Soft Baked Vegan Pumpkin Cookies With Maple Frosting Recipe

As the leaves begin their dramatic descent from the trees and the air turns crisp and cozy, there’s nothing more gratifying than diving into the world of baking with a batch of these soft-baked pumpkin cookies, glazed with a luscious maple frosting that perfectly captures the essence of autumn.

I adore the task of fashioning goodies that exhibit the finest autumn flavors. My Soft-Baked Vegan Pumpkin Cookies with Maple Frosting are a dumbfoundingly good example.

They blend brilliant pumpkin—smooth and creamy from a can—poured into the bowl along with warm melted coconut oil. (Unlike butter, melted coconut oil is not solid at room temperature and mixes much better with the other cookie ingredients.) Also in the bowl are gilded spices hat are the very essence of fall flavor—cinnamon and ginger, which adds sweetness without putting in too much sugar.

Ingredients

• Canned Pumpkin Puree: Rich in fiber and vitamin A, adds moisture and flavor.
• Coconut Oil: Provides healthy fats, maintains cookie softness when melted.
• Brown Sugar: Adds deep sweetness, enhances chewy texture with molasses.
• Maple Syrup: Natural sweetener, contributes subtle caramel undertones.
• All-Purpose Flour: Basic structure for cookies, primarily a carb source.
• Cinnamon: Warm spice, adds depth and complements pumpkin.
• Powdered Sugar: Sweetens frosting, dissolves easily for smooth texture.
• Coconut Milk: Adds creaminess to frosting, dairy-free alternative.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
• 3/4 cup brown sugar
• 1/4 cup maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
• 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1/4 teaspoon ground cloves
• 3 cups powdered sugar
• 1/4 cup coconut milk
• 2 tablespoons maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• Pinch of salt

How to Make this

1. Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) to warm up. Next, get a baking sheet and prepare it with parchment paper.

2. In a big mixing bowl, combine the puree of canned pumpkin, melted coconut oil, brown sugar, 1/4 cup of maple syrup, and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Mix very well until smooth.

3. In another bowl, combine and whisk together the following: all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, ground cinnamon, ground ginger, ground nutmeg, and ground cloves.

4. Slowly mix the dry element with the wet element until a dough forms.

5. Using a tablespoon, scoop out amounts of dough that are roughly the same size as a tablespoon onto the baking sheet that has been prepared for baking cookies. When doing so, pay attention to the spacing of each mound of dough and make sure they are about 2 inches apart from one another.

6. Preheat the oven to 350 °F (180 °C). Have ready two ungreased cookie sheets, or line them with parchment paper. With a large spoon, drop batter by the tablespoonful onto the prepared cookie sheets, spacing the cookies about 2 inches apart. Bake in the preheated oven for 10-12 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden and the centers are set. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheets for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.

7. To make the maple frosting, combine the following in a medium bowl: 2 cups powdered sugar, sifted; 1/4 cup coconut milk (or other non-dairy milk); 2 tablespoons maple syrup; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (or other non-alcoholic flavoring); and a pinch of salt. Whip together until smooth and creamy.

8. Once the cookies are cool, spread or drizzle the maple frosting over the tops. Be generous.

9. Let the frosting sit for a few minutes to begin setting.

10. Enjoy your vegan soft-baked pumpkin cookies with maple frosting! And if you want a fantastic pairing for these cookies, try serving them with a glass of almond milk.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven
2. Baking sheet
3. Parchment paper
4. Large mixing bowl
5. Medium mixing bowl
6. Whisk
7. Mixing spoon or spatula
8. Tablespoon (for scooping dough)
9. Wire rack (for cooling cookies)
10. Small bowl (for frosting)
11. Sifter (for powdered sugar)
12. Measuring cups
13. Measuring spoons

FAQ

• Q: Can I use fresh pumpkin instead of canned pumpkin puree?A: You can indeed use fresh pumpkin puree. Just make sure it’s well-cooked and drained to achieve a similar consistency to that of canned pumpkin.
• Q: Is there a substitute for coconut oil?Another vegan butter replacement or other vegetable oil can be used, but the texture and flavor may change slightly.
• Q: Can I make the cookies gluten-free?A: Yes, you can replace the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend that is designed for baking.
• Q: How should I store these cookies?A: Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
• Q: Can I freeze the dough?Yes, you can freeze the cookie dough. Individual portions can be dropped onto a baking sheet so they can freeze, and then transferred to a bag once they are solid.
• Q: Is there an alternative for coconut milk in the frosting?A: For the frosting, any milk that comes from a plant, such as almond or soy milk, will work.

Soft Baked Vegan Pumpkin Cookies With Maple Frosting Recipe Substitutions and Variations

1/2 cup melted coconut oil – Substitute with 1/2 cup avocado oil or 1/2 cup melted vegan butter.
3/4 cup brown sugar – Substitute with 3/4 cup coconut sugar or 3/4 cup white granulated sugar with 1 tablespoon of molasses.
2 cups all-purpose flour
– Substitute with 2 cups gluten-free all-purpose flour blend for a gluten-free option.
1/4 cup maple syrup – Substitute with 1/4 cup agave syrup or 1/4 cup brown rice syrup.
1/4 cup coconut milk – Replace with 1/4 cup almond milk or 1/4 cup soy milk.

Pro Tips

1. Room Temperature Ingredients Allow your coconut oil and coconut milk to come to room temperature before mixing. This helps create a smoother dough and frosting, making it easier to blend the ingredients thoroughly.

2. Enhance the Flavor For a deeper flavor, consider toasting the spices lightly in a dry pan before mixing them with the flour. This can release their essential oils and amplify their taste in the cookies.

3. Chill the Dough Consider chilling the dough for 30 minutes before baking. This can help prevent the cookies from spreading too much and can result in a softer, chewier texture.

4. Adjusting Frosting Consistency If your maple frosting is too thick, add a little more coconut milk, a teaspoon at a time, until you reach the desired consistency. If it’s too thin, add a bit more powdered sugar.

5. Storage and Freshness Store your cookies in an airtight container with a slice of bread. The bread will help keep the cookies soft for a longer period by absorbing excess moisture.