Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies

With oats instead of flour, not only are these pumpkin breakfast cookies gluten-free but they make for a great healthy breakfast or snack during the fall season.

When you think of fall ingredients, if pumpkin isn't at the top of the list I don't know what to tell you. I look for any excuse to work pumpkin in during this time of year - from pumpkin chocolate chip pancakes to pumpkin pizza.

And these healthy pumpkin cookies are the perfect way to celebrate all things pumpkin.

Don't let the word cookie fool you. Yes it's in the shape of a cookie, but with oats, almond butter, pumpkin and pumpkin seeds - you are eating something that is actually healthy. And no a little dark chocolate never hurts anyone.

I'm not going to lie... while every time I try to only have one of these pumpkin breakfast cookies, I almost always end up eating two. I just can't help it, but perhaps you have more control than me. Hope you give these a try.

Jump to:

• Recipe Ingredients
• Step-by-Step Ingredients
• How to Make Pumpkin Pie Spice
• Can I Replace Pumpkin with Butternut Squash?
• Do I Have to Make These Vegan?
• Where Do I Find Dairy-Free Chocolate?
• Can I Substitute Quick Oats for Old-Fashioned Oat?
• Pro Tips/Recipe Notes
• Other Breakfast Recipes
• Pumpkin Breakfast Cookies

Recipe Ingredients

• Chia seeds - acts as the egg to help bind everything together.
• Old-fashioned oats - can’t have breakfast cookies without oats.
• Baking powder and baking soda - helps give a slight rise to the cookies.
• Pumpkin pie spice and salt - enhances the flavor.
• Pumpkin - canned pumpkin works fine.
• Almond butter - use creamy almond butter.
• Maple syrup - where the sweetness comes from.
• Coconut oil - needed fat for the cookies.
• Vanilla extract - enhances the flavor.
• Dark chocolate chips - semi-sweet or milk chocolate chips work as well.
• Pumpkin seeds - adds crunch.

Step-by-Step Ingredients

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Line baking sheet with parchment paper. Combine chia seeds with warm water in small bowl and let sit for 5 minutes.
2. Take 1 ¼ cups oats and place in food processor and pulse until fine flour. In large bowl, mix together oat flour, remaining oats, baking powder, baking soda, pumpkin pie spice and salt.
3. In a medium bowl, combine pumpkin puree, almond butter, maple syrup, coconut oil and vanilla extract. Stir in chia seed mixture.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in chocolate chips and pumpkin seeds.
5. Using an ice cream scoop or ¼ cup, scoop out batter onto baking sheet. Gently press flat with back of spatula. Bake for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown, rotating the pan halfway through.
6. When done, remove from oven and let cook on sheet for 5 minutes before transferring to cooling rack.

How to Make Pumpkin Pie Spice

Most grocery stores carry pumpkin pie spice these days, but you can always make your own. Check out Taste of Home's recipe. In a small bowl, whisk together 4 tsp ground cinnamon, 2 tsp ground ginger, 1 tsp ground cloves and ½ tsp ground nutmeg.

Can I Replace Pumpkin with Butternut Squash?

Yes. Butternut squash works just as well but is much harder to find already pureed in a can. You'll have to roast at 425°F for about 45 minutes until it's soft and then puree it in a food processor. Then just use the same amount - ¾ cup.

Do I Have to Make These Vegan?

No. The chia seeds are an egg replacement, so if you’d prefer to use eggs, just use two eggs to replace the chia seeds and water. Also you can use flaxseed and water instead if you prefer.

Where Do I Find Dairy-Free Chocolate?

My go-to is Enjoy Life. They have a variety of chocolates that are all dairy-free which makes them great for vegans. They can be found at most grocery stores these days.

Can I Substitute Quick Oats for Old-Fashioned Oat?

When baking, you can substitute quick oats for-old-fashioned oats, although I recommend old-fashioned. Instant oatmeal is cut too fine and isn't the best for baking.

Pro Tips/Recipe Notes

• Let the chia seeds sit in water for at least 5 minutes so it soaks up the water and creates an egg-like consistency.
• While you can substitute oats, I suggest using old-fashioned oats so you get a heartier breakfast cookie.
• If you're looking for some substitutions for ingredients, you can use vegetable oil instead of coconut oil and honey instead of maple syrup.
• Use baking powder that is less than a year old since it has been opened. If you use older baking powder, it won’t be powerful enough to help leaven the cookies. You can test it by stirring half a teaspoon of baking powder into a cup of hot water. It will immediately start to fizz and release carbon dioxide gas if it’s still fresh enough to use. Baking soda should be less than six months old and you can use the same test.
• Don't skip out on roasting the pumpkin seeds. By roasting them they will stay crispy in the batter and bring out the flavor.
• Use ice cream scoop to be consistent with the size of the cookies.

Other Breakfast Recipes

• Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Breakfast Cookies
• Lemon Blueberry Breakfast Cookies
• Pumpkin Oat Muffins
• Vegan Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Banana Bread Baked Oatmeal

If you’ve tried these pumpkin breakfast cookies or any other recipe on Chisel & Fork, please let me know how it turned out in the comments below! You can also follow me on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and YouTube to see more tasty meals and anything else I'm up to.