Healthy Oatmeal Pumpkin Cookies
Ready in just 30 minutes these oatmeal pumpkin cookies are sweetened with maple syrup for a delicious fall flavor. Swirled with chocolate chips and crunchy nuts, the cookies make for a tasty snack or easy dessert.
Short on time but craving cookies? These oatmeal pumpkin cookies are a healthy choice any time of day. Made with quick oats for a chewy but soft texture and lower in sugar than most cookie recipes, these oatmeal cookies can be varied for any occasion.
With minimal prep time, the pumpkin cookies are a great last-minute dessert or quick snack. Full of pumpkin flavor and warm fall seasonings, they’re a healthy cookie you’ll want to whip up over and over.
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 egg
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin spice
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/3 cups quick oats
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Preparation time:
Prep time: 10 minutes
Cook time: 12 minutes
Yields: 13 cookies
Total Time: Approximately 30 minutes.
Directions
1. Prepare the wet ingredients:
In a large bowl, combine the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, pumpkin puree, and egg. Mix well until everything is well combined and you have a smooth, homogenous mixture.
2. Add the dry ingredients:
In the same bowl, add the oats, flour, baking powder, and pumpkin spice. Mix well until all the ingredients are fully incorporated.
3. Incorporate the add-ins:
Add the chocolate chips and chopped nuts. Stir well to ensure that the add-ins are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
4. Shape the cookies:
Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C).
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a #20 cookie scoop, portion the dough into balls and place them on the prepared sheet, leaving some space between each cookie. If you prefer flatter cookies, gently press down on the balls with the back of the scoop.
5. Bake:
Bake for about 12 minutes, or until the cookies are golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack.
Substitutions and Variations
Dairy-free: The cookies are perfect for anyone avoiding dairy. All you need to do is swap in vegan chocolate chips and you’re set.
Sweet potato: For the days you don’t have canned pumpkin on hand, know that you can substitute cooked, mashed sweet potato instead.
Nuts: Any chopped nuts will work for the cookies and each one will bring a unique flavor. Pecans always pair well with pumpkin, but pistachios bring a whole level of richness to the cookies. Or make the cookies nut-free by using sunflower seeds instead.
Sweetness: You can adjust the sweetness of the cookies by scaling back the maple syrup. Or you can use something like stevia in its place depending on personal preference.
Spices: Adjust the pumpkin pie spice to your tastes. Depending on what you like, add in more or less spice. Or choose to adjust the flavor even more by adding more of the individual spices to give more depth.
Chewy: If you want an extra chewy texture, substitute raisins for half the chocolate chips in the batter. Using dried cranberries will work as well and give the cookies a pop of color.
Drizzle: To use these oatmeal pumpkin cookies for a potluck or gathering, drizzle them with a chocolate sauce or cinnamon sugar icing.
How To Make The Best Healthy Oatmeal Pumpkin Cookies
You need pumpkin puree for these cookies and not pumpkin pie mix. The pie mix has additional sugars added to it which would make the cookies far too sweet.
If you don’t like a strong coconut taste in your cookies, use refined coconut oil. Virgin coconut oil tends to leave a bit of flavor.
Avoid overbaking the cookies by checking their doneness for around 10 minutes. Adjust the baking times for your desired texture: less time for softer cookies and extra time for crispier cookies.
Store the cookies once cooled in an airtight container on the counter for 3-4 days. You can freeze the cookies as well for up to 3 months and just allow them to come to room temperature when you need them.
Healthy Pumpkin Oatmeal Cookies
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup coconut oil melted
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp pumpkin spice
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 /1/3 cups quick oats
- 1/2 cup chopped nuts
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Prepare the wet ingredients: In a large bowl, combine the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, pumpkin puree, and egg. Mix well until everything is well combined and you have a smooth, homogenous mixture.
- Add the dry ingredients: In the same bowl, add the oats, flour, baking powder, and pumpkin spice. Mix well until all the ingredients are fully incorporated.
- Incorporate the add-ins: Add the chocolate chips and chopped nuts. Stir well to ensure that the add-ins are evenly distributed throughout the dough.
- Shape the cookies: Preheat your oven to 350°F (180°C). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using a #20 cookie scoop, portion the dough into balls and place them on the prepared sheet, leaving some space between each cookie. If you prefer flatter cookies, gently press down on the balls with the back of the scoop.
- Bake: Bake for about 12 minutes, or until the cookies are golden around the edges. Remove from the oven and let them cool on a wire rack.
Notes
- Use refined coconut oil if you prefer that the cookies don’t have a strong coconut flavor, as virgin coconut oil can add a hint of coconut taste. Refined coconut oil is more neutral.
- Add a touch of salt: A small pinch of sea salt in the dough will enhance the sweetness of the maple syrup and chocolate.
- Vary the nuts: You can experiment with different types of nuts like almonds, pecans, or pistachios, or even use a mix for added texture and flavor.
- Incorporate seeds: Adding seeds like chia, flaxseeds, or sunflower seeds can boost the nutritional value and add an interesting texture to the cookies.
- Adjust the sweetness: If you prefer less sweet cookies, you can reduce the amount of maple syrup or substitute it with a natural sweetener like stevia or erythritol.
- Customize the spices: If you don’t have pumpkin spice, you can make your own mix using cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and cloves. Adjust the quantities to your taste.
- Monitor the baking time: Every oven is different, so start checking the cookies at the 10-minute mark to avoid overbaking. For softer cookies, bake for less time; for crispier ones, bake a couple of extra minutes.
