Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

By Brita Britnell // November 11, 2021 (updated November 21, 2024)

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These Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies are perfectly soft and chewy with just the right amount of pumpkin and spice! This pumpkin cookie recipe is incredibly easy to make and will be a hit at all of your fall gatherings and holiday parties!

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Chocolate chip oatmeal cookies are a classic and loved by pretty much everyone. When you add pumpkin and fall spices to the mix, you get an incredible cookie that’s perfect for snack time, lunch boxes or any fall gathering.

Super soft, chewy and LOADED with chocolate chips… these pumpkin oatmeal cookies are the “it” cookie for fall. Everyone’s eating one… or four. 😉 There’s something so comforting about having a delicious pumpkin-spiced cookie on a chilly fall day, alongside my cup of coffee or tea. Let’s bake!

What’s in Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies?

This pumpkin oatmeal cookies recipe is made with your typical cookie ingredients of flour, sugar and (vegan) butter. The dough also includes pumpkin puree and pumpkin pie spice for that classic fall flavor that we love. There’s no egg needed in this recipe, so these cookies are naturally vegan. Here’s what you’ll need:

All-purpose flour. I recommend using all-purpose flour to give these cookies a tenderness that you just won’t find when using other types of flour.
Old-fashioned oats. Oats provide a wonderful chewy texture! Use rolled oats (not quick) for best results in this cookie recipe.
Pumpkin pie spice. Totally optional, but highly recommended! See below for instructions to make your own, if you don’t have any available.
Baking powder and baking soda. To help these rise a bit.
Vegan butter. Be sure your butter is softened to room temperature, so that it combines properly with the sugars. Room temperature butter is still a bit cool to the touch and it should indent slightly when you press on it with your finger. Take butter out of the refrigerator about 1 hour before beginning your recipe. If you’re not concerned with keeping this recipe vegan, regular butter works too.
Pumpkin puree. Use 100% pure canned pumpkin puree for these cookies. Don’t grab pumpkin pie filling by mistake, which has added spices and sugar.
Sugar. We’re using an equal amount of dark brown sugar and granulated sugar in this recipe. The brown sugar makes these cookies soft and flavorful. And the granulated sugar is necessary to help the cookies spread a bit. Using both sugars will yield a cookie with a slightly crisp exterior and a soft and chewy center. Perfection!
Plant-based milk. To give the cookie dough the perfect consistency. I use a plant-based milk to keep these vegan, but any milk works.
Optional mix-ins. Chocolate chips are optional but highly recommended. You can also toss in some raisins, if you’d like. Another great combo is craisins with white chocolate chips!

pumpkin oatmeal cookies baked on a parchment-lined baking sheet

How to Make Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

This pumpkin cookie recipe is simple, straightforward and will be your new go-to! For full, printable instructions, reference the recipe card at the bottom of the post. Here’s the simple process:

Combine dry ingredients. Whisk together the oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, and optional pumpkin pie spice in a bowl and set aside.
Beat together wet ingredients. In a stand mixer with the paddle attachment, beat the butter, pumpkin puree and both sugars together until light and fluffy.
Add in the dry ingredients. Beat dry with wet ingredients until combined – dough will be crumbly.
Add milk and mix-ins. With the stand mixer on medium-low, pour in the almond milk. Beat only until a dough has formed – about 45 seconds to 1 minute. Fold in additional mix-ins you’re using.
Scoop dough balls. Scoop and roll 2 tablespoons of dough into balls and place in the fridge for 15+ minutes.
Bake. Place dough balls 2 inches apart and bake at 350 degrees F for 14-16 minutes, until golden around the edges.
Cool. Allow to cool on a wire rack and ENJOY!

Recipe tip: Need recipe ideas for using up the rest of the can of pumpkin puree? Try my vegan pumpkin bread, pumpkin baked oats or pumpkin donuts. They are all so good!

How to Make Pumpkin Pie Spice

Pumpkin pie spice is optional, but if you want these cookies to have a warm spice flavor, I highly recommend it. If you don’t have any on hand, you can sub with this combination: 3/4 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/4 teaspoon ginger, and 1/8 teaspoon each nutmeg and allspice. You could also just sub the pumpkin pie spice for an equal amount of ground cinnamon. These cookies are delicious no matter what spices you choose to use!

pumpkin oatmeal cookies with chocolate chips

Tips For Recipe Success

Here are a few tips and tricks for baking the perfect pumpkin oatmeal cookies:

Bake time + temp. Baking at 350ºF will guarantee your cookies melt at the perfect speed to get those crispy edges with a soft and chewy center – the MOST epic cookie. I recommend baking the cookies for 14 to 16 minutes and NO longer. Mine usually have a doughy, slightly under baked look in the middle after about 15 minutes, but they don’t need to bake any longer than 16 minutes. Once they cool, they set and are PERFECT! Keep in mind, cookies continue to bake even after they are removed from the oven. Also, your bake time will vary depending on the size of your cookie.
Room temperature ingredients. When baking cookies, it’s best to use room temperature ingredients, so they combine properly. Room temperature butter is still a bit cool to the touch and it should indent slightly when you press on it with your finger. Take butter and milk out of the refrigerator about 1 hour before beginning your recipe.
Don’t over mix. If you over mix the ingredients in this cookie recipe you may end up with flat cookies that don’t have the optimal tender crumb.
Chill the dough. For best results, I recommend chilling the dough for at least 15 minutes and up to about 1 hour. I wouldn’t chill the dough for any longer than that because the oats will absorb all of the moisture and they won’t spread as well when baking.
Bake on parchment or silicone. Parchment or, better yet, a silicone baking mat makes for the most perfect cookies. Silicone baking mats will grip onto the bottom of your cookies to prevent them from spreading too much. The mats also promote even browning.

Customize Your Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

These pumpkin cookies are naturally vegan, kid-friendly and totally customizable. Here’s a few ideas for making them your own:

Chocolate chips. A must, in my opinion! You can use mini or regular baking chips. You can also experiment with semi-sweet, milk, dark or white chocolate chips.
Nuts. Try adding chopped pecans or walnuts for extra texture and crunch.
Dried fruit. Raisins, craisins or any other dried fruit give these cookies a nice added sweetness.
Shredded coconut. If you’re a coconut fan, adding in some unsweetened shredded coconut would be a fun and tasty option.
Glaze. Make a simple glaze to drizzle over the top of the cookies. Mix 1/4 cup confectioners’ sugar with 1 to 2 teaspoons almond milk, until smooth. Drizzle over cooled cookies.

How to Store Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies

Allow the cookies to cool completely on a wire rack before transferring to an airtight container for storage. Store at room temperature for up to 5 days, in the refrigerator for up to a week or put them in the freezer for up to three months.

As usual, PLEASE PLEASE let me know if you end up making this pumpkin oatmeal cookies recipe (or any of my recipes!). I love when you tag me on Instagram @foodwithfeeling!

More simple Vegan Cookies to try:

If you love these pumpkin oatmeal cookies, try one of these other delicious cookie recipes next: