These healthy pumpkin oat cookies are more of a nutritious snack than a decadent cookie but they’re still delicious and satisfying. You’ll need less than 20 minutes and just 3 ingredients to make them.

A stack of chocolate chip pumpkin cookies.

Why Make this Recipe

  • low-calorie – without the extras, these cookies are less than 80 calories each
  • 3-ingredient – the most basic version of this recipe calls for just 3 simple ingredients
  • dietary restriction and allergy-friendly – this recipe is vegan, gluten-free, oil-free and can be sugar-free

What You’ll Need

Pumpkin, oats and maple syrup in containers.
  1. Oats. Rolled oats, old fashioned oats, and quick oats are all suitable.
  2. Pumpkin. Use plain pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling. I suggest canned pumpkin but homemade also works.
  3. Sweetener. The cookies can be sweetened with coconut sugar, maple syrup or agave. For a sugar-free cookie, use liquid or powder stevia or monk fruit sweetener.

Quick Note: Optional but recommended ingredients include cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice and chocolate chips.

Step by Step Instructions

Step 1. Mix all of the ingredients together to form a thick dough. There’s no need to worry about over mixing, just keep working it together until you have a uniform dough.

Pumpkin, oats, chocolate chips and cinnamon in a glass mixing bowl.
Raw pumpkin cookie dough batter in a glass mixing bowl with a wooden spoon.

Step 2. Form the batter into 12 cookie shapes using your hands and place them on a baking sheet.

Quick Note: These cookies will not spread or change shape during baking so be sure to create the shape you want before baking.

Chocolate chip pumpkin cookies on a baking tray.

Step 3. Bake the cookies! They need just 10 minutes at 350 degrees F. Let them cool on the pan for a few minutes then enjoy warm or let cool before storing.

A stack of pumpkin chocolate chip cookies with a bite out of the one on top.

Tips and FAQs

  • Pumpkin. Good quality pumpkin puree will make a big difference in these cookies. I recommend Farmer’s Market Organic Pumpkin and if you can’t find that, E.D. Smith will do the trick.
  • Add-ins. These cookies are easily customizable with your favorite add-ins. Mix and match up to 3/4 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans, pumpkin seeds, coconut, chocolate chips and raisins.
  • Spices. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, use 1 tsp of cinnamon plus a pinch of ground ginger and nutmeg if you have them. If not, just cinnamon is good too!

What do they taste like?

These taste more like a health food cookie than a dessert but they’re still hearty, yummy and satisfying. The texture is soft and somewhat like baked oatmeal or a hearty muffin.

If you’re looking for a super sweet, decadent dessert, this isn’t it but these are great for a pre or post-workout snack or healthier option to satisfy a craving. I recommend adding the chocolate chips to make these more of a treat!

How should I store them?

Let the cookies cool after baking then store at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the fridge for up to 6 days or freeze for up to 3 months.

Close up of a pumpkin chocolate chip cookie.

Related Recipes

For more pumpkin recipes, check out this collection of the best vegan pumpkin recipes. Extra pumpkin? This coconut pumpkin pasta is a must.

Did you try this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Click here to leave a review.

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A stack of chocolate chip pumpkin cookies.

Healthy Pumpkin Oat Cookies

  • Author: Deryn Macey
  • Prep Time: 10 mins
  • Cook Time: 10 mins
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 12 cookies 1x
  • Category: Snack
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegan

While very tasty and satisfying, these healthy pumpkin oat cookies are more of a simple, nutritious snack than decadent dessert. Add the chocolate chips for a sweeter, yummier treat!

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Ingredients

Instructions

  1. Pre-heat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Mix all ingredients in a bowl to form a thick dough. Start with 2 tbsp of sweetener and adjust sweetness as desired. I use 3 tbsp of maple syrup.
  3. Use your hands to create 12 cookie shapes. The cookies will not spread or change shape during baking so be sure to create the shape you want before baking.
  4. Prepare a baking pan with parchment paper or place cookies directly on the pan. Bake for 10 minutes.
  5. Remove from oven and enjoy warm after a few minutes. Let cool completely before storing. Store at in a sealed container at room temperature for 3 days, in the fridge for up to 1 week or freeze up to 3 months.

Notes

These are a soft cookie, the texture is somewhat like baked oatmeal or a hearty muffin. They are not a decadent dessert but more of a healthy and nutritious treat. They are still very yummy and satisfying though. I would definitely recommend adding the chocolate chips as some find them quite bland without, especially if you’re making them for kids. They’re still good with just the 3 ingredients but just a heads up if you’re used to sweeter treats, you may find these plain. 

I recommend using the best pumpkin puree you can find as it will make a difference in the texture and sweetness of the cookies. The best one I’ve found and my go-to for all my pumpkin recipes is Farmer’s Market Organic Pumpkin. It’s super smooth and creamy and has a delicious, subtly sweet pumpkin flavor that works wonderfully in recipes.

Other add-ins that work well are shredded coconut, walnuts or chopped pecans. If you don’t have pumpkin pie spice, use cinnamon plus a pinch of ginger and nutmeg if you have them. Just cinnamon is good too!

Nutrition facts include oats, pumpkin and 3 tbsp of maple syrup. If using a sugar-free sweetener, they will be 70 calories each. If using maple syrup (or agave or coconut sugar) and adding chocolate chips, they will be 172 calories each.

For for sugar-free cookies sweeten to taste with powdered or liquid stevia or monk fruit sweetener.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1
  • Calories: 79
  • Sugar: 2.7 g
  • Sodium: 1.5 mg
  • Fat: 0.1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 15 g
  • Fiber: 2.3 g
  • Protein: 2.3 g

Keywords: healthy pumpkin cookies, pumpkin oat cookies, pumpkin oatmeal cookies

UPDATE NOTE: This recipe was originally published on October 16, 2015. It was updated in April 2020 with new photos and text.