These pumpkin coconut cookies are not “classic” pumpkin cookies, with the usual spices, cinnamon, nutmeg and so on. And combining pumpkin with coconut might seem strange. But since these two ingredients make a good pair in pies and in soups, why wouldn’t they go well together in cookies too?!
These cookies are tasty and soft and they’ll melt in your mouth. Besides, they’re vegan cookies, they’re fast and easy to make, with only one handful of necessary ingredients.
Cookies ingredients
- flour – I used all purpose flour; if you want to use a different type of flour, the quantity might need to be adjusted;
- pumpkin puré – I used homemade puré made of roasted pumpkin, but canned works fine too;
- coconut oil – use solid coconut oil;
- brown sugar – it makes cookies thick, puffy and soft especially due to the reaction it has with baking soda (which white sugar can’t have due to lack of acid);
- shredded coconut – I used unsweetened shredded coconut;
- vanilla extract – to make cookies more flavorful;
- baking powder & baking soda – to help your cookies rise in the oven and make them not too puffy or too crisp;
- salt – to intensify the sweetness in sugar;
- lemon juice – yes, there is acid in brown sugar which activates the baking soda, but I just want to be 100 % sure there’s enough ?.
How to make vegan pumpkin coconut cookies
Start by mixing flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda in a bowl.
Next, mix sugar with coconut oil in a large bowl. You can use an electric mixer, but on medium speed. It works fine with a spatula too, it will only take more time to dissolve all coconut oil lumps.
Then add the pumpkin puree and combine gently. After adding the pumpkin, the mixture will separate. But don’t worry, it’s normal. It will all come together when you bring in the flour.
Then add the shredded coconut and gently fold in. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients.
Use an ice cream scoop or a spoon to make dough balls and line them in the baking trey lined with parchment paper. Gently press down the balls with the palm of your hands to flatten the dough.
Bake the cookies for around 12 minutes in the oven (preheated at 180° C).
Remove the cookies from the oven and set them on a cooling rack for 30 minutes.
Meanwhile, prepare the glaze. In a small bowl mix with a teaspoon the powdered sugar, lemon juice and plant based milk until you get a smooth paste.
After the cookies are cool, spread the glaze on top of them.
Tips for making pumpkin coconut cookies
Sometimes freshly baked pumpkin has more water than canned pumpkin so, strain out as much of the liquid as possible.
Don’t use pumpkin pie filling, it’s already spiced and much sweeter. Plus, this recipe doesn’t call for the usual pumpkin spices like cinnamon or nutmeg.
Use a tablespoon or an ice cream scoop to make same size cookie dough balls.
These pumpkin coconut cookies don’t spread too much while they bake. That’s why, after you scoop the dough into balls, you need to lightly press down on top of each mound before baking.
Be careful not to overcook the cookies. They will be very soft right after you take them out of the oven, but they firm up while they cool.
How to store pumpkin coconut cookies
Do not store the cookie in a sealed bag. Better keep them on a covered plate. You can keep them up to three days at room temperature.
You can prepare more cookies dough and freeze it. Better yet, you can make cookie dough balls and freeze them. This way, next time you’re in the mood for these pumpkin coconut cookies, you can take them put of the freezer and put them directly into the oven. You’ll need to bake them for a little longer though.
If you try this recipe, please let me know. Leave a comment below and don’t forget to snap a photo and tag #choose_tasty on Instagram ?.
Pumpkin Coconut Cookies | Vegan Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cups all purpose flour 220 g
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp baking soda
- ½ cup solid coconut oil 80 g
- ½ cup brown coconut sugar 110 g – feel free to add a little bit more
- ½ cup pumpkin puré 130 g
- 1 cup shredded unsweetened coconut 60 g
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
Glaze
- ½ cup powdered sugar 50 g
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 tbsp plant based milk
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt; set aside;
- In a large bowl mix coconut oil and brown sugar until they are well combined;
- Add pumpkin puré and combine well;
- Mix in shredded coconut and combine well;
- Add gradually the flour combined with the rest of the dry ingredients; mix well so that there are no lumps;
- Preheat the oven at 180° C and line a large baking trey with parchment paper;
- Using a spoon or an ice cream scoop roll the dough into balls (walnut sized) and line them into the baking trey; flatten the dough balls with the back of a spoon or the palm of your hand;
- Bake the cookies for around 12 minutes or until the edges look set;
- Remove the cookies from the oven and let them cool for 30 minutes on a cooling rack;
- To prepare the glaze, in a small bowl mix all ingredients until there are no lumps;
- When the cookies are cool, drizzle the glaze on top pf them.
Notes
- You need to flatten the dough balls, otherwise they might not spread in the oven.
- The cookies will be very soft right after you take them out of the oven; they firm up while cooling.
- You might need to bake two rounds of cookies; I got 16 cookies and my trey was too small to bake them all at once.
