Healthy(ish) Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free Pumpkin Dark Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe

Are you welcoming September with open arms, or are you resisting fall and hanging on to summer as tight as you can?

I have to admit, I’m normally a summer-clinger, but because my daughter started school this year and we’re now fully into our new routine, I’m craving cooler temperatures, cozy blankets, sweaters, boots, and all things pumpkin.

So when I saw pumpkin out at the store a few days ago, I knew what I had to do. It was time for some pumpkin baking. Hey, at least I waited until Labor Day, right? 

My daughter and I love to bake. It’s her love language to help me in the kitchen, and it’s such great bonding and teaching time! 

So she was excited to hop in and help out with these pumpkin chocolate chip cookies… althought she got on me a bit about the fact that they are neither shaped nor are they the color of pumpkins. 

Touche, 3 year old. Touche. 

But you know what they are? DELICIOUS.

We have gluten and and dairy sensitivities in our home, so I bake everything with this in mind. It’s not always easy to come up with delicious recipes that work for our family, but let me tell you one thing about these cookies.

They’re incredible. So flavorful, moist, and chewy. Okay hold on… be right back… gotta go grab another cookie.

…….

Okay, okay without further ado, here is the only pumpkin chocolate chip cookie recipe you’ll ever need again – whether you eat gluten and dairy free or not!

HEALTHY(ISH) GLUTEN-FREE, DAIRY-FREE PUMPKIN DARK CHOCOLATE CHIP COOKIE RECIPE

INGREDIENTS

• 1/2 cup coconut oil organic, refined and melted
• 3/4 cup organic coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup organic cane sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 egg yolk
• 1/3 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 1/2 cup gluten-free 1:1 baking flour with xantham gum (my favorite is Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour)
• 3/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp sea salt
• 1/4 tsp cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp pumpkin pie spice
• 2/3 cup organic dark chocolate chips

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Combine gluten-free flour, salt, and baking soda and set aside. 
2. Melt coconut oil in a large bowl.
3. Add in sugars and vanilla, mixing as you go with a wooden spoon.
4. Add in your egg yolk and your pumpkin puree.
5. Next, mix in your cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice.
6. Slowly add in your flour mixture, making sure it’s fully incorporated into your wet ingredients.
7. Once combined, stir in your dark chocolate chips.
8. Refrigerate your dough for a minimum of one hour – this is a very important step if you want your cookies to be nice and chewy. Do not skip!
9. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line 2 cookie sheets with parchment paper.
10. Roll your cookies and space evenly on your cookie sheets, and remember that they will spread! This recipe makes approximately 30 medium-sized cookies.
11. Flatten cookie dough, then put them in the oven.
12. Bake for 9-10 minutes or until they begin to look a little golden.
13. Allow them to cool, and enjoy!

 A FEW EXTRA TIPS

• If you like a more coconut-y flavor, try using unrefined coconut oil instead of refined.
• You can replace the coconut sugar with any brown sugar.
• Use any dark chocolate chip for this recipe. My favorite allergy friendly brand is Enjoy Life’s dark chocolate chips.
• I have tried every gluten-free baking flour out there, and my very favorite is Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Baking Flour. Feel free to replace this with your favorite, but make sure your contains xantham gum. Otherwise, you’ll need to add this to your recipe!
• The dough tastes amazing…. so take that into consideration when trying to plan out how many cookies you’ll make… wink wink.

And it’s as easy as that! The very best pumpkin dark chocolate chip cookie recipe there is. 

They’re guaranteed to put you in the fall mood and transport you to your favorite cozy fall spot. You know, the one with the cableknit blanket, pumpkin spice latte, and oversized sweater that you’ve secretly been daydreaming about.

So what do you think? Will you give this a try? Let me know!

Looking for other cookie recipes? Check out my Gluten-Free Dairy-Free Chocolate Chip Cookie Recipe here!