Soft Gluten-Free Pumpkin Cookies

The best soft, fluffy easy gluten-free pumpkin cookies are cakey, pumpkin spiced, and topped with a simple, healthy cream cheese yogurt frosting. So good that you can't tell they're gluten-free!

5 from 4 votes

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Prep Time 30

Cook Time 8

Total Time 38

Serving cookies

Ingredients

The Cookies:

3 cups gluten-free 1:1 baking flour, spooned & leveled
2 tbsp cornstarch*
2 - 3 tsp pumpkin pie spice , I like a strong pumpkin flavor (3 tsp) but this depends on your taste preferences
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp baking powder
¾ tsp salt
1 large egg, room temperature
½ cup pumpkin puree, room temperature
¼ cup greek yogurt (2 or 5%), room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract
1 ¼ cup granulated sugar
¾ cup unsalted butter (12 tbsp), room temperature

Cream Cheese Yougrt Frosting:

8 oz cream cheese or Neufchatel, room temperature
¼ cup greek yogurt (plain or vanilla), room temperature
¼ cup real maple syrup, room temperature
1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

In a large mixing bowl, add 3 cups of spooned and leveled flour. Then remove 2 Tablespoons of the flour (either discard or add it back to the bag) and add 2 Tablespoons of cornstarch. Add the rest of the dry ingredients: baking soda, baking powder, salt, and pumpkin pie spice. Whisk or sift the dry ingredients, so there are no lumps.
In a stand mixer (with paddle attachment) or using an electric handheld mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and creamy. It should take about 1 – 2 minutes.
Add the egg, yogurt, pumpkin puree, and vanilla extract. Beat until combined. Add the flour in 3 different increments on low-speed or medium-low. Stop beating as soon as the last bit of dry flour is no longer visible. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a spatula and make sure all flour is combined.
Cover to bowl and chill for at least 20 minutes and up to 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two cookie sheets with parchment paper. Set to the side.
Using a cooking scooper, portion out about 2 Tablespoons of dough for each cookie. Roll and flatten them to about ½ inch thick.
Bake for 8 - 9 minutes. They will look underdone, puff up, and be almost barely golden on the bottom. Remove from the oven and let them sit for 5 mins on the baking sheet before transferring them to a wire rack. I like my cookies a little underdone and soft, so I baked for 8 minutes, but some gf flours can have the slightest graininess, so you can bake up to 9 - 10 minutes if needed.
While the cookies cool, make the frosting by placing all ingredients in a large mixing bowl and beating with a handheld electric mixer on medium for 1 – 2 minutes until fluffy and smooth. You can also you a stand mixer with the paddle attachment.
Make sure your cookies are completely cool before frosting! Dust with extra pumpkin spice, and enjoy!

Notes

Greek Yogurt: You can substitute the greek yogurt with sour cream, or if you want to make them dairy-free, you can use almond milk or coconut yogurt. I always recommend full-fat and not 0%.

Cornstarch: You can also use tapioca flour or arrowroot powder.

Pumpkin Pie Spice: You can make your own at home with ground cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, all-spice, and cloves. I wrote out the recipe in the blog post.

Pumpkin Puree: Do not use pumpkin pie filling. You can use butternut squash puree or sweet potato puree if needed.

Cream Cheese: You can use any dairy-free cream cheese for the frosting if you want.

Make Ahead: You can make these cookies ahead of time by covering and chilling the cookie dough for up to 48 hours. I recommend letting the cookie dough sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before shaping it.

Storing: If you have leftovers, store these cookies in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 – 3 days. You can also refrigerate them for up to 5 days.

Freezing: You can freeze un-frosted pumpkin cookies for up to 3 months. Just store them in a freezer-safe bag and thaw overnight in the fridge or leave them at room temperature for an hour.

Freezing Cookie Dough: You can also freeze the unbaked cookie dough for up to 3 months. When you are ready to bake, allow it to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then let it sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before shaping into discs and baking.

Nutrition

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

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