These soft, tender vegan pumpkin cookies are fragrant with the scent of warm fall spices, and best of all, since they’re vegan, you can share them with all your friends! They have a soft, cake-like texture and are tasty either plain or iced.
The ingredients in these easy pumpkin spice cookies are simple and they come together and bake up fast… no mixer needed, this is a one bowl drop cookie recipe!
I like to add chopped walnuts to mine, but you can also leave these cookies plain and just enjoy their sweet pumpkin spice flavors. You can add your favorite chopped nuts or even mini chocolate chips. Cinnamon or butterscotch chips are also good here- just make sure you check the label if you need them to be vegan or allergen-friendly.
Whip up a batch of these vegan pumpkin spice cookies for your next party, or just a snack. They’re super fast to mix up, easy to bake, and full of pumpkin spice goodness… this recipe is low mess, no fuss, and a healthy treat you can feel good about serving (or eating).
Pumpkin Beer Substitutions
They’re also versatile – you can substitute the pumpkin beer in this recipe for brown ale, a stout, or any suitably flavored beer in these pumpkin cookies and they’ll still be delicious. I would stay away from IPA’s and other very hoppy beers or light lagers.
You want a malt-forward mellow beer to not overpower the pumpkin and sweet spice in these cookies. I used a spiced Gingerbread Brown Ale from our cellar that I brewed last fall. You only need a little bit for the cookies, so you can drink the rest (or use it in another recipe).
You can also use apple cider or any clear, lightly flavored fruit juice instead of the beer (the alcohol bakes out, but you can make these even if you don’t have or keep beer in the house), as long as the flavors are compatible… so don’t fret if you don’t have an appropriate beer, just use juice!
Apple or pear cider is best, but white grape juice works, or even pineapple or orange juice. Don’t use a juice that is brightly colored (grape juice, fruit punch) as the color will be unappealing and the flavors will clash.
How to Bake Vegan Pumpkin Spice Beer Cookies
Assemble all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 375℉.
Mix all dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, sugars, and spices) in a large mixing bowl, using a whisk or spatula to incorporated all ingredients together completely.
Mix wet ingredients together and add to the dry ingredients.
Chef’s Tip- Measure the oil first, then the pumpkin puree with the same wet measure, and the pumpkin puree won’t stick to the measuring cup. Then, use the same cup to measure the pumpkin beer or apple juice.
You can whisk these wet ingredients together in a separate bowl, or make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir them together before incorporating with the rest of the ingredients to save a dish.
Mix gently, using a folding motion, until dry and wet ingredients are mixed into a thick batter or very wet soft cookie dough.
If desired, fold in chopped walnuts, pecans, or chocolate chips (check label for chips if the cookies need to be vegan).
Line your sheet pans with parchment or silicone baking mat if desired if your pans aren’t non-stick.
Scoop batter by tablespoons or with a cookie scoop onto a baking sheet.
Bake the cookies in your preheated oven for 20-30 minutes.
Check cookies before that, as ovens vary, and rotate trays halfway through so that they bake evenly.
Remove from the oven when the bottoms are beginning to brown and the tops are set and glossy.
These easy drop cookies are vegan and allergen-friendly, since they're egg free and dairy free. But most importantly, they're delicious! You can use apple cider or juice instead of the brown ale or pumpkin beer in this recipe.
¼cuppumpkin beer, brown ale, or apple cider or juice
¾cupchopped nuts or mini baking chips (optional)walnuts, pecans, chocolate or cinnamon chips, or other (optional)
Instructions
Assemble all ingredients. Preheat the oven to 375℉.
Mix all dry ingredients (flour, baking powder, salt, sugars, and spices) in a large mixing bowl, using a whisk or spatula to incorporated all ingredients together completely.
Mix wet ingredients together and add to the dry ingredients. (Tip- Measure the oil first, then the pumpkin puree with the same wet measure, and the pumpkin puree won't stick to the measuring cup). You can whisk these together in a separate bowl, or make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and stir them together before incorporating with the rest of the ingredients to save a dish.
Mix gently, using a folding motion, until dry and wet ingredients are mixed into a thick batter or very wet soft cookie dough.
If desired, fold in chopped walnuts, pecans, or chocolate chips (check label if they need to be vegan).
Scoop batter by tablespoons or with a cookie scoop onto a baking sheet (line with parchment or silicone baking mat if desired if your pans aren't non-stick).
Bake in preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, removing when the bottoms are beginning to brown and the tops are set and glossy. They will firm up slightly as they cool.
Keyword 10-minute dish, fall, fall foods, halloween
