Soft Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies (gluten Recipe

I perfected an oatmeal cookie with a crackling edge and lusciously soft center that hides a single surprising ingredient you won’t believe.

I’m obsessed with these soft pumpkin oatmeal cookies because they actually taste like fall without being cloying. I love the way canned pumpkin puree keeps the crumb tender and not gummy, and old fashioned rolled oats give chew and texture that makes each bite interesting.

I grab one with coffee, I sneak them from the cooling rack, I bribe friends with a plate and they come back for more. But the best part is the balance, sweet, spiced, slightly toasty from the oats.

Melt-in-the-mouth soft, with just enough bite. Dangerous, delicious, repeat-worthy every time.

Ingredients

• All-purpose flour: gives structure and gluten, so cookies hold together and stay chewy.
• Baking soda: lifts a bit, keeps cookies from getting too dense.
• Baking powder: adds a touch of rise and lightness, kind of subtle.
• Fine salt: brightens sweetness and balances the pumpkin’s mellow flavor.
• Pumpkin pie spice: cozy warmth, basically autumn in every bite.
• Rolled oats: chewy texture and heartiness, they soak up pumpkin nicely.
• Unsalted butter: richness and that soft, tender crumb you want.
• Brown sugar: molasses notes and moisture, makes them soft and slightly caramelized.
• Granulated sugar: helps with spread and a little crisp edge.
• Pumpkin puree: moistness and pumpkin flavor, keeps cookies tender.
• Egg: binds everything together and adds a touch of protein.
• Vanilla extract: sweet background note, it just makes things taste homey.
• Mix-ins: chocolate or raisins add bursts of sweetness or chew, your call.
• Chopped nuts: crunch and nuttiness, optional but really nice here.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or 1 tsp cinnamon plus 1/2 tsp nutmeg)
• 1 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter softened
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1 large egg
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/2 to 1 cup mix ins like chocolate chips or raisins, your call
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans optional

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats; set aside.

2. In a medium bowl whisk together 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or 1 tsp cinnamon plus 1/2 tsp nutmeg). Set dry mix nearby.

3. In a large bowl cream 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter with 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar and 1/4 cup granulated sugar until smooth and a little fluffy; you can use a hand mixer or a sturdy wooden spoon if ya don’t have one.

4. Beat in 1 cup canned pumpkin puree, 1 large egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until combined; the batter will be wetter than a typical cookie dough and that’s ok.

5. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined, then fold in 1 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats plus whatever mix-ins you like, between 1/2 and 1 cup (chocolate chips, raisins, etc), and optionally 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans. Don’t overmix.

6. If the dough seems too sticky to handle, chill it for 20 to 30 minutes; chilling firms it up and helps prevent excessive spreading. If it’s too stiff, let it sit at room temp 5 minutes.

7. Scoop rounded tablespoons or use a cookie scoop to drop dough about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets; for larger cookies use a heaping scoop and increase bake time a few minutes.

8. Bake one sheet at a time in the middle of the oven for 10 to 14 minutes, until edges are set and tops look slightly dry but still soft. Rotate the sheet halfway through if your oven runs hot.

9. Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. They firm up as they cool and stay soft the next day if stored in an airtight container.

10. Tip: for extra chew, add a tablespoon of molasses or swap half the brown sugar for dark brown sugar; for crunch toast the nuts first. These are forgiving cookies so experiment, but dont overbake or they’ll lose their soft texture.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (set to 350°F)
2. Two rimmed baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone mats
3. Medium mixing bowl and large mixing bowl
4. Measuring cups and spoons
5. Whisk for dry ingredients and either a hand mixer or a sturdy wooden spoon for creaming
6. Rubber spatula or wooden spatula for scraping and folding
7. Cookie scoop or tablespoon for portioning dough
8. Wire cooling rack for finishing cookies

FAQ

Soft Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies (gluten Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• All purpose flour: swap for a 1:1 gluten free flour blend if you need no gluten. If using whole wheat pastry flour, use 3/4 cup plus 2 tbsp for every cup called for to avoid dense cookies. Expect a slightly nuttier taste and browner color.
• Unsalted butter: replace with melted coconut oil or vegan stick margarine, same volume. Chill the dough a bit longer before baking so cookies don’t spread too much, coconut adds a mild flavor.
• Packed light brown sugar: sub with equal parts coconut sugar or use 3/4 cup granulated sugar plus 2 tbsp molasses for that molasses-y depth. Coconut sugar is less moist so cookies may be a tad firmer.
• Pumpkin puree: swap for equal parts unsweetened applesauce or cooked, mashed sweet potato. Applesauce makes them a bit lighter and sweeter, sweet potato keeps the savory pumpkin vibe.

Pro Tips

1. Chill the dough if it’s sticky, but don’t overdo it. 20 to 30 minutes firms it up and stops the cookies from spreading too thin, but much longer and the butter gets too hard so the cookies may end up dense.

2. Use old fashioned oats, not quick oats. They give better texture and chew. If you want a slightly softer bite, pulse a quarter cup of the oats in a food processor for a few seconds so there’s a mix of big and small bits.

3. If you like deeper flavor and extra chew, swap half the light brown sugar for dark brown or add 1 tablespoon molasses. And toast the nuts in a dry pan until fragrant for a nuttier crunch, then let them cool before folding in.

4. Don’t overbake. Pull them when the edges are set but the centers still look a little underdone. They firm up as they cool. If your oven is uneven, bake one sheet at a time in the center and rotate halfway to avoid burnt edges.

Soft Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies (gluten Recipe

Recipe by Belinda Ecclestone

0.0 from 0 votes

I perfected an oatmeal cookie with a crackling edge and lusciously soft center that hides a single surprising ingredient you won't believe.

Pin

Servings

12

servings

Calories

304

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (set to 350°F)
2. Two rimmed baking sheets lined with parchment paper or silicone mats
3. Medium mixing bowl and large mixing bowl
4. Measuring cups and spoons
5. Whisk for dry ingredients and either a hand mixer or a sturdy wooden spoon for creaming
6. Rubber spatula or wooden spatula for scraping and folding
7. Cookie scoop or tablespoon for portioning dough
8. Wire cooling rack for finishing cookies

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour

• 1 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon fine salt

• 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or 1 tsp cinnamon plus 1/2 tsp nutmeg)

• 1 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats

• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter softened

• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar

• 1/4 cup granulated sugar

• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree

• 1 large egg

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/2 to 1 cup mix ins like chocolate chips or raisins, your call

• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans optional

Directions

• Preheat oven to 350°F and line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats; set aside.
• In a medium bowl whisk together 1 1/2 cups all purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, and 1 1/2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice (or 1 tsp cinnamon plus 1/2 tsp nutmeg). Set dry mix nearby.
• In a large bowl cream 1/2 cup softened unsalted butter with 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar and 1/4 cup granulated sugar until smooth and a little fluffy; you can use a hand mixer or a sturdy wooden spoon if ya don't have one.
• Beat in 1 cup canned pumpkin puree, 1 large egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract until combined; the batter will be wetter than a typical cookie dough and that's ok.
• Stir the dry ingredients into the wet mixture until just combined, then fold in 1 1/2 cups old fashioned rolled oats plus whatever mix-ins you like, between 1/2 and 1 cup (chocolate chips, raisins, etc), and optionally 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans. Don't overmix.
• If the dough seems too sticky to handle, chill it for 20 to 30 minutes; chilling firms it up and helps prevent excessive spreading. If it's too stiff, let it sit at room temp 5 minutes.
• Scoop rounded tablespoons or use a cookie scoop to drop dough about 2 inches apart on the prepared sheets; for larger cookies use a heaping scoop and increase bake time a few minutes.
• Bake one sheet at a time in the middle of the oven for 10 to 14 minutes, until edges are set and tops look slightly dry but still soft. Rotate the sheet halfway through if your oven runs hot.
• Let cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. They firm up as they cool and stay soft the next day if stored in an airtight container.
• Tip: for extra chew, add a tablespoon of molasses or swap half the brown sugar for dark brown sugar; for crunch toast the nuts first. These are forgiving cookies so experiment, but dont overbake or they'll lose their soft texture.

Notes

• Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.

Nutrition Facts

• Serving Size: 89g
• Total number of serves: 12
• Calories: 304kcal
• Fat: 15.3g
• Saturated Fat: 7.1g
• Trans Fat: 0.03g
• Polyunsaturated: 2.9g
• Monounsaturated: 5g
• Cholesterol: 36mg
• Sodium: 217mg
• Potassium: 189mg
• Carbohydrates: 41.8g
• Fiber: 2.8g
• Sugar: 19g
• Protein: 5.8g
• Vitamin A: 920IU
• Vitamin C: 1.8mg
• Calcium: 23mg
• Iron: 1.3mg