3 Ingredient Pumpkin Oat Cookies (Vegan, Oil-free, GF)

My 3 ingredient pumpkin oat cookies are perfect for snacking or breakfasts on the move. They are vegan, oil-free, gluten-free, 31 calories each (for the basic version), and endlessly customizable with a variety of different add-ins.

Eat More Cookies

It snowed–SNOWED–here in Texas on Sunday!

I get that this is no big deal for my cold climate friends, but it is a once every few years affair in my part of Texas. Everything was cancelled on Monday (no snow plows in these parts), so we three (Nick, Kevin and me) frolicked in the winter wonderland most of the morning, followed by a cozy fire and the viewing of a favorite action movie we have all seen many times before (it was still good).

I also ate 6 of these cookies. 

Nick ate 8. Kevin ate 4. And then I made some more :).

If I may boss you around for a moment, you need a pumpkin cookie, too (or 2, 3, 4, or 8). You will not regret it.

Why You Should Make These Cookies

January cookies need some justification in ways that December cookies do not. Yes, these pumpkin oatmeal cookies are delicious and satisfying, with just the right amount of chewiness. But they are also super-healthy, equally suitable for breakfasts, snacks, and desserts. Further, the 3 Ingredient Pumpkin Oat Cookies are:

• Made with 3 ingredients
• Vegan (egg-free and dairy free)
• Gluten-free
• Only 31 calories each for the basic recipe
• Flourless
• Oil-free (e.g., no coconut oil, butter, or other vegetable oil)
• Nut-free (e.g., no almonds, pecans, almond butter or peanut butter)
• Seed-free
• Quick & easy to make
• No binders or starches (e.g., no flax egg, psyllium, or starches)

If you have been looking for a healthy pumpkin recipes to use up any extra cans leftover from the holidays, you have found a perfect one for getting started.

Ingredients

The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post. Toggle between US Customary (volume) and Metric (weights) for preferred measurement option.

You can grab the three primary ingredients for these 3 Ingredient Pumpkin Oat Cookies in one trip to the pantry.

1. Rolled Oats. Use old-fashioned or quick-cooking oats, either will work. Use certified gluten-free oats, as needed.
2. Pumpkin Purée. I used canned, unsweetened pumpkin puree, but homemade pumpkin puree should work fine, too. Do not use sweetened pumpkin pie fillings.
3. Sweetener. I used coconut sugar, but maple syrup, brown sugar, or the liquid/granular sweetener of your choice can be substituted.
   • Optional: Salt. I (almost) always like to add some salt to my sweets. Even a small amount heightens all of the flavors, including the sweetness. I have provided the amount that I like to add in the recipe below, but it can be omitted or adjusted according to your needs and preferences.

Customize with Add-Ins

If you like, consider adding one or more extras to the the 3 Ingredient Pumpkin Oat Cookies before baking. Who doesn’t love a completely customized cookie? Consider any of the following to push the delicious limits of these cookies:

• Chocolate: Chocolate chips (regular or miniature), cacao nibs, finely chopped or shaved dark chocolate. Consider adding between 2 and 4 tablespoons (I used 4 tablespoons of chocolate chips in the photos here).
• Spices: Cinnamon, ginger, cardamom, allspice, pumpkin pie spice, or nutmeg. Use between 1/8 to 1/2 teaspoon, according to taste.
• Extracts & Zests: Vanilla extract, almond extract, or finely grated citrus zest (orange, lemon, or lime). Use between 1/4 teaspoon (almond extract) to 1 teaspoon (vanilla or citrus zest).
• Dried Fruits: Cranberries, cherries, raisins, apricots, or prunes. Chop them small for greater distribution. Use between 2 and 4 tablespoons.
• Nuts or Seeds: Pepitas, walnuts, pecans, sunflower seeds, hemp hearts, almonds. Chop them small for greater distribution. Use between 2 and 4 tablespoons.
• Coconut: Unsweetened shredded or flaked coconut, plain or lightly toasted.

Step By Step Instructions

Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.

Step One: Preheat Oven and Prepare Pan

Preheat the oven to 350F (180C). Line a light colored large baking sheet with parchment paper or a silicon baking mat.

Step Two: Grind the Oats

Process the oats in a food processor or high-speed blender until they resemble either a rough or fine flour. I like a semi-fine texture. It’s your choice to go super fine, semi-fine, or somewhat coarse.

If you have ready-to-use oat flour on hand, feel free to use it in place of the whole oats. You will need the same amount by weight (133 g), which is 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons.  

Step Three: Combine the Wet Ingredients

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the pumpkin, sweetener, and (optional) salt with 1/4 cup water. If adding spices, extracts or zest, add them in this step. Stir until completley blended and smooth.

Step Four: Add the Dry Ingredients

Add the oat flour to the bowl with the pumpkin mixture. If adding optional extras (e.g., dark chocolate chips, nuts, seeds, coconut, or dried fruit), add them here, along with the oats. I decided to make these equal parts pumpkin cookie and chocolate chip cookie.

Stir until completely blended into a soft, thick dough.

Step Five: Portion the Dough

Using a small cookie scoop or tablespoon, portion small mounds of the cookie dough onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet. 

The cookies do not spread, so they do not need to be spaced far apart.

The cookies can be baked as is (in small mounds). Alternatively, press the dough down with your fingertips to flatten. The size and shape of the cookies will be the same before and after they bake.

Step Six: Bake the Cookies

Bake in a preheated 350F (180C) oven for 10 to 12 minutes until the cookies are slightly browned at the edges and the surface of the dough appears dry. The chocolate chips will look melty, too.

Step Seven: Cool the 3 Ingredient Pumpkin Oat Cookies

Transfer the cookies to a cooling rack and let cool for at least 5 minutes before eating.

Hello, delicious…

FAQ

• How Do the Cookies Taste? These cookies are soft in texture and lightly sweet (more sweet if extras such as chocolate chips or dried fruit are added). They are more in the camp of a healthy cookie than a decadent cookie in both taste and texture.
• How Should I Store the Cookies? The cooled cookies can be stored in an airtight container at cool room temperature for 2 days, in the refrigerator for 1 week, or the freezer for up to 6 months. 
• Can I Rewarm the Cookies? Yes. I prefer to warm the cookies in the microwave for a few seconds (especially if chocolate is involved), but they are satisfying room temperature or cold, too.

Happy baking!

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