I had 3/4 of a can of pumpkin puree left in the fridge and obviously needed to make some pumpkin cookies to celebrate the start of fall. There is really no back story behind these cookies like you might see from other bloggers. In fact, if you actually read this section, comment down below because I'm pretty sure 99% of people just skip straight to the recipe.
Joking aside, these cookies are fluffy, sweet, have plenty of pumpkin and fall flavors, and are, of course, vegan.
I know it might look like a lot of complicated ingredients, but these cookies are worth it. They are fluffy, moist, and topped with the glaze they are like eating a little bite of thanksgiving every time.
I forgot to take photos of the process, but who really enjoys seeing photos of the batter halfway through mixing? I think the most important photos are the end result.
First, mix together your flax "egg" ingredients: flax and water and let it sit until thickened. You will also want to mix your plant milk and apple cider vinegar in order to make your "buttermilk" and also let this sit for about five minutes.
After that, mix together your remaining wet ingredients. Then, combine the wet and dry ingredients all at once, and mix until well combined and resemble a normal cookie dough consistency. The texture will be slightly off due to the pumpkin. If you batter is too wet, add more flour about 1/4 cup at a time and if it is too dry, add a little water, about 2 tbsp at a time.
You can let you dough chill for half an hour or you can scoop them immediately. Use a 1 or 2 tbsp scoop and place them onto a greased or lined cookie sheet. They don't spread out that much so you can put more on a pan with this recipe. Bake them at 350F for about 15-20 minutes or until the bottoms are golden. They are a little harder to tell when they are done since they will be an orange-ish color.
*Note: these will not have the texture or a chocolate chip or sugar cookies, but rather a bit of a cakey texture, kind of like the top of a muffin.
After they are done, place them on a cooling rack to cool completely. You can eat them now or add the super yummy maple glaze. All you need for the glaze is powdered sugar, maple syrup, and a little milk or water. You can add vanilla and cinnamon, though, to make it even more flavorful.
**Note: the maple glaze will melt after about 12 hours and just absorb into the cookies. So, if you are not wanting to serve them that day, wait to add the glaze until later.
After you dip them in the glaze, place them back on the cooling rack with a cookie sheet underneath to catch any excess dripping from the glaze. From here, you can top with a whole or crushed pecans or graham crackers to resemble pumpkin pie or you can serve as is. You can also put a pecan on top of the dough before baking and just drizzle the glaze on top.
My personal preference, though, was the fully glazed cookies. They tasted like mini pumpkin cinnamon rolls *heart eye emoji.*
Maple Glazed Pumpkin Cookies:
Prep time: 15 minutes
Bake time: 15-20 minutes per batch
Total time: 40+ minutes
Yield: about 5 dozen
Ingredients:
For the cookies:
- 2 cups of pumpkin puree
- 1 cup sugar
- 3 tbsp of ground flax seeds
- 6 tbsp water
- 1/2 cup nut or soy milk
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar (ACV)
- 1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tsp salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 2 cups flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
For the glaze:
- 1/2 cup powdered sugar
- 1/2 tbsp maple syrup
- 1-2 tbsp milk
- 1/4 tsp vanilla (optional)
- 1/4 tsp cinnamon (optional)
Directions:
1. Combine the ground flax and water in a small bowl, use a fork to stir, and let sit for 10 minutes or until thickened, stirring occasionally.
2. You will also need to prep the "buttermilk" ahead of time and let it set. Combine the nut or soy milk and ACV using a fork to combine and let it sit for 5-10 minutes. It might look "chunky," but that is totally fine.
3. While you wait, in a medium bowl, combine the rest of your wet ingredients: pumpkin, sugar, coconut oil, vanilla, and your spices. Once the flax "egg" and "buttermilk" are done, add them to the mixture and mix well to combine.
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together your flour and baking soda. Add the dry mixture to your wet mixture, and gently fold in with a spatula or spoon. It should resemble cookie dough batter. If it is too dry, add a bit of water or milk (2 tbsp at a time) and if it is too wet, add a bit of flour (1/4 cup at a time).
5. You can chill your dough for 30 minutes while you clean up or you can bake them immediately. Use a 1 or 2 tbsp sized scoop and place them on a greased or lined baking sheet. They do not spread very much so you can put more on your sheets. At this point, add a pecan on top if you wish or wait until after they have been fully glazed.
6. Bake at 350F for about 15-20 minutes or until the bottoms are golden. Once they are done, remove and let cool completely on a cooling rack so that the glaze does not melt off.
7. While you wait, prepare the glaze: combine all ingredients in a small bowl, adding only a little liquid at a time so it is not too thin.
8. Once the cookies are cool, dip each into the glaze or drizzle glaze over the top. Be sure to place a cookie sheet under your cooling rack to ensure easy clean up.
9. If you glaze your cookies, serve immediately. If you want to serve them past 12 hours, glaze them later, right before serving. The glaze will absorb into the cookies after about 12 hours!
It might be one of the more complicated recipes, but I promise it is worth it. The richness from the "egg" and "buttermilk" and the combination of all the flavors really makes this cookie complete. They are like a little cinnamon roll in every bite.
I hope you enjoy this recipe. Let me know what you change or edit to make this recipe better or uniquely your own!
- Emma
They look absolutely delicious and like they would be perfect for a cosy autumn day!