Packed with whole-grain goodness in the form of oatmeal and happy-life goodness in the form of warm fall spices and dark chocolate chips, these healthy pumpkin oatmeal cookies belong in your cache of repeat-worthy fall desserts (right aside Sweet Potato Cookies). Every fall, I feel a moment of hesitation around the inaugural can of pumpkin. The weather is usually still fairly warm, and I worry that I’m rushing sweater weather. And then the scent of cinnamon fills my kitchen with warm nostalgia. Initial feelings of hesitation are replaced by the excitement of change…or is it the excitement of a warm batch of cookies about to emerge from the oven? I’ll evaluate the first plausible cause (change) while eating my first cookie, and the latter (freshly baked cookies) while munching my second. If I’m still not sure, well, that’s what the third cookie is for!
These healthy chocolate chip pumpkin cookies are tender and buttery. The flavor of the pumpkin is front and center, thanks to a rich array of warming spices like cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg and a generous quantity of pumpkin. No being disappointed by the lack of pumpkin or the lack of pumpkin spice here!
As with my iced Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies, the addition of rolled oats lends these healthy pumpkin cookies a pleasing texture, touch of hominess, and an excuse to go in for more (hello, healthy whole grains!). Dark chocolate chips give the cookies true dessert flare. As this Healthy Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bread and this Paleo Pumpkin Bread can attest, I’m all-in for the pumpkin and chocolate combo. If you are more of a purist with your pumpkin baked goods, or if you are looking to lighten these up a bit and serve them as healthy pumpkin breakfast cookies, you can swap the chocolate chips for another of your favorite pumpkin mix-ins. The cookies do already include walnuts (more texture!), which you can increase or complement with other yummy additions like chopped toasted pecans or dried cranberries. Or you can take your pumpkin cookie cravings the opposite direction and go all-out indulgent with these chewy Pumpkin Snickerdoodles. Just promise me you won’t wait long to bake these healthy pumpkin cookies. They are truly scrumptious and sure to be one of your favorite healthy fall desserts.
How to Make the Best Healthy Pumpkin Cookies
You’ll love how fast these easy pumpkin cookies come together. You don’t even need to chill the dough prior to baking. While many healthy pumpkin cookies include applesauce, I found that applesauce made the cookies too cakey. (If you are looking for cookie recipes with applesauce, check out these Healthy Oatmeal Cookies instead.) The moderate amount of butter here yields a more traditional chewy cookie texture. Pumpkin cookies generally do have a touch of cakiness (a product of baking with pumpkin in general), which I don’t typically love in my healthy cookie recipes, but it’s not overwhelming and 100% works here.
The Ingredients
Pumpkin. On its own, pumpkin can be ho-hum, but the ingredients in these cookies help it reach its full cozy flavor potential. Make sure to use pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling) for this recipe. Flour. A mixture of white whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour makes these cookies wholesome while keeping their texture light. Oats. A nutritious and filling addition. Oats bring in fiber and create a satisfying textural element. Butter. Hello, perfect chewy texture and real-deal cookie flavor! Spices. Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg put the “spice” into our pumpkin spice dreams. Sugar. A mix of brown sugar and granulated sugar is ideal in these cookies. Vanilla. Vanilla complements the pumpkin and warm spices perfectly. Mix-ins. Dark chocolate chips and walnuts were my mix-ins of choice, but you could easily swap in pecans, dried fruit, or more chocolate chips instead.
The Directions
Make-Ahead and Storage Tips for Cookies & Cookie Dough
To Freeze Unbaked Cookies. Scoop cookie dough balls onto a parchment-lined baking sheet. Freeze until solid, then transfer frozen cookie dough balls to an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Bake from frozen as directed, adding extra baking time as needed (usually about 3 to 5 minutes). To Freeze Cookies. Transfer fully cooled cookies to an airtight freezer-safe storage container, and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw and enjoy whenever a craving strikes! To Store. Store cookies in an airtight storage container at room temperature for up to 1 week.
More Healthy Pumpkin Recipes
Almond Flour Pumpkin Muffins Vegan Pumpkin Bread Pumpkin Banana Bread Pumpkin Baked Oatmeal And all of these healthy pumpkin recipes!
Recommended Tools to Make these Cookies
Mixing Bowls. Durable, easy-to-store, and one of my most-used kitchen essentials. Baking Sheet. Your pumpkin cookie BFF! Cookie Scoop. The easiest way to create perfectly-sized cookies.
What’s the first thing you plan to bake with pumpkin this year? If you haven’t decided yet, I have a tasty contender for you right here. As always, if you do make these healthy pumpkin cookies, I’d love to know what you think! Please leave a review in the comments below. I adore hearing from you, and your feedback is very helpful to others too.
