and mix the cream cheese and powdered sugar together. It should be thick, but not hard to spread.
Make sure the cookies are completely cool before frosting and then dollop each with as much frosting as your crowd likes. Dust them with cinnamon for an added touch or serve as-is.
FAQ's about this recipe
Possibly, but the only one that's been tested has been King Arthur Measure for Measure. Other blends may work, but I can't confidently recommend another.
If you actually poured them into a dish to taste, yes. The pure vanilla has a smoother, more vanilla flavor. The imitation is more chemically derived, almost like the difference between sugar and Sweet and Low. But in all honesty, when using it in things like cookies and cakes, the difference isn't even noticeable. Would I recommend imitation vanilla extract in things like frostings, where it's unbaked and the flavor really shines? No, but in your baked goods, imitation vanilla can pass in a pinch.
The Kite Hill brand is both excellent tasting and excellent in recipes. I highly recommend it!
Yes! Just follow the same steps and mixing time frame.
These cookies store extremely well. Similar to these almond flour sugar cookies, they get softer by the day. The best way to store them would be before frosting them. In fact, you could make them a day before you need them and then frost as needed. They'll stay fresh in a sealed plastic bag or storage container for 2 days, unfrosted. After frosting, you'll need to enjoy them the same day or store them in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.
This is a personal preference but I would recommend the parchment paper as it makes for easy clean up. And parchment can be reused too!
Other recipes you may like!
Soft Gluten Free Pumpkin Cookies {Dairy Free}
Ingredients
Cookies
- 165 grams gluten free flour about 1 ¼ cups
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- ¼ cup vegan butter
- 100 grams brown sugar about ½ cup
- 50 grams granulated white sugar about ¼ cup
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 130 grams pumpkin puree about ½ cup
Frosting
- 4 ounces dairy free cream cheese
- 117 grams powdered sugar about 1 cup
Instructions
For cookies
- In a medium mixing bowl, combine flour blend, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk until fully combined.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer, beat the butter and sugars for 30 seconds, or until creamy.
- Add the egg, vanilla and pumpkin and mix on low until incorporated. Scrape the bowl down and mix on medium speed for 2 minutes.
- Add the flour mixture to the stand mixer bowl and mix for 30 seconds on low speed. Stop machine and scrape the bowl down. Mix again on medium for 30 seconds.
- Set the batter aside to rest for 30 minutes.
- Preheat oven to 350F. Using a medium size cookie scoop, place scoops of batter 2 inches apart on cookie sheets lined with parchment paper.
- Bake cookies for 10-12 minutes. Remove from the oven and let cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes before removing from the pan to the rack to cool completely.
- Repeat with remaining batter.
For Frosting
- In a medium bowl, combine the softened cream cheese and powdered sugar. Mix on low speed until fully mixed.
- Scrape the bowl down and mix again for a few seconds until remaining sugar is mixed.
- Frost cooled cookies with a dollop of frosting each.
Video
Notes
- The recipe has been tested with King Arthur Measure for Measure flour blend.
- A hand held mixer can be used - times and speeds are the same.
- Make sure to let the batter rest the full 30 minutes.
- Cookie dough will be soft - use a spatula to lightly flatten the tops.
- Cookies will not spread much so the size you scoop is the size they'll be after baking.
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