Description
These Copycat Vegan Pumpkin Sugar Cookies are soft, tender, and warmly spiced autumn treats made with pumpkin puree and cozy spices. Completely plant-based and made with simple pantry staples, they deliver melt-in-your-mouth softness and delightful fall flavors perfect for vegans, dairy-free diets, or anyone craving pumpkin-flavored cookies.
Ingredients
Scale
Wet Ingredients
- ½ cup vegan butter, softened
- ¾ cup sugar
- ½ cup pumpkin puree (canned is fine)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2–3 tablespoons plant-based milk (as needed)
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (or 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
Instructions
- Cream the vegan butter and sugar: Beat the softened vegan butter with sugar until the mixture is light and fluffy to create a tender, melt-in-your-mouth cookie texture.
- Mix in pumpkin puree and vanilla: Add the pumpkin puree and vanilla extract to the butter-sugar mixture and stir until well combined and smooth, adding moisture and pumpkin flavor to the dough.
- Combine dry ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger to evenly distribute leavening agents and spices throughout the dough.
- Gradually add dry ingredients to wet: Slowly fold the dry ingredient mixture into the wet ingredients, stirring gently to form a soft dough. If the dough feels too dense, add a splash of plant-based milk to loosen it up.
- Chill the dough: Refrigerate the dough for at least 30 minutes to allow flavors to meld and to make the dough easier to handle and shape.
- Bake the cookies: Scoop dough onto a lined baking sheet, flatten slightly if desired, and bake at 350°F (175°C) for 10-12 minutes, until edges are set but centers remain soft for that classic sugar cookie tenderness.
Notes
- Use room temperature vegan butter for better creaming and improved texture.
- Do not overmix the dough to avoid tough cookies.
- Chilling the dough helps prevent spreading and enhances flavor.
- Measure flour carefully by spooning into the measuring cup and leveling off to avoid dryness.
- Watch baking time closely; slightly underbaked cookies stay soft and chewy after cooling.
- Optional add-ins: vegan chocolate chips, chopped pecans or walnuts, ground cloves or allspice for extra warmth, or sugar substitutions like coconut or maple sugar.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 10-12 minutes
- Category: Desserts
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cookie
- Calories: 120
- Sugar: 8g
- Sodium: 90mg
- Fat: 5g
- Saturated Fat: 1g
- Unsaturated Fat: 4g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 18g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 1g
- Cholesterol: 0mg
Keywords: vegan pumpkin sugar cookies, dairy-free pumpkin cookies, soft pumpkin cookies, plant-based fall treats, gluten-free pumpkin cookies option
