Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 7 tbsp melted vegan butter (100g, like Violife – cooled, not hot)
- ¾ cup + 2 tbsp light brown sugar (175g, packed)
- 1 tbsp unsulphured molasses (25g, not blackstrap)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ¼ cup pumpkin puree (patted dry, about 30g after drying)
Dry Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cup all-purpose flour (150g, spoon and level method)
- ¼ tsp baking soda (1g)
- 2 tsp pumpkin pie spice (3g)
- Pinch of salt
For rolling (optional)
- 1 tsp cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice
- 2 tbsp granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) to ensure it’s at the perfect temperature when your cookies are ready to bake.
- Dry the Pumpkin: Fold 3-4 paper towels or a clean tea towel into a thick stack. Scoop ¼ cup (60g) of pumpkin puree onto the towels and pat it dry to absorb excess moisture. This will reduce the weight to about 30g, which is ideal for the dough consistency.
- Mix Wet Ingredients: In a medium bowl, combine the cooled melted vegan butter, brown sugar, molasses, vanilla extract, and dried pumpkin puree. Mix well, but ensure the butter is not hot so you don’t melt the brown sugar.
- Add Dry Ingredients: Sprinkle the flour, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice, and salt over the wet mixture. Use a fork to sift and mix the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. The dough will be soft but scoopable.
- Form Dough Balls: Use about 1½ to 2 tablespoons of dough per cookie and roll into balls. You should get approximately 10 large cookies or 12 regular-sized cookies from this dough.
- Optional Cinnamon Sugar Coating: Mix cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice with granulated sugar. Roll each dough ball in this mixture to lightly coat.
- Arrange on Baking Sheet: Place cookies about 2 inches apart on an ungreased or parchment-lined baking sheet (parchment paper helps cookies stay thicker; without it, cookies will spread more).
- Flatten Cookies: Press each dough ball gently with the palm of your hand to form thick discs.
- Bake: Bake the cookies at 350°F for 11-12 minutes. Look for edges to be slightly golden and firm while the center should no longer appear wet or jiggly.
- Deflate Cookies: When removing the baking sheet, firmly smack it against the counter or stovetop 6-8 times to deflate the cookies and reduce puffiness.
- Cool: Let cookies rest on the baking sheet for 3 minutes to set, then transfer them to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Patting the pumpkin puree dry is crucial to prevent the dough from being too wet and sticky.
- Using parchment paper helps the cookies keep a thicker shape, while directly baking on an ungreased sheet yields thinner, more spread cookies.
- The ‘smack’ technique after baking helps achieve the perfect chewy texture by deflating the cookies.
- These cookies can be stored in an airtight container for up to 5 days or frozen for longer storage.
- Adjust pumpkin pie spice to taste if you prefer a stronger or milder spice profile.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 12 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
